Developer says 15-metre span is an example of the many possibilities of the new technology
A “smart city” in Shanghai has unveiled its latest hi-tech attraction: a 15-metre (50-foot) long 3D-printed footbridge that is the first of its kind in the country.
The span, which opened for business on Friday, was created by Shanghai Machinery Construction Group using materials made by Polymaker, the state-run China News Service reported.
“It’s both an everyday, practical application and an interactive one that involves people touching and even relying upon… a 3D printed thing,” Polymaker said on its website.
“Many people have never touched a 3D printed object and they still think of it as part fantasy and part future tech, so projects like this do a lot of good in terms of exposing the public to the reality and the possibilities of 3D printing,” it said.
