World premiere: Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands, Máxima, opens the first 3D printed steel bridge in the oldest neighbourhood of Amsterdam. Dutch technology scale up MX3D today unveiled the world’s first stainless steel 3D printed bridge in the city center of Amsterdam.
The futuristic multi award-winning bridge, designed by Joris Laarman Lab with Arup as lead engineer, will be placed over one of the oldest canals in Amsterdam’s Red light district. The installation of the bridge is the culmination of several years of work. MX3D kicked off this project in 2015 when it proposed printing a metal bridge with its innovative large-scale, robotic 3D printing technology, creating a playful, inspiring example of how digital tools can create a new form language for architectural objects.
The project was brought to life thanks to funding of the Lloyd’s Register Foundation and the collaboration with a range of industry leaders including ABB, Air Liquide, ArcelorMittal, Autodesk, AMS Institute and Lenovo, which all have helped MX3D realise its bold, ambitious vision.
This collaborative effort saw the bridge brought to life between 2017-2018, when four robots 3D printed the structure using more than 6,000 kgs of stainless steel. The City of Amsterdam granted MX3D bridge a two-year permit.
The proprietary MX3D printing technology uses off the shelf welding robots to build up metal objects layer by layer. The MX3D bridge design was created using generative design and topology optimisation techniques. The combination of those technologies allow for a higher form of liberty and a promise of significant material reduction.
Watch MX3D Bridge Placement, Amsterdam 2021:
