MINNEAPOLIS—OBB, the national railway company of Austria, has purchased a series of 3D-printed parts for its railcars, according to supplier Chromatic 3D Materials.
The order comprised industrial-strength polyurethane bellows, grommets and other 3D-printed parts that were designed to enhance the performance, longevity and comfort of OBB's fleet by reducing vibrations, while at the same time sealing tightly to prevent dust and moisture.
Thermoset polyurethane was chosen for part because of its ability to provide durability and flexibility, the Minnesota-based additive manufacturing specialist said. The 3D-printed parts also demonstrated "the same three-dimensional strength and compression set" as injection-molded parts.
"We chose Chromatic because they are able to print PU in different hardness between 50-90 shore A," Sebastian Otto, head of additive manufacturing at OBB Train Tech, said in a statement.
OBB approached Chromatic earlier this summer to help it address the challenge of sourcing obsolete components, Chromatic said in a news release. After receiving prototypes, the Austrian railway company purchased 130 grommets and bellows, which were available within weeks, thanks to the 3D printing technology.
For his part, Bart Engeldahl, of Chromatic 3D Materials in Germany, said OBB's order should raise confidence in the use of 3D printed parts in demanding transport, aerospace, industrial and defense applications.
The purchase also included cable glands and valve covers printed with Chromatic's RX-AM platform for reactive extrusion additive manufacturing.
