The first train installed with 3D-printed parts is already operating on the Dutch network. Traditional manufacturing requires bulk orders. With 3D printing, Dutch Railways can instead make a single part to order, saving time and money. Additive manufacturing also cuts in maintenance operation times, which helps to avoid a shortage of trains in service.
The Dutch Railways does not print the parts itself, but outsourced it to 3D printer supplier Dimanex in Utrecht. The parts are made of plastic and metal. Components such as a plug for the public address system and the radio frame for the operator's steering table can already be 3D printed. "We work with suppliers to find the best solutions," says NS spokesperson Anita Middelkoop. "After all, they are also looking for innovations to be able to do their work better."
In addition to simply creating replacement parts, Middelkoop said that additive manufacturing allows the company to make tools. "We work together with organizations that have 3D printers," said Middelkoop. "You can imagine that if we have a printer somewhere, we have to wait until the part is finished before we can print the next one. By working together with these organizations, we always have sufficient capacity."
