Roboze gains nannen-sei certification for ULTEM 9085 rail components

Roboze has won nannen-sei certification for polymer components printed in ULTEM 9085 using its ARGO 500 HYPERSPEED filament system and ARGO 1000 HYPERMELT pellet system, clearing a major regulatory hurdle for 3D-printed interior parts in Japanese rail vehicles. Tests conducted by the Japan Railway Rolling Stock Machinery Association evaluated fire behaviour and flame propagation, and the results showed conformity for parts produced by either filament extrusion or pellet extrusion on Roboze equipment. Solize Partners supplied technical support during the assessment.

The certification validates that parts produced on both process routes meet Japan's stringent fire performance expectations for rail interiors and other regulated vehicle applications. That matters because ULTEM 9085 is a go-to high-performance, flame-retardant polymer in transport sectors, and having an approved manufacturing pathway in Japan lets operators consider printed components where they previously relied on cast, machined, or stocked spares.

For maintenance, repair, and operations teams this opens practical options. On-demand printing can reduce lead times for low-volume, mission-critical parts and shrink the footprint of physical spare inventories. Pellet extrusion systems such as the ARGO 1000 HYPERMELT typically offer higher throughput and lower material cost per kilogram than filament processes, while the ARGO 500 HYPERSPEED filament route gives better control for complex geometries and finer feature detail. Confirmation that both methods meet fire and flame propagation criteria simplifies choices for in-house shops and service bureaus designing replacement interiors and trim panels.

Adoption in a highly regulated industry like rail still requires disciplined qualification. Certification covers the combination of material, machine, and process used in testing, so operators will need to preserve manufacturing records, traceability, and quality documentation for each part produced. Design for fire performance, appropriate post-processing, and standardized testing protocols remain critical to preserve compliance as parts move from prototype to operational use.

Broader implications include accelerated acceptance of additive manufacturing across Japan's transport supply chain and potential cost savings in logistics and downtime. Local partners and system vendors are likely to push integrated solutions that combine certified materials, printer configurations, and workflow software to support MRO adoption at scale.

Our two cents? Treat the certification as a green light to experiment, not a free pass. Start with low-risk interior components, lock in traceability and QA protocols, and compare filament and pellet workflows against your throughput and finish needs. Getting parts certified in service means matching process control to the standard, so document everything and plan for iterative testing as you scale.