The printer is being installed at Bombardier Transportation’s largest manufacturing site worldwide in Hennigsdorf, Germany. It will be deployed to accelerate and customise rail part production, reduce costly inventory for spare parts and increase production flexibility for parts and tools.
The manufacturer plans to use the technology to 3D print interior and exterior train parts, such as air ducts, housings and cable holders, as well as 3D print customised rail tools to aid the production process and speed up the launch of new platforms.
Comments André Bialoscek, head of Vehicle Physical Integration at Hennigsdorf, Bombardier: “The Stratasys F900 3D printer allows us to widen our service offering in such a way that we are now able to 3D print large spare parts, customised rail parts and manufacturing tools – all in-house and on-demand.
“Having previously used fiber glass and tin for train components, the ability to now utilise ULTEM 9085 resin meets our application criteria and takes us to a new level in terms of reducing the costs and lengthy lead times associated with those traditional materials.”
The 3D printed rail parts produced by Bombardier Transportation will primarily support the specific production demands of German, Swiss and Austrian rail and tram companies – strengthening the company’s ability to maintain, produce and replace train and tram parts quickly and cost-effectively.
Andreas Langfeld, president of EMEA Stratasys, adds: “Bombardier Transportation’s investment in our F900 3D printer is synonymous with the huge interest we’re seeing in the mobility sector for industrial-grade 3D printing solutions that can enhance, and in many cases replace, traditional manufacturing across a variety of interior and exterior rail applications.”
Bombardier Transportation purchased the F900 3D Printing System through Stratasys’ DACH distributor, alphacam.
Pictured: André Bialoscek Head of Vehicle Physical Integration Hennigsdorf, Bombardier, holding a 3D printed Air Duct, and Dominik Mueller, Strategic Account Manager at Stratasys