Additive Support Structure for Rail Car Body Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rail vehicle car bodies are heavy, require high manufacturing effort, and have inefficiencies in weight reduction and stress distribution due to traditional construction methods, particularly in areas with increased loads such as cutouts for windows and doors.
Innovation Solution
The application of an additively manufactured support structure with variable profile cross-sections, including belts and webs, to the car body shell elements, allowing for optimized force distribution and reduced material usage, using 3D printing techniques to create a lightweight and strong car body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional sheet metal parts of varying thicknesses are used to reinforce areas with increased loads, then the load-bearing capacity is improved, but the manufacturing cost and manufacturing effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies support structures only in specific areas where increased loads occur, such as around cutouts for windows and doors. The support structure consists of individually adaptable elements that can be selectively positioned and dimensioned according to local stress requirements, rather than uniformly reinforcing the entire car body shell.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is divided into multiple individual elements that can be independently designed, manufactured, and positioned. These segmented elements include support profiles with varying cross-sections (e.g., I-profiles, channels) that can be selectively applied to different locations on the car body shell based on local load requirements.
2Strength
If additional beams or ribs are added to reinforce the load-bearing structure in areas of increased loads, then the strength is improved, but the weight of the car body increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure elements are specifically dimensioned and positioned according to local stress requirements. Thicker or more robust profiles are used only where needed (e.g., around cutouts), while thinner or no support structures are used in areas with lower loads, optimizing the weight-strength ratio.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross-sectional parameters of the support structure elements (thickness, profile shape, dimensions) are varied according to the local load requirements. This allows for optimized material distribution where stronger support is needed only in specific high-stress areas rather than uniformly throughout the entire car body.
3Strength
If the sheet thickness is increased to counteract increased loads in the car body wall, then the strength is improved, but the weight and material consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing sheet thickness throughout the car body, the patent applies localized support structures only in areas where increased loads occur. The support profiles have varying wall thicknesses and cross-sections that are adapted to the specific local stress conditions, minimizing material usage while maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure combining the base car body shell with additional support structure elements made of steel or aluminum profiles. This composite approach allows the thinner base shell to be reinforced only where necessary by the attached support profiles, achieving high strength-to-weight ratio.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach results in a car body that is both lightweight and easy to manufacture, with a significant reduction in component costs by approximately 40% and weight savings of around 15%, while enhancing rigidity and force transmission efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The support structure is printed onto the enveloping element using a 3D printing process. In particular, the support structure can thus be integrally bonded to the enveloping element.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a car body element (1) for the car body of a rail vehicle, comprising a support structure (3) and at least one shell element (2), wherein the support structure (3) is additively applied to the shell element (2). Furthermore, the invention relates to a car body for a rail vehicle comprising a car body element (1).