Dubai’s transport authority has announced it has started to use 3D printing technology to create parts for equipment across the city’s metro system.
The maintenance department of Road and Transport Authority’s Rail Agency has begun to print parts for the subsystems of the ticket vending machines, ticket gates and other metro assets, it said in a statement.
“The 3D printing technology is advancing at a rapid pace across the world and RTA is strongly inclined to be a forerunner in this 3D generation by highlighting the world’s best practices adopted in the rail industry,” said AbdulMohsin Ibrahim Younes, CEO of RTA’s Rail Agency.
The initiative comes as part of Dubai 3-D Printing Strategy, which aims to make Dubai a leading global centre of 3-D printing by 2030 with the technology responsible for 25 percent of all new buildings.
“The 3D printing technology would enable RTA to keep the Dubai metro assets in service longer while driving down the cost of parts and in turn passing this saving back to the customer. An example of this is that when small parts are needed, normal practice dictates a local manufacturer would need to produce hundreds to justify his cost,” added Younes.
“Using 3D technology stops this waste so the team at the Rashidiya Depot can now produce items made in hundreds singularly. Using 3D technology in a way that means much lower costs as the team can produce items when required and on demand while reducing carbon emissions.”
He said further discussion is now taking place on a future goal to print larger spares for other systems across the Dubai Metro.
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