Rail Industry

Turning Hidden Rail Forces Into Actionable Insights

RAIL

Rail infrastructure is under constant stress. Vibrations, impacts, and cyclic loads place enormous demands on joints, track and structural components. While these forces shape performance and safety every day, they are rarely visible until a problem becomes urgent. Fastener preload monitoring enables measurable early detection of those changes, enabling targeted interventions between inspection cycles.

Forcesure

Smarter, Safer Rail Systems

Traditional inspection routines in rail rely heavily on manual checks, scheduled maintenance and reactive intervention. These practices require technicians to work trackside, often in high-risk environments and under strict time constraints. While the rail industry has made progress in safety and maintenance modernisation. The ability to continuously monitor forces remains limited.

At Forcesure, we develop sensor-based technologies that transform invisible forces into actionable data. By making load, tension, and stress measurable in real time, we enable operators and maintenance teams to anticipate issues before they escalate.

Our solutions provide the foundation for:

  • Condition-based maintenance strategies built on real-world data
  • Reduced technician exposure to hazardous environments
  • Increased confidence during installation and operation
  • Improved asset longevity and uptime
wireless

Connectivity

Databolt is connected with
a small connector on top of
the bolt to measure the
bolt force in real-time.

wireless

Measurement

Databolt is integrated with
a force measuring sensor,
capable of delivering real-time
insights into bolt tension.

wireless

Welded Housing

The housing is micro-welded
and injected with UV resin
to prevent any dust or water
from entering the sensor.

Databolt

Databolt in Railways

Databolt is part of a broader toolkit for improving structural integrity in rail infrastructure. By replacing existing bolts or being integrated into new constructions, it provides engineers with direct, measurable insights into preload. This supports the shift from scheduled inspections toward condition-based maintenance, where decisions are driven by real data rather than fixed cycles.

Once installed, Databolt not only validates preload during tightening but also continues to analyse bolt behaviour over extended periods under operational conditions. This long-term monitoring is especially valuable for rail tracks, joints, and supporting constructions, where continuous force data helps detect early signs of degradation, reduce manual inspections, and strengthen overall network reliability. As such, Databolt exemplifies Forcesure’s wider mission to bring transparency and precision to structural monitoring across industries.

REQUEST DATASHEET

Railways

Key Applications

  • Fishplate joints and rail section transitions
  • Crossing assemblies and stretcher bars
  • Tie plate bolts
  • Support structures and assemblies

From Hidden Stress to Real-Time Insights

Databolt reveals how bolt tension decreases over time, providing real-time insights into the structural integrity of traintracks, bridges, and support structures.

Bridge overlay + Train + Live Chart (Nm-scaled)
Critical bolt condition: Bolt 1A25 — baseline ≤ 130 Nm.
Newton [Nm]Time [d]130 NmMaximum zone (≥200 Nm)Minimum zone (<150 Nm)

Your Benefits

Value for Rail Operators

By integrating force monitoring in rail maintenance strategies, operators can move from reactive interventions to predictive, data-driven rail track monitoring. While the impact will vary depending on infrastructure type, traffic load, and inspection cycles, the shift toward real-time force visibility offers lasting strategic benefits. 

  • Minimize serivce disruptions by detecting preload or load loss early
  • Reduce technician exposure by lowering reliance on manual trackside inspections
  • Enable condition-based maintenance with live load data instead of fixed schedules
  • Build historical datasets to guide network-wide planning, upgrades, and safety initiatives