Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will now use 3D printing technology to manufacture spare parts for electromechanical systems and cladding materials that will be used to maintain RTA roads and facilities.
The initiative will help increase the efficiency of road maintenance with receiving the spare parts required with ease.
Engineer Maitha bin Adai, CEO of the Traffic and Roads Agency at RTA said, "RTA has developed a new initiative and conducted various studies and experiments to increase the availability of spare parts for roads maintenance systems, in cooperation with specialist 3D printing companies. The initiative has proved to be successful in extending the sources of spare parts such as propeller fans, control equipment and cladding for tunnel walls in Dubai’s road facilities. The initial results of implementing the technology revealed a 50% saving in the operational cost of purchasing spare parts. Additional improvements were introduced to the factory-based spare parts on account of historical data analysis, which reduced breakdown rates to record-low levels. 3D printing technology also contributed to reducing the cost of transportation and the time needed to import spare parts to Dubai.”