Using Stratasys FDM 3D printing, Alstom was able to design, produce and deliver a dozen highly durable stoppers within just 48 hours of receiving the request from Sétif.
Rolling stock manufacturer Alstom is using Fused Deposition Modelling 3D printing technology from Stratasys to reduce the lead time in the production of spare parts.
The company has deployed F370 3D printing systems to save its customers weeks of time and thousands of euros.
One application of the technology has seen Alstom 3D print a dozen rubber drainage plugs which are used to seal the holes in tram headlights. Having noticed that tram headlights were being broken by the accumulation of water and stones entering small holes during operation, Algeria’s Sétif Tramways turned to 3D printing to overcome what would typically be a 45-day lead time to take delivery of the drainage plug parts. Combining the F370 with the FDM TPU 92A highly durable elastomer material, the parts were designed, produced and delivered within 48 hours and exhibited flexibility, abrasion resistance and tear resistance. They also helped to save around €6,000 in fixed costs.
“The agility that 3D printing gives us is critical for Alstom strategically as a business,” commented Aurélien Fussel, Additive Manufacturing Programme Manager at Alstom. “Where our customers depend on spare parts to maintain operations, having this in-house production capability means we can bypass our traditional supply chain and respond quickly and cost-effectively with a solution to their needs.”
“As we’ve seen during COVID-19, in some regards 3D printing has had its watershed moment, with more and more manufacturers embracing the technology to increase their production agility and reduce supply chain dependency,” added Yann Rageul, Head of Manufacturing Business Unit for EMEA, Stratasys. “As a longstanding customer of ours, Alstom is a shining example for these companies having pioneered the use of additive manufacturing for spare part production for many years. Not only to optimise its own efficiencies, but also to deliver innovative solutions for customers that simply would be unviable with traditional manufacturing.”
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