Quick Summary
Additional Context
The railway sector is not known for its speed in maintenance and component replacement, but Wabtec is now running more than 150,000 3D printed parts on trains worldwide, using additive manufacturing to do what conventional casting and foundries increasingly can’t: cut weight, compress lead times, and rescue parts that would otherwise be obsolete. The safety-critical components go through the company’s own fatigue, vibration, and salt-spray test benches before they’re cleared for service.
The details came from Henri de Chassey, Spares & Trading / Additive Manufacturing ENG Manager at Wabtec, who oversees additive manufacturing for both spare parts and new train development at the rail equipment giant. Wabtec traces its current form to the 1999 merger of Westinghouse Air Brake and MotivePow