Most days we’re lucky if our printer can get by without a paper jam, running out of ink, or just failing to turn on at all.
So the idea of relying on this technology to build a fully operational bridge doesn’t exactly fill us with complete confidence.
But now the first 3D-printed bridge in the world has been unveiled in a park in Madrid.
The pedestrian crossing was first installed in the urban park of Castilla La Mancha in Spain’s capital city in December last year.
And now it is ready to be walked on.
The bridge, which is 12 metres long and 1.75 metres wide, was printed in micro-reinforced concrete at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia.
In what was to date, the first example of printing being applied in the field of civil engineering, according to the IAAC.
Not only is the bridge pretty amazing to look at (just look at that branch detailing), but it is environmentally friendly too.
That is because the production process that used ‘parametric design’, allowed the team to optimise the distribution of materials and minimize the amount of waste.
They were able to recycle the raw material during manufacture and dispose of by-product only where completely necessary.
And if you’re still not filled with confidence, be reassured that the bridge isn’t really that high up.