Bombardier Transportation is to install a Stratasys F900 3D printer into its Hennigsdorf manufacturing plant in Germany, as part of its work on rail and tram infrastructure in the DACH region, which covers the European German speaking areas of Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Bombardier will use the F900 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.
André Bialoscek, head of Vehicle Physical Integration at Bombardier Hennigsdorf, explained: “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.”
The main reason for choosing the F900 was its large build tray and the ability to use Stratasys’ Ultem 9085 resin material. This offers a high strength-to-weight ratio and flame-smoke-toxicity rating that has proven popular for companies working within the transport industry for achieving compliance to the Rail Standard EN45545-2.
Bialoscek adds: “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.”
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