The problem
In high-speed rail services, interior decor is a fundamental element in ensuring high standards of quality and comfort. However, managing seats, paneling, tables, upholstery, lighting, and other onboard elements requires complex maintenance processes.
The main operational challenges include:
- Thousands of heterogeneous components to monitor
- Tight maintenance cycles
- High volume of interventions
- Manual component identification
- Heavy reliance on operator experience
In traditional models, process management is often manual and fragmented, utilizing disparate tools and non-uniform procedures. Managing train decor is not a single activity, but a cycle composed of several operational phases:
- Intervention scheduling
- Component inspection (check-in)
- Material and warehouse management
- Coordination of maintenance teams
- Supplier management
- Final verification of interventions (check-out)
- Management reporting
The most critical phase is inspection, where the operator must correctly identify components to be repaired or replaced. A single trainset can contain approximately 1,500 decor elements, often with variants that are visually similar but technically different. Without advanced digital tools, identification requires years of experience.
The Solution: EWMS with Integrated AI
NetCom collaborated with Hitachi Rail STS to digitize the decor management process for high-speed trains through the EWMS (Extra Warranty Management System) platform.
The solution enables:
- Standardization of the maintenance process
- Digitization of inspection activities
- Coordination of teams, materials, and interventions
- End-to-end visibility of the maintenance cycle
The entire flow becomes traceable, uniform, and monitorable across the fleet. EWMS acts as a central orchestration system for the process, featuring:
- Intervention planning
- Inspection management
- Coordination of operational teams
- Integration with warehouses and suppliers
- Activity monitoring
- Automated management reporting
All information is consolidated into a single digital environment. Inspection activities are performed via tablets distributed to operators and linked to the EWMS platform. The application allows for the identification of components to be restored using several operational modes.
The most innovative feature is the integration of AI-based Object Detection models. Using the tablet’s camera, it is possible to:
- Frame the component
- Identify it automatically
- Associate it with the correct maintenance category
Machine learning models improve over time as the image dataset expands. This results in:
- Reduced identification errors
- Faster inspections
- Reduced dependence on personnel experience
Beyond automatic recognition, the system offers other operational modes:
- Photo Catalog: Component selection from a comprehensive image library.
- QR Codes: Immediate identification of tagged elements.
- Digital Technical Drawings: Selection of components directly from a graphical map of the carriage.
Maintenance often takes place in areas lacking connectivity. NetCom designed a system that allows:
- Offline app functionality
- Automatic data synchronization once a network is available
- Optimized storage management on devices
The Benefits
The digitization of the process has yielded significant improvements:
- Faster inspections
- Reduction in identification errors
- Greater operational standardization
- Immediate communication with warehouses and teams
- Automated management reporting
Operational efficiency allows for the management of a significantly higher number of maintenance interventions without increasing resources.
The project involved NetCom, Hitachi Rail, and Trenitalia in the digital transformation of train decor maintenance. Key activities included:
- Integration and configuration of the EWMS platform
- Detailed mapping of carriage components
- Development of AI functionalities
- Design of offline operations
- Training of operational teams
- Continuous 24/7 support
The result is an advanced system that demonstrates how AI and digitization can concretely improve railway maintenance management, enhancing efficiency, quality, and operational capacity.