Leveraging 3D Spark, Alstom achieved remarkable success in additive manufacturing, resulting in more than fifteen million euros in savings and a 2,600-month reduction in lead times, boosting cash efficiency and spare parts availability.
The three-year extension of the 3D Spark license underscores the strategic value and impact of the B2B Manufacturing & Procurement platform for the railway sector, as exemplified by Alstom’s commitment.
By tapping into 3D Spark’s “Digital Factory Twin” and “Supplier Panel,” Alstom reinforces its commitment to delivering parts quickly, reliably, and with minimal CO2 footprint.
Hamburg, April 9, 2024. Alstom, the world’s second-largest railway technology company, alongside 3D Spark, an innovator in B2B manufacturing and procurement software, announced a three-year extension of their partnership. This extension indicates an expansion of a collaboration that has already realized more than 15 million euros in cost savings, an impressive 2,600-month cut in lead times, and an 86% decrease in procurement efforts, setting new standards in rail sector manufacturing and procurement.
The partnership highlights how advanced algorithms and AI-driven tools can significantly enhance efficiency in part manufacturing and procurement. With 3D Spark’s solution integrated, Alstom advanced its “Design To Print” initiative, empowering over 170 users to identify swiftly and effectively the cheapest, fastest, and most sustainable production options.
Digital Factory Twin enables quick manufacturability checking and costing.
On the production front, the implementation of 3D Spark’s solution has led to an 80% time reduction for manufacturability checks (DfM) and quoting, decreasing the number of iterations, interactions, and thus bottlenecks. These efficiency gains not only accelerated the production process but also enhanced Alstom’s capability to efficiently identify parts that can be printed in-house, promoting better capacity utilization of machines (CAPEX).
Make or Buy decision support with streamlined procurement process:
Regarding procurement, Alstom targets an 86% reduction in purchasing efforts by specifically reducing unnecessary Requests for Quotations (RFQ), a strategy made possible by 3D Spark’s ‘make or buy’ decision support. The software assists in evaluating in-house manufacturability and production costs vs. purchase prices and delivery times, eliminating efforts for external RFQs when in-house production is more viable.
When buying is more favourable, 3D Spark’s “Supplier Panel” makes supplier selection easy, providing a complete list of Alstom’s qualified suppliers, supporting with manufacturability assessments, automated target-pricing, and one-click RFQ sending, ensuring a more focused and efficient procurement process for buyer and seller. This strategy has led to a 20% decrease in part purchase prices, underscoring the cost benefits and efficiency improvements achieved.
Sustainable manufacturing decisions with automatic CO2 footprint calculation
A cornerstone of this partnership is the emphasis on sustainability, a core value for both partners. The introduction of 3D Spark’s automatic CO2 footprint calculation for each production option at no additional effort, reinforces Alstom’s commitment to sustainable production choices. Covering polymer, metal, and ceramic 3D printing technologies, as well as metal casting, injection moulding, milling, and turning, this feature helps Alstom align with EU directives like CSRD and CBAM. It furthermore helps save €80-100 per ton in certificate costs, with an increase in savings expected as regulations evolve.
Trains up to 50 years on track: Digital manufacturing ensures spare part availability.
Aurélien Fussel, 3D Printing Program Manager at Alstom, reflected on the partnership’s impact: “Our collaboration with 3D Spark has been a key factor in Alstom’s achievements in additive manufacturing and the success of our DesignToPrint program. This partnership not only supports our innovation goals but also participates in our commitment to sustainability and operational efficiency. We look forward to furthering our leadership in the industry and setting new benchmarks for excellence in digital manufacturing.”
Ruben Meuth, Co-founder, and CEO of 3D Spark GmbH said: “In an industry where trains endure up to 50 years on railway tracks, addressing spare parts and obsolescence challenges is paramount for reliability and punctuality. As leading rail operators request at least 10% of train parts to be 3D printable for digital warehousing and spare parts on demand, 3D Spark emerges as a pivotal solution provider in meeting this requirement and driving innovation. This three-year contract renewal with Alstom solidifies our shared vision for a sustainable digital manufacturing future in the railway sector.”
Both Alstom and 3D Spark are dedicated to further expanding the adoption and boundaries of additive manufacturing within Alstom and the rail sector, focusing on creating innovative components, optimizing spare parts production, and further reducing procurement efforts and CO2 emissions.
About 3D Spark GmbH
3D Spark is dedicated to maximizing efficiency and minimizing resource waste in industrial production. The company offers an innovative, web based, AI-driven B2B SaaS solution. Originally tailored for industrial 3D printing and now expanding to casting, injection molding, CNC and more. 3D Spark’s platform optimizes manufacturing, purchasing, and sales processes. By analyzing 3D CAD and 2D data, the platform identifies the cheapest, fastest, and most sustainable manufacturing technology. It also automates the generation quotes and facilitates informed make-or-buy decisions. This way 3D Spark enhances production efficiency and sustainability for its clients.
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