Elastic Pad Mark 8

Elastic Pad Mark 8

The use of the Gantrail Mark 8 pad between the rail and its support significantly enhances the lifespan and performance of gantry rails. Gantries exert very strong pressure on the structures they move over—the pad greatly reduces stresses between the rail and the supporting structure. The Gantrail pad is one of three key components for achieving a durable rail system. These components are: the elastic pad, strong adjustable clamps, and continuously welded rail.

Technical Description:

• The new Gantrail MK8 pad features a completely redesigned profile, including a reoriented pattern of grooves on the upper surface.

• The grooved upper surface provides a two-stage stiffness characteristic—during loading, the empty spaces in the upper part allow Gantrail clamps to pre-compress the pad, and as the wheel load increases, the empty spaces reduce, making the pad stiffer. This ensures that the rail is not excessively loaded.

• The grooves now extend from the sides of the pad, allowing any fluid to be flushed out as the empty spaces decrease during loading, carrying away contaminants and other debris.

• The 45-degree orientation of the grooves significantly improves resistance to lateral tearing caused by rotational forces on the rail compared to the previous longitudinal groove design. An additional benefit is the improved cross-sectional area of the rubber along the edge of the steel reinforcement, enhancing tear resistance.

• The pad is reinforced with high-strength steel tape to provide high lateral stiffness and prevent movement from under the rail.