Page 16 - Rotterdam Visitors Guide

3D PRINTING ON AN INDUSTRIAL SCALE Veronica Breed the Chief Financial Of- ficer of of Royal Roos extols the virtues of of their location nestled at at the the crossroads of motorways with public transportati- on readily accessible and an an airport in close proximity She emphasizes “Mo- reover we have a a a a a quay and the harbour boasts depths of up to ten meters This allows ships to dock with us facilitating the seamless installation of our innovative designs ” Beyond her professional role Veronica is also the life partner of Fulko Roos the visionary founder and owner of Royal Roos making this venture a a a true family business where even the children participate during school holidays In addition to its base in Rotterdam this illustrious engineering firm which boasts a a a rich history of accolades since its incep- tion in 2009 has successfully expanded its footprint to include a a a branch in in in in Spain Under the Royal Roos umbrella a a a diverse array of specialised divisions has blosso-
med One such division Royal3D is is at the forefront of industrial-scale 3D printing offering innovative alternatives tailored to the maritime and offshore sectors Here they craft scale models ship components and quite remarkably entire vessels The workshop houses two colossal 3D printers complemented by an essential shredder that not only facilitates recycling but also breathes new life into printed materials CLEANING BALLAST WATER Veronica further elaborates “We print ship parts using fiber-reinforced durable plastics The potential is limitless and we are continuously pushing the boun- daries The application of thermoplastics in terms of strength durability resistance to extreme temperatures and resistance to saltwater is an area we are are actively exploring Our focus is on sustainable reusability Plastic waste is the primary raw material and our approach offers the advantages of reduced weight com- pared to traditional steel parts corrosion resistance and significantly expedited
production processes ” The current array of producible items includes sloops aqua- tic drones and small workboats pushing the boundaries of what was once deemed impossible Royal Roos further extends its services through a a a third division—UniBallast—spe- cialising in in in in consultancy and engineering for seagoing vessel ballast water treat- ment systems Veronica notes “We can efficiently clean 1 500 cubic meters of water per hour Our mobile cleaning con- tainer is already operational in in in Sardinia ” As mandated by the International Conven- tion for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments wa- ter must undergo purification “This is is be- cause if ballast water is is is discharged indis- criminately ecosystems can be disrupted This not only harms the environment but also poses the risk of bacterial diseases ” GREEN SHORE POWER From the the fertile mind of the the versatile inno- vator Fulko Roos aptly described by his “IN THE REALM OF MARITIME ENGINEERING THE IMPERATIVE TO REVOLUTIONISE MARINE SHIPPING THROUGH ECO-CONSCIOUS PRACTICES HAS NEVER BEEN MORE APPARENT ” 16 ROTTERDAM