State-of-the-art review on additive manufacturing technology in railway infrastructure systems

Abstract

Additive manufacturing technologies, well known as three-dimensional printing (3DP) technologies, have been applied in many industrial fields, including aerospace, automobiles, ship-building, civil engineering and nuclear power. However, despite the high material utilization and the ability to rapidly construct complex shaped structures of 3D printing technologies, the application of additive manufacturing technologies in railway track infrastructure is still at the exploratory stage. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art research of additive manufacturing technologies related the railway track infrastructure and discusses the challenges and prospects of 3D printing technology in this area. The insights will not only help the development of 3D printing technologies into railway engineering but also enable smarter railway track component design and improve track performance and inspection strategies.