DSM, Royal HaskoningDHV, and CEAD design first lightweight 3D printed bridge using FRP

DSM, Royal HaskoningDHV, and CEAD have announced that they have designed the first lightweight 3D printed FRP pedestrian bridge prototype using a composite material.

The bridge consists of a glass-filled thermoplastic PET, Arnite, and is combined with continuous glass fibres which are added in the 3D printing process.

Maurice Kardas, Business Development Manager at Royal HaskoningDVH, said: “This partnership is bringing about a paradigm shift in the way we think about the form and function of bridges in our society.”

“FRP bridges are already well known for having a longer lifetime expectancy with lower life cycle costs compared to steel bridges. What’s new here is the use of a new 3D printing technology, enabling us to print large scale continuous fibre reinforced thermoplastic parts.”

“Using this new composite thermoplastic material, we will be ushering in a new era for sustainability and push the boundaries of bridge functionality even further.”

“The combination of the companies’ generative design and predictive modelling expertise broadens the design freedom. It also allows for a more efficient bridge design as it uses only the precise amount of material required, thus helping to deliver an optimised printing process which results in improved mechanical performance.”

Patrick Duis, Segment Leader for Additive Manufacturing at DSM, said: “Using a material such as Arnite has huge benefits for the constriction of bridges. Rather than using traditional materials such as steel or concrete, these bridges can be much more sustainable and offer greater flexibility in design using recyclable materials.”

“We know that designs previously deemed challenging or impossible to produce with other manufacturing methods are now possible with 3D printing, and we’re excited to be playing our part in this partnership.”

Maarten Logtenberg, CEO of CEAD, said: “3D printing has evolved dramatically over the years. This 3D printed bridge prototype demonstrates the huge strides that we are making which will transform the future of this industry, not only speeding up construction, but also making the process more cost efficient.”

“We developed this technology for exactly these industry applications, making them more sustainable and easier to manufacture.”