Arup uses 3D printing to fabricate one-of-a-kind structural steel components

Using the latest 3D printing techniques, or more accurately, "additive manufacturing," the Arup team has produced a design method for critical structural steel elements for use in complex projects.

The work signals a whole new direction for the use of additive manufacturing in the field of construction and engineering. The research also shows that additive manufacturing has the potential to reduce costs, cut waste and slash the carbon footprint of the construction sector.

We created a redesign of a steel node for a light weight structure using additive manufacturing. Arup has a lot of experience with these kind of structures, for example, the tensegrity structure of the Kurilpa Bridge in Australia. The complex geometry of these kind of nodes are an ideal showcase of the possibilities of this new technique.

"By using additive manufacturing we can create lots of complex individually designed pieces far more efficiently," said Salomé Galjaard, Arup's team leader on the project. "This has tremendous implications for reducing costs and cutting waste. But most importantly, this approach potentially enables a very sophisticated design, without the need to simplify the design in a later stage to lower costs.”

Arup funded the development work and collaborated with a number of partners to realize the designs, including WithinLab (an engineering design software and consulting company), CRDM/3D Systems (the Additive Manufacturing partner), and EOS, who worked on the early development of the technology.

For more, visit: http://www.arup.com/News/2014_06_June/05_June_Construction_steelwork_makes_3D_printing_premiere.aspx.

3D Printed Steel Node

By using 3D printing, or "additive manufacturing," complex individually designed pieces can be created far more efficiently.

Traditionally Fabricated Node

A traditionally produced steel node is at the moment still cheaper to produce, but it is expected that this will change in the short term.

Components of the $9-million structural concrete construction phase included a 700-foot-long, below-grade baggage-handling tunnel; metal decks covered in poured-in-place concrete; slab-on-grade for the new terminal; and 10 exterior architectural columns––each 56-feet tall and erected at a 14-degree angle.