The use of 3D printing technology in prototypes of selected components for civil and military rail vehicles
The use of 3D printing technology in prototypes of selected components for civil and military rail vehicles

Summary/Abstract: The article addresses the issue of using Rapid Prototyping (RP) technology in the design andoptimization of components of modern rail vehicles, both civilian and military. Contemporary technicalrequirements and the specificity of the rail transport sector make the implementation of RP technologyin this area a significant challenge, while at the same time opening up new design and production possi-bilities. The literature review revealed a significant research gap regarding the use of RP technology inthe context of rail vehicles, which results from high strength requirements, rigorous safety standards, and a limited market of recipients. The research problem focuses on the analysis of the possibilities ofuse of RP technology on the process of designing, verifying and implementing rail vehicle components,especially in the context of limitations resulting from traditional production methods, such as weldingand manual assembly. A significant challenge is to ensure compliance between the 3D model develo-ped in CAD systems and the actual product, which in the case of conventional processes can lead todiscrepancies requiring numerous modifications at the production stage. This problem is crucial for theefficiency of designing and implementing new solutions in rail vehicles. The aim of this work is to deve-lop and verify the concept of a roof vent for rail vehicles as a case study confirming the thesis that RPtechnology significantly accelerates, facilitates, and improves the process of designing and implementingrail vehicle components. The adopted methodology includes qualitative research methods that allowedsimultaneous testing of two design variants of the vent owing to the use of a modular component structure.These studies allowed the assessment of the impact of RP technology on the correctness of the designand the compliance of the component with the design assumptions. Furthermore, taking into accountthe availability of materials that meet the rigorous requirements of the PN-EN 45545 fire protectionstandard, a new version of the vent was designed, optimized for 3D printing technology. The use of thistechnology allowed the production of a detail with complex geometry, of which the production wouldbe technologically impossible using conventional methods due to equipment limitations. The resultsobtained indicate that RP can be an effective tool supporting the design and testing of components inthe rail transport industry; however, due to technological limitations, it is not suitable for the productionof large-size elements and large-scale serial production.

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