Apr 6, 2016 | By Benedict
GE has opened a new additive manufacturing facility near Pittsburgh, PA. The Center for Additive Technology Advancement (CATA) will create 50 new jobs, and will offer both training and development in 3D design and applications. GE will invest $39M in the facility over a 3 year period.
The opening of its new Center for Additive Technology Advancement sees GE devoting significant resources to the development of potential 3D printing technologies—a move that will be taken as a positive sign for the industry as a whole, given the reputation and commercial clout of the multinational corporation. The expansive new facility, located at Findlay Township near Pittsburgh, will be used to develop and implement industrial applications for a number of GE businesses at one centralized location, allowing the parent company to implement exciting new technologies into several of its subsidiaries whenever opportunities arise.
While the ultimate goal of CATA is to place GE at the forefront of additive manufacturing developments and benefit its many industrial businesses, the opening of the center is also being welcomed by those outside of the company, due to its potential contribution to the economy and employment. In conjunction with the opening of CATA, GE published a white paper entitled “The Future Workforce: Advanced Manufacturing’s Impact on the Economy,” which details how 3D printing is making a positive impact on jobs and the “future of work”. CATA, the company claims, will further contribute to this growth.
“Today’s opening is strong evidence that GE is leading the digital transformation of industry, starting with a hub for the advancement of additive manufacturing techniques,” said GE Chief Productivity Officer Philippe Cochet. “The application of insights from digital connectivity in collaboration with intelligent devices will elevate the skills of our workforce, streamline productivity and enhance product development overall. This represents a new era of manufacturing.”
Research at the 125,000-square-foot facility will involve developing both hardware and software, and successfully marrying the two to create optimal additive manufacturing systems and products. To successfully meet these goals, GE will create 50 jobs for high-tech workers within the facility, to add to the 22 presently employed engineers. These highly skilled employees will have a strong focus on advancing materials sciences and inspection technologies.
Pittsburgh, home to eight Fortune 500 companies, including U.S. Steel and PPG Industries, represented the ideal location for GE’s ambitious project, for both GE and the Steel City itself. 3D printers made by local North Huntingdon-based ExOne (above) have already been installed in the facility. “With Pittsburgh’s developing tech sector, Pennsylvania is the perfect home for GE’s Additive Manufacturing Center,” said Governor Tom Wolf. “We welcome GE's investment in the state with opening this new manufacturing facility and the promise of new jobs to the greater Pittsburgh region.”
The multimodal facility, GE’s first, will contribute 3D printing advances to a number of GE industrial businesses, including Aviation, Transportation, Power, and Oil & Gas.
Posted in 3D Printer Company
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