Innovation Underground: Reenvisioning Subway Door Bumpers
The Lisbon Metro is a vital component of the city's public transportation network, serving residents and tourists alike. Its maintenance department plays a crucial role in ensuring the trains run at peak performance. As the subway system has aged, the department faces the challenge of manufacturing specific parts that are no longer available from the original manufacturers. These components are essential for the train's functionality, and their unavailability can lead to service disruptions. To overcome this challenge, the maintenance team has embraced reverse engineering and manufacturing techniques, often optimizing these parts to enhance the trains' performance. This innovative approach ensures the continuous operation, efficiency, and longevity of the Lisbon Metro, underlining the team's commitment to providing reliable service to passengers
The Lisbon Metro is a vital component of the city's public transportation network, serving residents and tourists alike. Its maintenance department plays a crucial role in ensuring the trains run at peak performance. As the subway system has aged, the department faces the challenge of manufacturing specific parts that are no longer available from the original manufacturers. These components are essential for the train's functionality, and their unavailability can lead to service disruptions. To overcome this challenge, the maintenance team has embraced reverse engineering and manufacturing techniques, often optimizing these parts to enhance the trains' performance. This innovative approach ensures the continuous operation, efficiency, and longevity of the Lisbon Metro, underlining the team's commitment to providing reliable service to passengers
Our task is to design and manufacture subway door bumpers that efficiently dampen the force when metal doors open, ensuring shock absorption and preventing damage. These bumpers must seamlessly fit the train floor, meeting critical requirements for shock absorption, durability (over 10,000 cycles), batch manufacturing (in series of 50 units), black color for aesthetic integration, easy assembly onto train doors, and tamper resistance. Our goal is to create high-performance bumpers that enhance the Lisbon Metro's train door longevity and reliability.
The solution to the subway door bumper challenge was comprehensive and efficient. We optimized the internal plastic part with thicker walls and support structures, incorporated a clipping system for easy assembly, and added fixation supports to prevent rotation. Using Multijet Fusion in PA12 nylon for durability and TPU for flexibility, we avoided costly molds and saved time in low-volume production. Rigorous simulations and lab testing ensured performance, and detailed documentation streamlined quality control and product specification repeatability. This approach enhanced the Lisbon Metro's train door longevity and reliability effectively.
Our task is to design and manufacture subway door bumpers that efficiently dampen the force when metal doors open, ensuring shock absorption and preventing damage. These bumpers must seamlessly fit the train floor, meeting critical requirements for shock absorption, durability (over 10,000 cycles), batch manufacturing (in series of 50 units), black color for aesthetic integration, easy assembly onto train doors, and tamper resistance. Our goal is to create high-performance bumpers that enhance the Lisbon Metro's train door longevity and reliability.
The solution to the subway door bumper challenge was comprehensive and efficient. We optimized the internal plastic part with thicker walls and support structures, incorporated a clipping system for easy assembly, and added fixation supports to prevent rotation. Using Multijet Fusion in PA12 nylon for durability and TPU for flexibility, we avoided costly molds and saved time in low-volume production. Rigorous simulations and lab testing ensured performance, and detailed documentation streamlined quality control and product specification repeatability. This approach enhanced the Lisbon Metro's train door longevity and reliability effectively.
