Dutch scale-up MX3D is awarded the 'Outstanding Development in Welded Fabrication' by the American Welding Society (AWS) for its innovative 3D metal printed bridge for the City of Amsterdam. University of Twente is a partner and tested this bridge at the UT campus in Enschede. This first 3D printed steel bridge worldwide was opened in 2021 by Queen Maxima of The Netherlands in Amsterdam.
Past winners of this prestigious award are the Hoover Dam, the Grand Canyon Skywalk, the New York One World Trade Center, the Mars Curiosity Rover, the PipeLine Under The Ocean (PLUTO), and the Panama Canal.
The 3D printed steel bridge is the first of its kind and measures 12 metres or 36ft. It was fabricated with MX3D’s proprietary robotic Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) technology, which is 3D metal printing with welding robots controlled by MX3D’s MetalXL workflow. The MX3D Bridge was designed by Joris Laarman lab in close collaboration with lead engineer Arup. The project was brought to life thanks to the indispensable support of industry leaders including Autodesk, ArcelorMittal, ABB, Air Liquide, and Lenovo. Additional funding by the Dutch RVO and Lloyd's Register Foundation helped MX3D realise its bold vision for autonomous 3D metal printing of large structures.
Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) technology
The MX3D Bridge showcased the groundbreaking use of Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) technology to 3D-metal print a fully functional, intricate steel bridge. This innovative fabrication technique is based on advanced welding processes. It served as a poster project for the company and the technology. Since the bridge project, MX3D has successfully introduced its technology in other demanding industries like Space, Maritime, Nuclear, and Energy.
The Bridge served as an innovative playground allowing for all partners to experiment with new technologies like IOT systems, Digital Twins and 3D printing. It will remain a platform for innovation at its new location, which will be announced shortly.
The American Welding Society Outstanding Achievement Awards
The American Welding Society Outstanding Achievement Awards recognize remarkable contributions in welding, achievements in historical structures, innovative fabrication techniques, safety practices and technical advancements in multiple categories. The 'Outstanding Development in Welded Fabrication' program was established in 1993 and ever since has been a promoter of the science, technology and application of welding, encouraging members to become aware of the metal's heritage and generate public awareness of the importance that metal welding provides to daily life.
MX3D Bridge: a ‘living laboratory’ & smart sensor network feeds ‘digital twin’
As the MX3D Bridge is equipped with a state-of-the-art sensor network, the ‘Smart Bridge’ powered a cutting-edge research project. Innovative in design and technology, the bridge served as a living laboratory. In concert with academic and industry researchers, the City of Amsterdam used the bridge’s data streams to explore the role of IoT systems in the built environment. Building a complete digital twin of the bridge serves to inspect the current state of the structure, log its use in real-time and enable predictive maintenance. Realising this vision required an extended and intensive collaboration between MX3D, The Alan Turing Institute, Imperial College London, Arup, Autodesk, FORCE Technology, and the University of Twente.
Prizes
The Bridge, fabricated by MX3D and designed by Joris Laarman Lab, has been awarded several prestigious prizes, including the latest one for 'Outstanding Development in Welded Fabrication' by The American Welding Society (AWS). Previous awards for the Bridge include the S+T+ARTS Prize from the European Commission (EC) for the best Arts and Technology project, chosen out of 2,300+ projects worldwide. The Bridge also received the Dutch Design Award, the Dutch Design Public Award and the 3D Printing Challenge Award.
Source: MX3D Bridge
