Stratasys FDM additive manufacturing in Naples public transport
The downtime of trolleybuses in Naples has been reduced from 12 months to just two weeks using replacement parts manufactured with a Stratasys F900 industrial 3D printer. Encouraged by the success of the project, there are plans to expand FDM additive manufacturing to the entire Italian public transport network.
Engineering company 3DnA aims to revolutionize the maintenance and repair of public transport in Italy using Stratasys FDM additive manufacturing. Recent work the company has done for Azienda Napoletana Mobilità (ANM), the public transport company in Naples, has shown that on-demand 3D printing of spare parts can reduce vehicle downtime by up to 95% compared to traditional spare part manufacturing.
ANM manages the entire public transport network in Naples, including the city’s famous trolleybuses. The company recently discovered that many of the bus pantographs – the vital components that connect the bus to the overhead line – were broken or no longer usable. Without a working pantograph, these buses would be inoperable and the service would have to be suspended.
Due to the age of the trolleybus fleet, the replacement part in question was no longer available on the market – which would not only have meant the bus being out of service, but would have put the entire fleet at risk in the event of repeated component breakages. Addressing the problem brought 3DnA’s additive manufacturing expertise to the fore – ANM’s large-scale, industrial Stratasys F900® 3D printer was the solution.
“Manufacturing the pantographs using traditional processes would have taken up to 12 months. This would have resulted in a long downtime for the vehicle, which is simply unthinkable,” explains Alessandro Manzo, CEO of 3DnA.
“With our Stratasys F900, we were able to manufacture and deliver around 20 of the most critical components of the pantograph in two weeks, allowing ANM to eliminate the further risk of downtime for its fleet and ensure reliable public transport for three million Neapolitans. Overall, this production flexibility is extremely important for ANM, as it can now order parts based on actual demand, without the need to stock large, costly inventories.”
3D printed parts are used throughout the entire fleet
As the original pantograph was obsolete, 3DnA redesigned the part using 3D scanning. Importantly, by taking advantage of the geometric freedom offered by additive manufacturing, the team was able to redesign the part so that in the event of damage, only a small part of the pantograph would need to be replaced – not the entire unit as before.
The core of the new pantograph is a metal structure, and the F900 3D printer is used to produce the outer casing that connects the pantograph to the overhead lines.
“The innovative new design was so well received that ANM decided to replace the pantographs on its entire trolleybus fleet with the new 3D printed version,” Manzo continues. “Without such high-precision part manufacturing capabilities, this would not have been possible. The beauty of the matter is that the F900 not only ensures a high level of part accuracy, but also has an industry-leading repeatability.”
The outer shell is printed using Stratasys ULTEM™ 9085 resin , which provides the structural support needed for everyday use while also meeting the required electrical insulation standards. Manzo adds, “The part is non-conductive, so using this resin is essential. In addition, ULTEM™ 9085 resin provides three key requirements for end-user transportation applications: excellent heat resistance with a heat deflection temperature of 153°C, a flame-retardant thermoplastic, and a very high strength-to-weight ratio.”
Expansion nationwide
Encouraged by the success in Naples, 3DnA’s management sees it as a catalyst for the transformation of the wider Italian transport sector.
“We believe that additive manufacturing will become the primary method of spare parts production in the public transport sector,” concludes Manzo. “Small-volume, on-demand production is cost-effective and the industry is ripe for transformation, as the ANM example shows. As a result of the project, we are already in advanced discussions with several transport management companies in Italy to support their spare parts needs with this technology.”
Here you can find more information about the F900 3D printerand the durable ULTEM™ 9085 resin material.