Leaks in large diameter pipes is one of the most important problems in the water supply chain since they account for more than 50% of total water loss that amounts to 6.58 billion EUR annually. The OECD estimates the investments into water infrastructure to be around 2.5 trillion EUR for 2010-2030 or 124 billion EUR per year. It suggests a large market for Pipes.One as a novel solution for water supply and water sewerage infrastructure.
Pipes.One developed by Dominion, is a technology for onsite 3D printing production of polyethylene pipes and constructions – a solution enabling to produce lengthy large diameter pipes with cellular walls at the place of laying. The technology is a combination of patented cellular wall pipes design and unique equipment for onsite 3D printing production. It delivers outstanding opportunities for future market applications through the synergy of innovative pipe design and unique manufacturing method. It creates an incomparable combination of technical and economic benefits, such as lean production that allows deep customisation and the ability to produce pipes of larger diameter, expand the scope of recycled material thanks to the protective coating of the pipe surface, resistance to adverse conditions and pressure, significant reduction of joints’ amount, associated installation costs, and reduction of transportation cost.
Pipes.One solution for onsite 3D printing production of pipes will disrupt the traditional pipes production market by providing special more equipment. Breakthrough mobile technology for the production of industrial plastic pipes right at the construction site makes polymer pipelines projects implementation more efficient: cheaper, faster, greener, with improved quality.
In the EIC Accelerator project, Pipes.One redesigned the existing prototype in order to increase its working efficiency and further integrated it into the mobile trailer. As a result Pipes.One developed the final version of user-friendly mobile trailer solution and construct a ready-to-use unit to be subject to testing and piloting. Piloting of the solution will allow examining technical characteristics of the final product to indicate the critical issues and main features of the mobile trailer, explore the room for the subsequent improvement of the product and prepare the ground for commercial implementation of the product.
