Technology 3 min read

Why Pittsburgh is on Track to be a 3D Printing Industry Giant

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Mandritoiu | Shutterstock.com

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Mandritoiu | Shutterstock.com

Forget Silicon Valley. Edgy Labs covers the booming 3D printing industry in Pittsburgh, PA.

In the U.S., Pennsylvania has long been a place for industry and innovation.

In fact, “Pittsburgh [located in the heart of PA] has been affectionately called ‘The Steel City’ for its prominent role in the Industrial Revolution and its key contributions to America’s rise in global business,” says Point Park University.

Today, the region is successfully continuing a long tradition of manufacturing by adopting new technologies to stay relevant and competitive in Industry 4.0–a movement predicated upon taking advantage of existing infrastructures (and even traditions).

How is PA Driving the 3D Printing Industry?

In Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh and Robert Morris University are at the forefront of 3D printing technologies.

So it’s not surprising that earlier this month, GE Additive opened its second Customer Experience Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Pittsburgh could be the 3D printing industrial center of the U.S.Click To Tweet

After acquiring majority stakes in 3D printing companies Concept Laser and Arcam AB last year, GE Additive is eager to demonstrate the revolutionary potential of the 3D printing industry.

“Think how Silicon Valley grew up around the talent of Stanford graduates. It’s not unreasonable to imagine GE might be building future boomtowns for additive tech,” say reporters at OZY.

Does the 3D Printing Industry Represent 4.0 Shift?

Pittsburgh’s transition from steel to the 3D printing industry is representative of a much larger structural change occurring on the US east coast.

States that were once associated with “dirty” infrastructure are now changing their tune.

For example, take a look at West Virginia – the country’s second-biggest coal producer for over a century and a half.

However, in 2016, an EIA report which showed how rapidly the number of U.S. employees at coal plants was shrinking.

In response, the rural town of Wise, VA has started to train drone pilots as infrastructure for a Google sponsored commercial drone delivery system.

Another great example takes place in Detroit, Michigan (MI). The state known as “The Motor City” for its focus on large-scale car production is now working to redefine its future by integrating existing resources into state-of-the-art technologies.

Their new regulations for driverless cars highlight an emerging business culture, centered around innovation that will become the standard in Industry 4.0.

Which city do you see heading the 3D printing industry revolution worldwide? Can 3D printing really bring us to industry 4.0?

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