Deutsche Bahn Railway Company Certifies Use of 3D Printing Platform

Essentium, Inc. reports that Deutsche Bahn (DB), the national railway company of Germany, has certified use of Essentium High Speed Extrusion (HSETM) 3D Printing Platform located in Neumunster and high-performance materials for 3D printed train parts and tools.

Essentium's 3D printing technology, including flame-retardant Essentium 9085 and HTN-CF25 thermoplastics, has been tested to demonstrate that it complies with the AM Standard ISO/ASTM 52920:2023 and ISO 52920. Essentium's additive manufacturing solutions will allow DB to increase availability of its fleet through efficient replacement of parts and tools, the company reports.

By leveraging Essentium's AM technology, DB aims to overcome supply chain issues and raw materials shortages for obsolete parts. DB maintains a digital warehouse housing virtual technical drawings of spare parts. These parts can be 3D printed on demand, with around 1,000 models currently available. DB aims to raise this to 10,000 components by 2030.

The Essentium HSE 3D Printing Platform in Neumunster and materials will help Deutsche Bahn enhance delivery speed and lower costs by creating low-run parts on demand rather than mass manufacturing and storing vast quantities.

Essentium's high-temperature AM materials enable Deutsche Bahn to rapidly produce rail-worthy parts that can withstand 180°C and meet industry standards for reliability, repeatability and performance, the company reports.

“A lot of people still wonder if additive is ready for prime time. Deutsche Bahn, which is 3D printing tens of thousands of replacement parts for its trains, proves it is,” says Blake Teipel, Ph.D., CEO of Essentium. “We look forward to advancing Deutsche Bahn's AM capabilities to speed repairs and keep its assets operational with minimal downtime. This partnership will pave the way for others in the rail and transport industries to follow.”

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.