Replacement of an Assembled Tamping Pick for an Integral Tamping Pick

Yue Cui, Liyuan Wang, Huigang Wang, Xiangbin Yang, Shidong Shi, and Huijie Han

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64486/m.66.1.8
Online publication date: May 29, 2026

Abstract: Aimed at optimizing resource utilization, this study leverages finite element analysis (FEA) to compare integral and assembled tamping picks—both are pivotal components in railway ballast tamping machines prone to wear. Traditional integral picks, cast/forged with embedded wear-resistant alloys, suffer from material waste, as they compel full replacement upon head wear. The FEA involved static and modal analyses, where the former revealed that the assembled picks exhibited a maximum equivalent stress 27.5 MPa higher than the integral ones, free from any significant stress concentration. The integral picks concentrated stress on upper/lower surfaces, incurring the under-utilization of mid-section material. The modal analysis compared resonance in the first 10 vibration modes. For the integral picks, the 10th mode demonstrated a maximum amplitude (34.2 mm, 6815.5 Hz) localized at the head. The assembled picks possessed higher amplitudes in the 3rd (69.3 mm), 4th (69.4 mm), 8th (65.6 mm), and 9th (64.6 mm) modes—all on the pole. As manifested by the results, the integral picks’ material waste and stress inefficiency are curtailed by the assembled designs. Notwithstanding their slightly higher static stress, the assembled picks show dynamic behavior (higher amplitudes on the pole vs. head) that aligns better with wear patterns, so that the localized replacement is feasible. Consequently, the assembled tamping picks, supported by FEA results, present a preliminary numerical analysis for more economical solution for railway maintenance.

Keywords: tamping pick, integral, assembled, finite element method, static analysis, modal analysis

This article is published online first and will appear in Metalurgija, Vol. 66, Issue 1 (2027).