Belo Horizonte, MG (UOL/Folhapress) – Between the last night train and the first morning, workers built an entirely new station, using 3D printed components in Japan.
The work was completed in about two and a half hours. The information is from The New York Times and The Japan Times.
The wooden structure was replaced by mortar printing. The new station, Hatsushima, is in a city of 25,000 inhabitants, in a rural area of Japan. The site has been serving passengers for over 75 years.
Components of the new station were printed in 3D elsewhere, where the company operating the line says it is an unprecedented feat in the world. According to West Japan Railway Company, a traditional way would have demanded more than two months of work and cost double.
It took seven days to make the impression of the pieces, according to Serendix, a company hired for the work. “Usually, construction occurs over several months while trains do not operate at night,” said Kunihiro Handa, co -founder of the company.
The new structure is about 2.6 m in height and an area of approximately 10 m². The structures were molded using mortar applied by 3D printer. Subsequently, vergalhes were inserted into the hollow part and filled with concrete. The company states that the building has resistance similar to that of reinforced concrete houses.
The building should be inaugurated in July. Currently, the station is served by a single line, and receives one to three trains every hour. Daily, 530 passengers use the station.
West Japan Railway Company considers using this technology in reconstructing other stations buildings. In addition to the speed in construction and lower cost of the work, the new season is lower than the current one. This aims to keep the rail service in remote places using fewer workers as the population of Japan shins, as well as the number of stations users.
