3D Printing
News Videos Newsletter Contact us
Home / 3D Printing Metal / Rotterdam Port Installs 3D Printed Bollards
revopoint

Rotterdam Port Installs 3D Printed Bollards

July 12, 2021

Bollard is a strange word and is not widely used outside of the UK and America. So just to clarify, a bollard is a small vertical post made out of some heavy material (normally wood, metal or concrete). Generally they are found at quaysides for mooring boats, or at the roadside, for preventing road vehicles from entering areas where vehicles are unwanted

In this case, we are talking about the maritime-type bollard, which are used to tie watercraft to.

The Port of Rotterdam Authority (Netherlands), has recently unveiled their shiny new additively manufactured steel bollards (pictured below) as part of the Port’s infrastructure innovation program at the Sleepboothaven.

The program aims to improve and increase sustainability in the manufacture and use of quayside hardware and the Port sees AM playing a large role in the localization of manufacturing.

3d printed bollards
Printing faster than casting? Yup (Image credit: Ries Wendel de Joode)

Looking at the shape and function of a bollard, you may well wonder why the Port opted to use additive manufacturing rather than use metal casting.

It seems that at this scale of production, it is more cost effective and faster to use a large metal printer to create the net-shape part of the bollard rather than go through the rigmarole of setting up sand casts and hauling molten metal around the place.

Specifically, to print these bollards, the Port has teamed up with local company RAMLAB and utilized WAAM printing in order to churn these hefty lumps of steel out at rates faster than casting would economically allow.

“3D printing allows us to produce parts locally and on demand,” said Vincent Wegener, Managing Director at RAMLAB.

“For example, in 2017 RAMLAB produced the first 3D-printed and certified marine propeller. This year we are printing the first bollards, which is a useful test case that shows that you can produce small series relatively quickly when compared to casting and importing the parts from China.”

RAMLAB specialize in control systems and software for WAAM robotic systems that ensure high quality, repeatable metal parts. RAMLAB has been in the news before for manufacturing the first certified marine propeller, so they have a good pedigree where it comes to nautical 3D printing.

According to the Port of Rotterdam Authority, the next step is to see how AM can be applied to hydraulic engineering and also to the repair of quayside objects such as mooring posts and bollards.

“We are working with other companies based here in the port on developing and testing the possibilities offered by emerging technologies. This will create an innovation and research incubator, in which together we can build the port of tomorrow,” said Joppe Burgers, Project Engineer at the Port of Rotterdam Authority.

So far, six of the AM bollards have been installed at the Sleepboothaven with the remaining five to be installed at a later date.

no supports metal printing webinar
Related Story
Webinar: How to Reduce Metal 3D Printing Costs with a Reduced Support Strategy
Share:
WhatsApp Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Buffer Reddit E-mail
About the author | Phillip Keane
Phillip is an aerospace engineer from UK. He is a graduate of Coventry University (UK), International Space University (France) and Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), where he studied Advanced Manufacturing at the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing.
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Latest posts

University of Bristol Researchers are Testing 3D-Printed Structures for Earthquake Resistance

University of Bristol researchers are testing 3D-printed structures for earthquake resistance using a specialized shaking table. The experiment, conducted at the university's Soil... read more »

Construction
University of Bristol Researchers are Testing 3D-Printed Structures for Earthquake Resistance

3D Printing Technology Tested on Historic Bridge in Great Barrington as Potential Solution for Aging Infrastructure

Researchers from UMass Amherst and MIT have successfully applied 3D printing technology to repair a bridge in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. The test utilized... read more »

3D Printing Metal
3D Printing Technology Tested on Historic Bridge in Great Barrington as Potential Solution for Aging Infrastructure

Neighborhood 91 Advances Additive Manufacturing Hub Initiative

The Pittsburgh region is strengthening its position in advanced manufacturing with the development of Neighborhood 91 (N91), an additive manufacturing campus adjacent to... read more »

News
Neighborhood 91 Advances Additive Manufacturing Hub Initiative

Sakuu Receives Fast Company Award for Dry Electrode Printing Technology

Sakuu has been named a winner in Fast Company's 2025 World Changing Ideas Awards for its Kavian dry electrode printing process. The company's... read more »

Electronics
Sakuu Receives Fast Company Award for Dry Electrode Printing Technology

Vietnam Sets Global Record with 3D-Printed Femur for 8-Year-Old Cancer Patient

Vinmec Healthcare System in Vietnam has achieved a medical milestone by successfully implanting the world's first fully 3D-printed titanium femur in an eight-year-old... read more »

Medical
Vietnam Sets Global Record with 3D-Printed Femur for 8-Year-Old Cancer Patient

Qatar Launches World’s Largest 3D-Printed Construction Project to Build New Schools

Qatar has begun construction on two large 3D-printed schools as part of a broader project to build 14 new educational facilities. Each 3D-printed... read more »

Construction
Qatar Launches World's Largest 3D-Printed Construction Project to Build New Schools

Stanford Researchers Develop New Method for 3D Printing Complex Vascular Networks

Stanford University researchers have created a computational platform that designs and 3D prints complex vascular networks needed for bioprinted organs. The system, published... read more »

Bioprinting
Stanford Researchers Develop New Method for 3D Printing Complex Vascular Networks

Rocket Lab Reserves Two Ultra Large-Format Metal 3D Printers from Nikon SLM Solutions

Rocket Lab has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nikon SLM Solutions to reserve two upcoming ultra-large format metal additive manufacturing systems. The... read more »

3D Printing Metal
Rocket Lab Reserves Two Ultra Large-Format Metal 3D Printers from Nikon SLM Solutions

3D-Printed Clay Bug Hotel Provides Sustainable Habitat for Insects

French artist and designer Raphaël Emine has created a new project called "Les Utopies Entomologiques" (Entomological Utopias) that combines art with environmental conservation.... read more »

Environmental
3D-Printed Clay Bug Hotel Provides Sustainable Habitat for Insects

Social

  • Facebook Facebook 3D Printing
  • Linkedin Linkedin 3D Printing
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Fashion
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Snapmaker Artisan Premium 3-in-1

    • - Print size: 400 x 400 x 400 mm
    • - comes with enclosure
    More details »
    $2,999.00 Snapmaker
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Tech Q1 Pro

    • - Print size: 245 x 245 x 245 mm
    • - 600mm/s max speed
    More details »
    $449.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Tech X-Max 3

    • - Print size: 325 x 325 x 315 mm
    • - fully enclosed
    More details »
    $799.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Plus4

    • - Print size: 305 x 305 x 280 mm
    • - print temperature of 370°C
    More details »
    $799.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now

Company Information

  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing

Blog

  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal

Featured Reviews

  • Anycubic Photon Mono M5s
  • Creality Ender 5 S1
  • The Mole 3D Scanner
  • Flashforge Creator 3 Pro

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
2025 — Strikwerda en Dehue
  • Home
  • Join our mailing list
  • Contact us
Blog
  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal
Featured Industries
  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
Company Information
  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing