Additive Manufacturing for the Rail Industry

As buying habits change, demand for bespoke and customized products are becoming more the norm. Additive manufacturing enables organisations to produce 3d printed parts and components in the quantities required at a fraction of the setup cost when compared to traditional processes.

Additive manufacturing only uses the material needed to produce the part. Therefore less waste material is produced and less energy consumed. AM powders are also recyclable, making the process greener, more environmentally friendly and sustainable compared to traditional manufacturing processes.

As a completely digital process, additive manufacturing does not require any production tooling (or the associated cost!) This brings with it a greater degree of flexibility to produce customized 3d printable products both quickly, efficiently and cost effectively.

Once you partner with AnyShape for your production 3d printing services, you can take advantage of holding minimal stocks and physical inventory. We can produce your parts on a ‘Just-In-Time’ basis, deliver to the required location and simplifying your supply chain.

AnyShape's Digital Print Factory can bring value to your organization through a managed parts obsolescence program. Once we have helped you to Create a 3d model of your product (whether through using a CAD package or digitally scanning an actual part) legacy parts can be manufactured quickly and on-demand. Your files will be kept securely in a Digital Archive, meaning an end to keeping physical stock of redundant or legacy parts. Additionally, digital files can be accessed for fast and simple re-engineering / reverse engineering should a part need to be modified.

Whilst the benefits and convenience of having an in-house 3d printer can be enticing, the actual cost in terms of capital expenditure, dedicated space, running costs, annual maintenance and warranty costs plus the need for a skilled operator can be considerable. AnyShape provides industrial 3d printing services tailored to your needs, offering five additive manufacturing technologies and more than 25+ materials in both polymers and metals. No investment, no annual running costs, no extra head count, just great parts when you need them.

Engineers using the latest computer aided design software understand the importance of design freedom. Being able to create a new part, component or product nearly without production constraints is now achievable by utilizing advanced manufacturing 3d printing services from AnyShape.

Lattice structures can be used in a variety of ways to design and manufacture better performing parts. In particular, lattice structures can be used to reduce weight and remove unnecessary material without effecting the parts performance. This has been successfully demonstrated within the application of 3d printing in aerospace, making engine parts lighter, more fuel efficient and overall better for the environment.