MSc Traction delivers low MTBF for Helsinki Tram Auxiliary Power Supply

The Auxiliary Power System delivered by MSc Traction to Helsinki City Traffic has shown outstanding MTBF (mean time between failures).

In 2011, Skoda Transtech selected MSc Traction’s Auxiliary Power Supply (APS) solution for the new low-floor trams of Helsinki City Traffic. Seven European APS manufacturers were included in the bidding phase.

One of the main criteria for the APS was reliable performance in the harsh conditions of the Nordic winter, with minimum of 15 000 hours of mean time between failures (MTBF). During the twelve years in operation, the APS has proven to be extremely reliable. Within the observation period from 2019 to August 2023, a record-breaking MTBF of 110 000 hours has been achieved. The initial selection criteria have been exceeded 7-fold!

"We are known for high quality and reliability, as the case clearly demonstrates. Our planning is uncompromising, and we put focus on quality during the assembly stage. We are highly familiar with the requirements of rail transport," says MSc's Business Development Director Mikko Seppälä.

The data is based on continuous 18-hour daily operation of the fleet of 70 trams with 70 APS units in harsh Nordic conditions in Helsinki, Finland. MSc Traction will continue monitoring the reliability statistics of the APSs.