Do you remember the MX3D metal printing robot? It’s now capable of 3D printing a metal bridge. Here’s the news release, but it’s in Dutch (translated).
Over one year ago we covered the beginning of the MX3D project, which was a rather ambitious foray into 3D printing in metal with a industrial six-axis ABB robot arm. They had previously done a version using resin (MX3D Resin Printer), but then upgraded the system to use a heavy duty welding machine to deposit various metals.
One year later, they’ve tuned it even more. To show it off they printed a free form standing bridge that people can actually walk across.
Now obviously, that’s not a huge bridge, but think about the possibilities! It was just a prototype. They’re planning on building a full size bridge… somewhere. We’ll let you know as soon as we find out.
As shown in the featured image, a future system could use multiple sets of these robots to build even larger more complex structures. Damn.
Oh and if you’re sad because you don’t have a spare 6-axis robot to make your own version with… you can make your own metal 3D printer using that’ll cost under $1,500 — and no we didn’t miss a zero. It’s based off a very affordable Prusa i3, and a cheap MIG welder.
[Thanks Vogel!]
Yeah I’ll admit when I initially heard about this a little while ago I thought they meant like a decent sized pedestrian foot bridge across some span of water. Not that it had made a 3ft ramp :P
I guess baby steps and all.
ZOMG! Metal 3-d printing! Now concrete 3-d printer has some competition. Let the innovation race begin.
Combine the two, and you can print scyscrapers!
They already do… It is called slip forming. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slip_forming
I love it! It’s an enormous extrusion of concrete!
Excellent proof of concept though.
Don’t worry, it’s Amsterdam, probably there is a place for a such small bridge.
Well, they want to to exactly that – build a real pedestrian bridge. As they say on their website:
“From September 2015 the progress of the project can be followed in our visitor center. MX3D and the City of Amsterdam will announce the exact location of the bridge soon.”
At the moment they just have this “proof of concept” from the video, which is nice. Not thrilling, but nice. And well, with all this PR and media buzz they create it’s probably rather directed at something like dezeen magazine http://www.dezeen.com/2015/06/13/joris-laarman-3d-printed-bridge-amsterdam-canal-six-axis-robots/ than at Hackaday.
It actually hasn’t printed a bridge yet? It says it is several years away from actually doing so. Unless I read that wrong.
Looks like they spent more on the hipster video production than the robot. Meh.
Careful, after the robots gain sentience, you might wake up to find yourself encased in a web of steel.
As long as the robots get all the hipsters too, I am fine with that.
They’ll be encased in one too – just before it was cool.
(I couldn’t resist)
well, the web will at least be custom printed to fit my dimensions, so there’s that…
What happens when he jumps on the bridge?
what would work even better is if the robot could cut custom lengths of rod and weld them together. that would be impressive.
That does seem like the next step, they’ve already got the welding part done.
now there’s a question – fixed lengths or a spool feeder and a cutter? fixed lengths have a diffferent placing schema option set, and the size of rod you’ll want for something like this might not be easily cut by something that can fit on a welder head
The head doesn’t need to the one that is doing the cutting. The upstream feeder can either cut or store precut piece of steel and feeding it at the right sequence.
I am sorry but any half decent welder would tell you that’s not the way you “weld” not to mention apply force on it and expect to hold…… waste of time , probably another quick cash grab.
Its a prototype, they already said they want to do a new iteration before they try a real bridge, that said, your kinda right.
They’re working with the local government to pick a spot by the way, will be in Amsterdam.
This really comes into it’s own when applied to construction is zero gravity.