On 30 November 2016 the Port of Rotterdam Authority, will open the RAMLAB (Rotterdam Additive Manufacturing LAB), the first field lab equipped with 3D metal printers that focuses on port-related industry.
RAMLAB was established to carry out research and development projects in cooperation with partners for the purpose of making WAAM (Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing) technology commercially viable. RAMLAB is part of the Port of Rotterdam Authority’s drive to develop new port activities through innovation.
There are currently two WAAM systems in the Innovation Dock. One of the units measures four by three metres and has a manipulator that can print ship propellers, for example. The other robot can move on six-metre rails to weld things like lifting hooks. This system can be used to manufacture objects that are larger than 1m3.
Source & Image credit: Port of Rotterdam