On July 5, 2022, the French train manufacturer ALSTOM began implementing technology for 3D printing and adopting this technology. ALSTOM's headquarters are located in France. The company is currently in the process of modernizing its industrial production system in order to take advantage of this new technology. Alstom is a technologically advanced company that specializes in the global rail transit, power equipment, and power transmission infrastructure markets. Its headquarters are in France. Alstom was founded in 1835. By digitizing a portion of its own supply chain, Alstom will be able to achieve greater manufacturing flexibility, a reduction in delivery times, and cost reductions. Additionally, it will be able to reduce costs. Expense cutting will be the primary focus of the company's strategic efforts moving forward in their pursuit of long-term growth.
With the assistance of the 3D printing service Replique, Alstom is able to produce metal components for their trains in a modular fashion and in small batches. These components are used in the trains. Because of this, the company is now able to better satisfy the requirements of its global customers on a local level. The most recent information regarding the partnership indicates that the company has now received and installed the first batch of door stop parts for trains that were manufactured using 3D printing. This information comes from the most recent update regarding the collaboration. Stainless steel was used in the construction of these door stop parts. Ben Boese, who oversees the 3D printing operations at Alstom's German Transportation 3D Printing Center, recently stated that the use of 3D printing has become an essential part of the company's supply chain. Through Replique, not only are we able to take advantage of cutting-edge 3D printing materials and related technical support, but we can also benefit from decentralized coverage of all relevant outlets. Having the capability to produce something. Because they provide end-to-end services, we are able to respond to the diverse requirements of our customers in a manner that is both more timely and cost-effective.
When it comes to trains, the system is comprised of a large number of individual moving parts, and because Alstom in particular operates on a global scale, this means that each train has its own individual and distinctive set of requirements for the component parts that make up the system. Even the production of small batches of parts, when using traditional methods of production, invariably necessitates the lock cylinder machining use of molds and other tooling, which can result in high initial manufacturing costs and lengthy lead times. This is because traditional methods of production require the use of molds and other tooling.
The development of 3D printing has made it possible for businesses to overcome these challenges by enabling cost-effective manufacturing on demand, irrespective of the batch size. This has made it possible for businesses to overcome these challenges. It is possible that this will be the first time that the company uses 3D printing for mass production. Despite the fact that the company has utilized the technology in the past for the production of spare parts, it is possible that this will be the first time that the company uses the technology. According to Boese, the market for 3D printing is still extremely fragmented, making it impossible for end users to find the optimal solution for each component of their products. With Replique, on the other hand, we are in a position to take advantage of a solution that brings together in a single location not only the most important 3D printing manufacturing technologies but also the materials themselves.
Alstom's diesel train cars needed multiple door stops in order to be effectively divided into first class and second class compartments. Printed parts have to comply with stringent design requirements because they are intended to last for a long time. These requirements stipulate that the parts must be durable as well as aesthetically pleasing. In the end, they were 3D printed via fused filament fabrication (FFF) using BASF Forward AM's Ultrafuse 316L stainless steel filament because this method proved to be more cost-effective than metal powder bed fusion. BASF Forward AM's Ultrafuse 316L stainless steel filament was used. The doorstop, after going through the process of 3D printing, then goes through the process of debinding and sintering to become the final fully dense metal part.
Replique was able to deliver the doorstops in only one and a half months, and during that time, they were also able to test sufficient pre-samples to finally receive approval for series production. In addition, the doorstops milling aluminum were delivered on time. We were able to manufacture doorstops at a lower cost than what would have been possible if we had used methods that were more conventional. In the not too distant future, one of our goals is to further exploit the potential of this technology by developing topology-optimized designs for new parts and even making them more compact by reducing the amount of fillers used in their construction. Light, as Boese reaches the end of his thought process.
The fact that 3D printing is currently being used in the aerospace industry should not come as a surprise to anyone. For example, the well-known Airbus A350 airplane was assembled using over a thousand components that were printed on a 3D printer as early as 2015. This process began in 2015. After that, in the year 2017, the first installation of a titanium alloy that had been 3D printed was completed on an A350. At the Farnborough Air Show on July 21, Liebherr Aerospace made the announcement that it is working closely with Airbus, that it has expanded its procurement of 3D printed parts for the A350 aircraft, and that it has reached an agreement with it to produce the lower cargo door actuator valve. All of these developments occurred as a result of Liebherr Aerospace's close collaboration with Airbus. All of this is a result of the partnership that Liebherr Aerospace has formed with Airbus. The valve that is a part of the actuator system for the cargo door on the aircraft in question is a component that is more complicated than the others.
The German company Liebherr's product portfolio includes the following five categories: landing gear systems, flight control and drive systems, air management systems, gears and gearboxes, and electronic products. In point of fact, this is not the first time that these two businesses have collaborated with one another on a project. In January 2019, after receiving authorization from European aircraft manufacturers, Liebherr began using 3D printing technology to produce components for mass production for Airbus. These components are used in mass production. The initial shipment of flight parts that was provided included the nose landing gear of the Airbus A350 XWB stand. This was provided as part of the service.
According to Liebherr, this collaboration has now reached a new significant milestone, and the complicated valve will be manufactured using technology that is comparable to that of 3D printing. This commitment is shown by both parties signing this agreement, which is a manifestation of their joint commitment to introduce cutting-edge innovative technologies. The signing of this agreement is a manifestation of this commitment.
