Stratasys has announced that its new Rail Industry Solution that focuses on helping passenger trains continue moving with additive manufacturing.
Image source: Stratasys.
With a certified blend of Stratasys Fortus 3D printers and ULTEM 9085 and Antero 800NA materials, rail operators may generate spare parts. The parts satisfy the stern fire, smoke, and toxicity requirement needs for urban metro and long-haul trains.
“In industry after industry, we continue to see organizations discover how additive manufacturing improves customer service, streamlines maintenance and operating costs, and helps engineer lighter, durable products,” said Andreas Langfeld, Stratasys EMEA President.
“Rail is no exception. The old model of keeping trains running through expensive physical inventory or slow and costly traditional manufacturing is being replaced by digital inventory and on-demand 3D printing. Indeed, this is exemplified by some of the biggest names in European passenger rail.” He added.
Stratasys’ AM consultancy Blueprint has stated that for each day a train is not operational, it can cost the worker around €18,000. Andreas was talking at Formnext this week, based on individual significant U.S. commuter rail service.
Usually, this can go down to only one sub €100 section being not present. With AM, operators of trains can get the pieces they need. This is regardless of whether they are old or complicated, in two days.
Leading rail firms such as Bombardier Transportation, Angel Trains, DB ESG, Siemens Mobility, and Chiltern Railways are already using Stratasys technology. They use it to build archaic or and spare pieces for their trains.
Angel Trains, a UK-based for example, revealed how it is utilizing the Stratasys Rail Industry Solution to make linear replacement pieces. This includes grab handles, passenger armrests, and equipment covers. The company revealed this at the begining of this year.
“Stratasys Rail Qualified Materials and production-grade Fortus machines enable us to design and manufacture replacement parts quickly and reliably that meet all required railway standards. As such, we’re able to lower costs and lead times while reducing engineering time spent on managing obsolescence issues. This exciting technology gives rail operators peace of mind over their supply chain for older fleets and will ensure improvement to passenger experience in the future.” EXplained James Brown, Data and Performance Engineer at Angel Trains.
AM is having an influence on the rail industry beyond the spare parts. German maker Bombardier Transportation is utilizing this technology to expedite the rise of new trains. This is by 3D printing internal and external train parts. They include housings, cable holders, and air ducts.
The Rail Solution “has been a game-changer” for the department. This is according to André Bialoscek, Head of Vehicle Physical Integration for Bombardier in Henningsdorf, Germany.
