World’s first 3D-printed steel Bridge

World’s first 3D-printed steel Bridge

Question: At which of the following place World’s first 3D-printed steel bridge was opened to the public?
a) Amsterdam
b) London
c) New York
d) Arizona
Answer:
Related Facts:-

  • Early July 2021; World’s first 3D-printed steel bridge was opened to the public in Amsterdam.
  • It was developed by MX3D, a Dutch robotics company, in collaboration with a consortium of experts.
  • This bridge represents a major milestone for 3D-printing technology.
  • After four years in development, the bridge was unveiled by Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands.
  • It was installed over one of the oldest canals in Amsterdam’s city centre – the Oudezijds Achterburgwal.
  • The 12-metre-long steel structure will be a ‘living laboratory’ as it will capture and transmit data on its health in real-time.
  • Through this data the bridge will be able to show how it changes over its lifespan. The smart sensor network was designed and installed by a team from The Alan Turing Institute.
  • The sensors attached to the structure will gather data on air quality, temperature, strain, displacement and vibration.
  • The data will be used by the bridge’s ‘digital twin’, a computer model that will emulate the actual bridge in real-time, to improve accuracy over time.
  • The computer model will help understand how a full-scale 3D-printed steel structure works in real-world.
  • Mark Girolami, Professor at The Alan Turing Institute, said that 3D printing is poised to become a major technology in engineering.
  • He further said that this technology needed to be developed into appropriate approaches for testing and monitoring to realise its full potential.

Links:-
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/worlds-first-3d-printed-steel-bridge-opens-to-public-in-amsterdam/article35462853.ece