Hansung Tech

Photo: Hansung Tech’s IP-based Shunting Signal and Route Indicator System [Hansung Tech]

The IP-based Shunting Signal and Route Indicator System, developed by Hansung Tech Co., Ltd., replaces conventional wired control with fiber-optic communication, achieving major improvements in safety, efficiency, cost savings, and environmental sustainability.

Shunting signals and route indicators guide train movements safely within stations and depots. Traditional systems required large quantities of wired control cables, resulting in oversized conduits, rising construction costs, and high maintenance demands. As station networks expanded, material and labor costs for cables, conduits, and junction boxes increased exponentially. Maintenance was also difficult — voltage drops, lightning, and insulation issues often caused system failures, requiring two-person field inspections lasting over 30 minutes per site.

To overcome these limitations, Hansung Tech’s IP-based system replaces more than 50 wired circuits with a single 4-core optical cable. Communication between the Main Control Unit (MCU) and field devices now occurs via optical fiber. The MCU, located in the signal room, monitors shunting signals and route indicators in real time and issues instant alarms when faults occur, allowing rapid maintenance response.

Photo: Main Control Unit of the IP-based Shunting Signal and Route Indicator System [Hansung Tech]

The dual-redundant MCU features fault detection and real-time status indication, enabling quick diagnosis and recovery. Route configuration changes — once requiring manual fieldwork — can now be performed remotely through software updates, eliminating on-site intervention. The system supports virtually unlimited route expansion, far beyond the previous 48-route limit, making it especially effective for large stations.

This innovation significantly reduces cable, conduit, and labor costs, while maintenance time is cut dramatically — from two workers and 30 minutes to one person and just five minutes via remote inspection. For 30 sites inspected twice a month, annual maintenance costs drop from 29 million KRW to 2.27 million KRW, translating to hundreds of millions in national cost savings across 68 railway depots.

Safety is also enhanced. Maintenance crews no longer need to access trackside areas, reducing accident risks, while real-time fault recovery improves train punctuality and operational safety. With reduced copper use and smaller conduit structures, the system supports eco-friendly, carbon-neutral operations.

Photo: Hansung Tech’s IP-based Shunting Signal and Route Indicator System [Hansung Tech]

Developed between 2021 and 2023 as part of a Korea National Railway (KNR) co-funded new product development project, the system was officially registered in the KNR SME Technology Market in May 2024. It will be first deployed in the Gwangyang Steel Line Taegum Station signal improvement project.

As a core technology supporting the full digitalization of railway signaling systems, the IP-based shunting signal and route indicator is expected to play a key role in modernization projects domestically and abroad — including Egypt, Mongolia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

Hansung Tech CEO Lee Kwang-jae stated:

“This fiber-based signaling system clearly demonstrates cost and maintenance efficiency. The larger the station, the greater the economic impact we can expect.”

Source: Electric Times (https://www.electimes.com)