Printing in progress: DB at work

Layer by layer, progress is made. The print head glides from side to side, laying down material with pinpoint accuracy. What at first looks like a simple two-dimensional rectangle slowly begins to take shape. After a few hours, it’s complete: the 3D printer has produced a new headrest for a seat on an intercity train.

This is just one of over 700 different parts that Deutsche Bahn is already able to manufacture additively using various 3D printing methods. The range includes large fan wheels, lamp brackets for regional trains, protective housings for signal boxes, and even small parts that make a big difference—such as fire extinguisher covers in vehicles, tablet holders for ICE trains or coat hooks for intercity carriages. Since 2015, well over 100,000 parts have been produced using 3D printing technologies.

Using 3D printing, Deutsche Bahn can produce parts more rapidly – parts that would otherwise come with long lead times, or which are no longer be available at all. This helps get trains back on track faster and supports the operational reliability of the rail infrastructure. Every 3D-printed component undergoes extensive testing before use, for example checks for long-term durability. Additive manufacturing—building up parts layer by layer—not only allows for faster production, but also makes it possible to completely rethink part design. This means components can be manufactured using significantly fewer raw materials without compromising strength or performance. While the first printed parts were made exclusively from plastic, today, metal components are also produced using a variety of additive technologies.

3D Printing at DB

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To produce spare parts with 3D printing, Deutsche Bahn re-engineers components via 3D scanning – the crucial first step in creating digital models. From these, print files can be generated either for direct 3D printing or the printed negative mould of the component, into which the material for the desired cast parts is injected. The digitized technical documentation is stored in a database for future needs, allowing components to be produced quickly and easily as demand arises. This offers Deutsche Bahn a valuable sourcing alternative, as some spare parts are difficult to procure from conventional suppliers, including foundries.

Deutsche Bahn is a global leader in 3D printing for the railway industry. What began in 2015 with simpler spare parts, such as a plastic coat hook, has now grown to over 100,000 parts for several hundred different applications. An increasing number of these parts are operationally crucial and are gradually becoming part of Deutsche Bahn's ever-expanding digital inventory. This reduces storage costs, shortens delivery times, and ensures greater independence. Storing rarely needed spare parts has thus become both economically and ecologically viable.

In the vehicle maintenance workshops Nuremberg and Neumunster, Deutsche Bahn now operates its own industrial 3D printers, while continuing to collaborate with external 3D-printing service providers. This includes companies from the railway sector, such as manufacturers and suppliers. Most of these companies are also members of the co-founded network  „Mobility goes Additive“.