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July 23, 2021

World’s first 3D-printed stainless steel bridge spans Dutch canal

MX3D has finally realized its ambitious plan to install what’s described as the world’s first 3D-printed steel bridge over a canal in Amsterdam. The Queen of the Netherlands has officially opened the bridge to the public and, as well as an eye-catching design, it features hidden sensors that are collecting data on its structural integrity, crowd behavior, and more.

The project was designed by Joris Laarman Lab, with Arup handling engineering duties, and also involved ABB, Air Liquide, ArcelorMittal, Autodesk, AMS Institute and Lenovo. The original plan was to create the bridge in place, but this turned out to be impossible due to safety issues and other concerns, so it was made in a factory.

The actual printing process only took six months and was completed in 2018, but because of unforeseen delays, including a wait while the canal walls were refurbished, the bridge was only recently transported to the site by a boat and then raised into position using a crane. It has a permit to remain in place for two years.

The bridge measures 12.2 m (40 ft) in length and has a width of 6.3 m (20 ft). Whereas 3D-printed concrete projects extrude a cement-like mixture out of a nozzle in layers, metal obviously handles totally differently. Therefore, creating the complex design of the bridge involved four robots welding layers of hot metal together using standard welding wire and gas. A total of 6,000 kg (13,227 lb) of stainless steel was used in all.

Keep reading on NewAtlas.com


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