Use of 3D printing technology underway at Duqm SEZ

BUSINESS REPORTER

MUSCAT, NOV 5

The capabilities of 3D printing technology are being harnessed to construct new structures at the Fishermen’s Village coming up in the Tourism Zone at Duqm Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

According to the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ), 3D printing has been deployed to construct a housing unit with annexes, alongside a café, in the Tourism Zone.

Eng Saif bin Nasser al Busaidi, Director of the Projects Department, said the housing unit and café are being 3D printed on 101 square metres plots at Al Sayadin Village.

Each structure is being constructed in record time spanning a handful of days, in contrast to the traditional construction timeframe.

In addition, 3D printing based construction does away with the need for concrete columns — a typical time-consuming requirement. 3D printing technology converts the cement material into an integrated structure.

Last year, OPAZ’s Board of Directors had approved the use of 3D printing based construction technology as part of a wider effort to deploy more technologies and innovations to speed up the implementation of projects at the SEZ.