DEWA saves over AED 500,000 in two years using 3D printing

Dubai, UAE, 6 July 2023: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced that 3D printing contributed to saving AED 509,658 during 2021 and 2022. DEWA built over 1,800 spare parts for the generation, transmission and distribution divisions at the 3D printing lab at its Research and Development (R&D) Centre. This has also saved the effort and time required to replace spare parts. The average time to provide printed spare parts is just four days, which supports DEWA’s operations.

“We work in line with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to keep pace with the disruptive technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and to provide world-class services that enhance the quality of life in Dubai. DEWA supports the Dubai 3D Printing Strategy, which aims to harness this promising technology to serve humanity and enhance the position of the UAE to become a global hub for the development of 3D printing technologies. Through our R&D Centre, we are keen to develop 3D printing technologies, additive manufacturing, and other innovative technologies that are used internally to print spare parts for devices and equipment. This reduces procurement time and cost, extends the lifespan of these devices, and promotes innovation at DEWA,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

Al Tayer noted that the 3D printing centre at the R&D Centre is equipped with multiple 3D printing systems that can manufacture spare parts for DEWA’s different business units. It utilises over 20 materials covering various engineering applications, including metal and high-performance thermoplastics.

Waleed Bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence at DEWA, explained that DEWA adopts 3D printing technology as an innovative solution for building models and manufacturing spare parts internally. He noted that technical sectors worldwide face many challenges, such as equipment obsolescence or spare parts no longer being manufactured or sold, which comes with a higher cost to replace the entire system.

Since its launch, DEWA’s R&D Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park has filed 23 patents, out of which 6 have been granted. Among the filed patents, 3 are specifically related to 3D printing. Additionally, the Centre has published 157 research papers in international conferences, peer-reviewed journals, and publications. Among these publications, 14 research papers are focused on 3D printing.

The Centre adopts the latest 3D printing technologies, including metal printers and reinforced plastic printers using a mixture of carbon fibre and fibreglass. The Centre enhances the capabilities of DEWA’s engineers and researchers in 3D printing and additive manufacturing through workshops and training sessions in cooperation with major global companies and institutions.