Baoshan park hosts 3D printing gala

Yang Jian / SHINE

The 3D Printing Carnival will open tomorrow at Wisdom Bay Innovative Park, in Baoshan District.

The event runs through Saturday and will include exhibitions, forums, concerts and workshops on 3D printing. It is open free to the public. Organizers will also display the world’s first 3D printer, invented in 1984 in the United States, along with artwork and costumes manufactured with the technology. The world’s first electric vehicle will be on view as well.

“3D print is expected to trigger a revolution in the manufacturing industry and Baoshan aims to the attract world’s most advanced companies and researchers to take the lead,” said Zhao Xueyong, an official with the Baoshan Economy Committee.

As one highlight of the event, the world’s longest 3D printed concrete bridge will be created on site during the carnival. The architecture school at Tsinghua University will assemble the 14-meter-long bridge over a sightseeing pond at the site using 3D printing technology.

The bridge will resemble the Zhaozhou Bridge, an arched stone bridge built in Hebei Province during the Sui Dynasty (581-618 AD), and will set a new milestone in the use of 3D printing technology for construction purposes, said Chen Jian, the general manager at Wisdom Bay.

The China 3D Printing Cultural Museum, located within the park will open to the public for free during the three-day carnival. Admission regularly costs 70 yuan (US$11). About 3,000 visitors are expected for the event each day, said Chen.

Wisdom Bay Innovative Park, located at 6 Wenchuan Rd along the Wenzaobang River, opened in 2015. The site was formerly a container yard, and many old containers have been converted into offices and workshops. The park hosts a number of high-tech companies focused on 3D printing, intelligent manufacturing, virtual reality and artificial intelligence.