In this episode, we explore the critical intersection of IoT technology and railway infrastructure with Oliver von Sperber, Managing Director at AXO Track, a German startup transforming railway switch maintenance.

Twenty per cent of train delays stem from switch malfunctions, costing operators millions and frustrating passengers worldwide. Oliver and his team address this challenge through IoT sensors that monitor railway switches in real time, detecting problems before they cause expensive breakdowns.

Oliver brings unique expertise to this problem. He founded AXO Track after running both an investment bank and a sensor technology company. He even completed training as a railway switch mechanic to understand the technical challenges firsthand.

We discuss the journey from manual maintenance to predictive maintenance, the technical challenges of deploying sensors in critical infrastructure, and how smartphone technology has made railway IoT economically viable.

#railway #IoT #predictivemaintenance #infrastructure #sensors #transportation #digitalisation #switches #wetalkiot #smartinfrastructure

Summary of this week's episode:

01:38 Meet AXO Track and the railway delay problem

03:45 Understanding railway switches and failure modes

07:15 Why this technology didn't exist before - smartphone revolution

09:20 IoT sensor technology: vibrations, temperature, and humidity

11:45 Technical challenges: deployment, power, and data processing

14:30 Digitalisation drivers: Green Deal and skilled worker shortage

18:15 European market challenges and infrastructure investment

21:20 Predictive maintenance benefits and efficiency gains

24:45 Research project with Fraunhofer IVI and Eisenbahn-Bundesamt

27:30 Future plans and European expansion strategy

30:15 Role of artificial intelligence in predictive maintenance

32:45 Future of railway IoT technology

Show notes:

Oliver von Sperber: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-von-sperber/

AXO Track: https://axotrack.de/en/

AXO Track Blog: https://axotrack.de/en/blog/

Listen to the "We Talk IoT "Soundtrack on:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/05MOV4OV2MH2in2txsAGtG?si=ad08112cb8d443f4

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-NvQ6VJYtE&list=PLLqgVFfZhDRVYmpEqbgajzDvGL4kACRDp

About Avnet Silica:

This podcast is brought to you by Avnet Silica—the Engineers of Evolution.

You can connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/silica-an-avnet-company/. Or find us at www.avnet-silica.com.