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Siemens 3D Prints Toughest Christmas Tree Ever

Siemens is already using 3D printing processes to speed up its repairs of gas turbines, to such success that defective burner parts can be simply reprinted, which reduces repair times by as much as 90 percent. But the company is also utilizing the technology for some other, more holiday-themed purposes as well.

Muenchen, Germany (Manufacturing.net) — Siemens is already using 3D printing processes to speed up its repairs of gas turbines, to such success that defective burner parts can be simply reprinted, which reduces repair times by as much as 90 percent. But the company is also utilizing the technology for some other, more holiday-themed purposes as well.

Olaf Rehme, a Siemens researcher within the company’s Corporate Technology division, uses the same super-hard steels that are used in those 3D printed turbine parts to make Christmas trees. The company says this type of steel only begins to melt around 1,300°C, which would make these trees among the toughest in the world.

The company is already finding substantial business opportunity in utilized 3D printing. It says, “If spare parts can be printed out anytime, anywhere, there would be less need for complex spare parts warehousing. 3D printing also makes it possible to produce objects that could not be produced using any other method.”

And based on the following video, they’re already well on their way to new and interesting innovations using a technology that is fascinating many within and outside of the industry.

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