Thousands of precast segments are being manufactured in western Sydney to line the 24-kilometre Sydney Metro West tunnels, creating more than 570 jobs and serving as a catalyst for local development.

The Eastern Creek Precast Facility is made up of three huge sheds, each with its own production line, and was purpose-built to support construction of the new metro line that will connect Greater Parramatta to the Sydney CBD.

Work deep underground to build the Sydney Metro West tunnels is powering ahead, with four of six tunnel boring machines (TBMs) in the ground. 

A total of 61,000 of almost 150,000 precast segments have been produced at the facility since it opened late last year, with operations continuing around the clock from Monday to Saturday and maintenance work on Sunday.

Each 3.8-tonne segment is custom-made using the highest quality laser-cut moulds, which are then placed inside a curing chamber set at 70 degrees Celsius for up to 6 hours.

Approximately 500 segments are produced at the facility each day and stored in the yard, before being transported to the appropriate site for loading onto one of the operational TBMs. The TBM then installs the segments to the tunnel walls as it excavates forming the rings that line the tunnels. 

Operations underway at the approximately 17-hectare facility, equivalent in size to 24 football fields, paves the way for the ongoing use of the Ropes Creek and Eastern Creek industrial precinct.