MSc CMA students visit the Netherlands to learn about the latest developments in large-scale 3D printing

Dr. Wassim Jabi and Dr. Robert Doe recently joined their MSc Computational Methods in Architecture students on a field trip to the Netherlands to learn more about the latest developments in large-scale 3D printing.

On the first day, the group visited Prof. Theo Salet at the Eindhoven University of Technology where he presented his team’s latest efforts in 3D print bridges and houses using concrete. The students toured their facilities that included a large 4-axis gantry robot for concrete 3D printing with a print bed of approximately 9.0×4.5×3 m3.

On the second day, the students visited the offices of ARUP, an international engineering firm that collaborated on the MX3D: a fully-functional bridge, 3D printed in stainless steel with a span of approximately 12.5 m. There, they discussed not only large-scale 3D printing, but also optimisation techniques that reduces material where it is not structurally needed and improves the structural robustness of the bridge. The MSc CMA students will use the insight they gained in their next semester’s module on digital fabrication.

Dr. Jabi said, “Studying in a classroom will only take you so far. The annual field trip is an important ingredient of our MSc programme. Each year we aim to visit cutting-edge academic facilities and professional practices at the forefront of computational methods, parametric design and advanced digital fabrication. The students gain invaluable insights by examining the work first-hand and engaging with their hosts in rigorous discussions.”