Further transforming traditional manufacturing processes with 3D printing, Stratasys recently announced that German-based manufacturer Bombardier Transportation will utilize the large-scale industrial-grade Stratasys F900 3D Printer as part of its operations in the DACH region. The manufacturer will produce final end-use rail parts, as well as manufacturing tools and prototypes for trains and trams across German-speaking countries.
The Stratasys F900 3D Printer is being installed at Bombardier Transportation’s largest manufacturing site worldwide in Hennigsdorf, Germany. The F900 will be deployed to accelerate and customize 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. Bombardier will also 3D print customized rail tools to aid the production process and speed up the launch of new platforms.
“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, customized rail parts and manufacturing tools – all in-house and on-demand,” comments André Bialoscek, Head of Vehicle Physical Integration Hennigsdorf, Bombardier. “Having previously used fiber glass and tin for train components, the ability to now utilize 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.”
Core to the choice of Stratasys was the F900 3D Printer’s large build tray leveraging the unique properties of ULTEM™ 9085 resin material. Its high strength-to-weight ratio and flame-smoke-toxicity rating make it ideal for production applications and a popular choice among customers within the transport industry for achieving compliance to the Rail Standard EN45545-2.
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 EMEA Stratasys, comments: “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.”
He continues, “Our FDM-based additive manufacturing technology offers rail companies and maintenance service providers advanced, rail-certified materials, large build trays for bigger rail parts, and importantly, the highest level of print reliability and repeatability in the industry. We look forward to working closely with Bombardier Transportation to support the deployment of this technology within their operations and enable them to produce customized rail parts on-demand – faster and more cost-effectively than ever before.”
Bombardier Transportation purchased the F900 3D Printing System through Stratasys’ DACH distributor, alphacam.
