On September 20, 018, Siemens Mobile installed a Stratasys Fortus 450mc 3D printer in its newly established Digital Railway Maintenance Center. Siemens Mobile Rail Service Center in Dortmund, Germany, will use additive manufacturing technology to assist train maintenance.
"Each train has to be repaired several times a year. As you can imagine, all of our customers want this process to be as fast as possible, but they still expect the highest level of detail, safety and quality." Siemens Mobile Additive Manufacturing and Customer Service Director Michael Kuczmik said.
Siemens Mobile specializes in optimizing global transportation systems, previously using custom-made final production parts for German transportation service provider Stadtwerke Ulm / Neu Ulm (SWU) Verkehr GmbH, using Stratasys' FDM 3D printing technology. In addition, the department is working with the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) to provide 3D printed parts for the driverless Dubai Metro.
Now, Siemens Mobile Rail Service Center plans to provide about 100 train services to its facilities every month. With this throughput in mind, the department recognized that they again needed new technologies, such as additive manufacturing for tool and spare part replacement, which eliminated the need for physical inventory.
"By combining a series of innovative digital technologies, we can significantly increase the efficiency of our customers' railway operations. Stratasys FDM additive manufacturing plays an integral role, allowing us to optimize spare parts at a lower cost and a shorter time frame. To extend the service life, "Kuczmik added.
Before the establishment of the railway service center, Siemens relied on traditional methods such as foundry to meet customer demand for train maintenance. Siemens said the process took about six weeks to make the final custom part and was not economically viable.
With Fortus 450mc, however, spare production-grade parts can be printed in hours, reducing manufacturing time by 95%. The design of these components can also be optimized through rapid prototyping. For example, Siemens Mobile uses 3D printers and industrial-grade ULTEM 9085 thermoplastics to produce connector tools (chassis or frames that carry wheel pairs) for maintaining train bogies. The tool has a complex shape and is known for its difficulties for manufacturers using traditional methods.
"The ability to 3D print custom tools and spare parts when we need them, without a minimum number, has changed our supply chain. Kucmik explained that we have reduced our reliance on outsourced tools through our suppliers, reducing the cost per part At the same time, by providing more small batch jobs cost-effectively, it opens up more sources of income.