A digital manufacturing process can make a decisive contribution to higher availability, more quality and punctuality: 3D printing.

Unpredictable events that endanger both passengers and train crews occur time and again. Video surveillance is therefore indispensable. In order to be able to secure and view video footage of crucial situations in real time, "Digitale Produkte am Fahrzeug" (Digital products on vehicle) has developed the video live feed. "It is a great personal concern of mine to provide our passengers and our own railway staff as much security as possible when using trains," explains Thomas Koehn, Segment Manager Digitale Produkte am Fahrzeug. "Video surveillance is increasingly required in regional rail transport. Consequently, we are also integrating more and more video systems and have, for example, already rolled out the live video connection for public authorities in 2022. In the event of an emergency, live video feeds from the cameras in a vehicle can be accessed remotely. Only authorised persons from federal authorities are entitled to do so in exceptional cases. Early detection and fast backup User administration takes place via the Colibri user interface, the so-called remote control system, in compliance with the strictest data protection guidelines. The aim of the system is to detect or assess dangers at an early stage. The individual train sections as well as the course of the journey, the current position and an overview image of each camera as well as their installation locations are displayed. With the help of the additionally developed video online collection, it is now possible to replace the previously necessary physical seizure of data carriers from the respective vehicles involved in the offence. This also eliminates the previous steps and coordination between the operational staff and the authorities for vehicle disposition. A feature coordinated with the railway transport companies and the authorities will thus be made available on the Colibri platform to secure evidence. The feature for analysing recordings was finalised in the first half of 2023. In addition to the statements of witnesses, the video data represent important evidence for potential offences in the company. In addition to the advantages already mentioned, compliance with the legally prescribed time window of 72 hours for securing evidence is guaranteed.

The 3D printing workshop at DB Fahrzeuginstandhaltung's Neumunster maintenance depot is one of the first companies in the world to be successfully certified in accordance with the new DIN EN ISO/ASTM 52920:2023 standard. This supports the quality assurance of industrial 3D printing production and sets the course for the short-term supply of spare parts from in-house production.

After ten years, the redesign programme for the ICE 3 has come to an end at the Nuremberg plant of DB Fahrzeuginstandhaltung. In addition to a fresh face, the train's technology has also undergone a number of changes.

The number of ICE 4 trains is growing steadily and with it the need for maintenance of the backbone of the long-distance fleet. DB Fahrzeuginstandhaltung is already carrying out a considerable part of the work on the new 412 series multiple units.

In 2015, it all started with simple spare parts like a plastic coat hook. Today, 3D printing, a flagship project of DB Fahrzeuginstandhaltung, is transforming maintenance.

In may, the trade fair transport logistic finally opened its doors again in Munich for the first time since 2019 and brought together the international logistics industry over four days.

From now on, apprentices at DB Fahrzeuginstandhaltung's Bremen maintenance depot will be taking on their own projects, getting to know the employees, processes and departments better and acquiring important operational skills.