Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s (DEWA) Research & Development Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park supports innovation in all production and operational areas, becoming a global platform to enhance the operations and services of DEWA’s divisions.
The Centre includes DEWA’s Robotics & Drone laboratory, which is the first building in the UAE to be fully printed onsite, and the first such 3D-printed lab in the world. The lab houses rovers and drones that are designed and built in-house.
Through its R&D Centre, DEWA has developed advanced infrastructure and specialised software in 3D printing and additive manufacturing. DEWA is the first organisation in the GCC to deploy Markforged Metalx 3D printing based on wire/filament. This technology is highly accurate, reduces time and cost and improves efficiency and productivity.
DEWA uses 3D printers to produce prototypes and spare parts for its generation, transmission, and distribution divisions, and to support the digitisation of its inventory. The R&D Centre supports rapid changes through its 3D printer advanced features. It also provides technical solutions, training, knowledge sharing, mechanical testing, techno-economic analysis, and research and development in additive manufacturing.
“The R&D Centre supports DEWA’s efforts in innovation which is a key pillar of its work. 3D printing projects are widely recognised by utilities worldwide. DEWA works to enhance its production and operational capacity by investing in these technologies. This is through its 3D printing programme which has been selected as one of the Dubai 10X initiative projects,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.
“The initiative was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which mandates the Government of Dubai to be a global leader that is 10 years ahead of all other cities. The programme also supports the Dubai 3D Printing Strategy, which is a unique global initiative to use technology for the service of humanity and promote the status of the UAE and Dubai as a global hub for 3D printing technology, by 2030.”
Waleed Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence at DEWA, referred to the importance of the R&D Centre in providing self-sufficiency for DEWA in terms of developing innovative solutions and technologies. The centre adopts the latest Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies, including the 3D printers, such as reinforced plastic printers using a mixture of carbon fibre or fibreglass; CYBE printers; and Markforged Metalx metal printers.
Dr Hisham Ismail, Head of 4IR at the R&D Centre, said that they were the first in the world to use robots, developed in-house to test the PV panels. This has improved the operational performance of PV panels at the Solar Park as well as reduced costs. The 4IR department supports the Centre’s four major operational areas which include electricity generation from solar and clean energy, integration of smart grids, energy efficiency, and water.
Dr Ismail trains new employees on preparing research papers to be published internally, and its research projects on 3D printing have resulted in several papers being published. These include “Materials for 3D printing in construction” at the 2nd Annual Conference on 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing. It also published several papers at different editions of The International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE).
Several projects by the R&D Centre have patents including a universal smart charging system that consists of a single cable and a plug, whether cars use AC or DC charging. The charging station’s design is also user-friendly and a one-stop point for all types of electric vehicles, as it automatically adapts the plug and the charging to the vehicle’s requirement.
Other projects by the R&D Centre in 2021 includes “developing an autonomous overhead line inspection system using drones”, and “developing a robotic overhead line monitoring and maintenance system”.
