Anglian Water and Sheffield University in 3D printing trial

In the future 3D printers could be installed in technicians' vans

Anglian Water has become the first UK water company to explore 3D printing technology after partnering with Sheffield University.

The company worked with engineers in the university’s Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Civil and Structural Engineering to develop ways in which 3D printing could be used to produce vital parts more efficiently and at a lower cost.

An initial early test was carried out using a filter nozzle – a small but essential part of the water treatment process. Anglian Water has hundreds of plastic nozzles in the sand filter beds of its water treatment works, and replacing them can be a costly headache.

Fionn Boyle, Anglian Water innovation technologist, said: “If one nozzle needs replacing then all the others in the same bed must be replaced at the same time to ensure even wear.

“Also the original design may no longer be stocked by a manufacturer. But if we could simply scan in another nozzle and print out an individual  replacement it would save time, money and also the carbon footprint of getting it shipped to us."

Anglian Water’s innovation team is now talking to its engineers to come up with a list of further essential parts for Sheffield’s team to work on. The team is also talking with the Dutch water company PWN which is using the technology to 3D print caps for fire hydrants which are regularly lost or broken.

Boyle added: “There are hurdles to cross before 3D printing becomes widely used in the industry – including the patent issues associated with scanning and printing these parts. But it is essential we explore the possibilities now and learn about the potential pitfalls so that we can pave the way for it to be rolled out a few years down the line.

“You can foresee 3D printers being installed in our technicians’ vans in the future so that if they are out on a job and need a vital part they can simply download a file and print it out there and then. If we are in an emergency repair situation this could mean we can stop more leaks and return people’s water supplies much more quickly."