Leaders of a pioneering challenge to develop 3D printed infrastructure and elements for the water sector shall be sharing insights from 5 years of analysis.
The Water Business Printfrastructure challenge has been led by United Utilities in partnership with ChangeMaker3D, Manchester Metropolitan College’s PrintCity and Scottish Water. Funding got here from Ofwat’s Water Breakthrough Problem with Spring Innovation because the knowledge-sharing accomplice.
The challenge staff will be part of a showcase webinar facilitated by Spring on 28 November 2024, to spotlight learnings and focus on how the analysis, which concludes in early 2025, might be scaled-up to offer resilient and sustainable infrastructure for water.
Each concrete and polymer 3D printing have been explored in a collection of research for the reason that Printfrastructure challenge launched in 2023, reaching a number of UK water {industry} firsts. They embody a challenge headed by PrintCity, a 3D manufacturing facility based mostly inside Manchester Metropolitan College, to create substitute components by 3D scanning, laptop aided design (CAD) and 3D polymer printing.
Three printed gadgets – a wastewater jet nozzle, CCTV skid plate and trough for water monitoring devices – are being utilized by United Utilities in on a regular basis operations, following rigorous testing and trials. Laboratory gear has additionally been printed and is being utilized by each Scottish Water and United Utilities.
For water corporations, the flexibility to print substitute components on demand can handle challenges round gear availability, supply instances and rising prices, serving to scale back reliance on suppliers and construct in-house resilience. Sooner challenge turnaround time, lowered value and decrease environmental affect are additionally key advantages.
One other {industry} first noticed the opening of a brief 3D concrete printing hub at United Utilities’ Wigan Wastewater Remedy Works in June 2024. The power was created with know-how from 3D print specialists ChangeMaker3D, which started working with United Utilities in 2021 when it was chosen to participate within the firm’s Innovation Lab programme.
The hub printed a spread of concrete infrastructure, together with mixed sewer overflow chambers and Industrial Emissions Directive containment partitions. Printed property shall be used on United Utilities and Scottish Water websites in future. The power was additionally used as an illustration facility to showcase the know-how to the water and building sectors, together with different industries.
Findings from the polymer and concrete Printfrastructure research, in addition to the group’s analysis into carbon and social worth and commercialisation of 3D printing, shall be shared on the upcoming webinar.
Lisa Mansell, chief engineer, innovation and carbon, United Utilities, stated: “The Water Business Printfrastructure challenge is remodeling 3D building printing from an innovation into an accessible instrument to assist on a regular basis operations, drive efficiencies and assist meet environmental objectives.
“We’re seeing tangible outcomes from the printing processes developed by the challenge staff, which have potential for adoption at scale. The know-how presents many extra thrilling alternatives for the sector, and we sit up for exhibiting simply what is feasible.”
Nick Hurst, technical specialist at Manchester Metropolitan College – PrintCity, stated: “This collaborative challenge helps flip 3D printing into business-as-usual, an strategy that shall be game-changing for the sector.
“A number of the challenge’s outcomes – such because the profitable printing of polymer spare components – are already making a distinction on the bottom and delivering vital carbon, value and labour financial savings. PrintCity has been working with the operational groups to reinforce the designs, enhancing sturdiness and making certain components could be maintained extra successfully.
“Customized components have additionally been designed and 3D printed. Because the challenge nears completion the showcase webinar is a superb alternative for the staff to share insights with the remainder of the sector.”
Ian Watt, capital funding web zero supervisor, Scottish Water: “The water {industry} is planning to spend a report quantity on infrastructure in the course of the subsequent asset administration interval, with an formidable capital programme that may solely be delivered by new approaches and innovation.
“The Printfrastructure challenge has proven that 3D building printing can ship a 25% discount in carbon, 20% value saving and 55% discount in labour, versus conventional strategies. Property could be constructed shortly, with a discount in supplies, making a safer, extra environment friendly working atmosphere and serving to meet carbon objectives.
“After three years of collaborative analysis, feasibility research and rigorous testing, we’re on the cusp of having the ability to scale-up this thrilling know-how and sit up for exhibiting the sector what could be achieved with 3D printing.”
United Utilities: Creating Inexperienced Infrastructure with Water Business Printfrastructure webinar takes place on 28 November 10am-12. To register: https://spring-innovation.co.uk/occasions/united-utilities-creating-green-infrastructure-with-water-industry-printfrastructure/
