The new flagship of the DB fleet will be in use for decades – reaching top speeds of up to 250 km / h.
For the outer shell, this means meeting the highest standards in terms of stability and workmanship. But it also needs to be lightweight. Because every superfluous gram of weight travels over millions of kilometres, worsens the energy balance and thus causes higher costs in the long run. Quite a challenge for the Siemens/Bombardier carriage builders.
The Photon solution: steel and laser. Laser-welded carriage components made of sheet steel offer maximum stability even with low material thicknesses – without space-wasting internal reinforcements, which are necessary when using aluminium, for example.
Photon’s XXL laser welding portals allow even the thinnest steel sheets to be welded with the highest quality, precision and strength – efficiently, quickly and with no visible welds on the outer skin. This saves time, money and materials in the production process, creates space in the interior of the train and reduces the environmental impact of the ICE 4.
A solution that has convinced Siemens/Bombardier. Over the next few years, Photon will produce sidewalls, roof assemblies and underframe components for approximately 1,600 ICE 4 carriages. And in many other trains, too, there is more than just one piece of Photon. For the competition, this means:
“Stand back please!”