Robotic additive-manufacturing company MX3D (www.mx3d.com) is 3-D printing a fully functional stainless-steel bridge to cross one of the oldest canals in the centre of Amsterdam, the Oudezijds Achterburgwal.

The project was first announced in 2015, and installation is scheduled for 2019.

As part of its manufacturing strategy, MX3D equips industrial welding robots with purpose-built tools and software — an approach that allows it to 3-D print strong, complex and graceful structures out of metal.

The robots issue molten steel one drop at a time to produce intricate forms.

The list of technology partners involved in this project includes: Arup (structural engineering); Arcelor Mittal (metallurgical expertise); Autodesk (digital production tool); Heijmans (construction expertise); Lenovo (computational hardware); ABB (robotics); and Air Liquide & Oerlikon (welding).