Deutsche Bahn (DB) is celebrating a decade of using additive manufacturing across its operations, reporting that more than 200,000 3D-printed components are now in use and that the technology has saved the company over EUR 20 million since 2015.
What began with simple, small plastic items – such as a coat hook – has expanded into a catalogue of more than 1,000 applications, ranging from lightweight fittings to large metal components, including a 540-kilogramme gearbox housing. DB says 3D printing has become a strategic tool for improving the reliability, sustainability and cost-efficiency of its rolling stock maintenance.
A global leader in additive manufacturing for rail
DB describes itself as a world leader among railway companies in applying 3D printing at scale. The technology is mainly used to produce spare parts for trains and locomotives, particularly where originals are no longer manufactured or suppliers cannot deliver in time.
Parts are produced on demand, reducing the need for storage space and logistics while shortening delivery times. DB notes that this flexibility has helped reduce dependency on supply chains that often struggle to provide legacy components.
Central to this approach is the operator’s Digital Parts Warehouse, a database of technical drawings and virtual models that currently includes more than 1,000 items. Maintenance workshops can access the digital files and have parts produced either in-house or via DB’s established partner network.
“Mit Hilfe von 3D-Druck können wir benötigte Ersatzteile buchstäblich auf Knopfdruck zur Verfügung stellen. Davon profitieren unsere Kund:innen, denn wir bringen Züge dadurch schneller wieder zurück auf die Strecke. Gleichzeitig unterstützen wir unsere Mitarbeitenden, die effizienter arbeiten können,” said Stefanie Brickwede, Head of DB’s Group 3D Printing Project.
From major metal parts to smart tools for new trains
While many 3D-printed components are used for repairs, DB is also integrating additive manufacturing into the rollout of new fleets. The new ICE L trains, for example, use a 3D-printed yellow template that helps staff apply pictograms and QR codes precisely and quickly during onboard fit-out. DB says the tool has already reduced labour time and costs during the preparation of the new high-speed trains.
The company employs twelve different 3D printing processes, including material extrusion, powder-bed fusion and binder jetting, using materials such as plastic, metal and sand.
DB also benefits from the broader ecosystem it helped establish. In 2016, the company founded the Mobility goes Additive network, which now includes more than 140 organisations – from manufacturers and service providers to universities and start-ups – working together to advance industrial 3D printing solutions.
Ten years of 3D printing at DB – key figures
- 200,000+ components produced since 2015 for 1,000+ applications
- Use of twelve different additive manufacturing processes
- Parts range from 540-kg gearbox housings to small fittings such as tablet holders, braille signs, drilling templates and coat hooks
- More than EUR 20 million saved through faster, more efficient spare-parts availability
- Technology now used for both maintenance and new-train commissioning
As DB continues to expand its digital maintenance strategy, the company says additive manufacturing will remain a central element in keeping vehicles in service longer, reducing costs and ensuring that trains return to operation more quickly.
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