PITTSBURGH—Pittsburgh International Airport unveiled plans for Neighborhood 91, one of the world’s first developments focused on bringing all parts of the additive manufacturing supply chain into one location.
The University of Pittsburgh partnered with the airport on Neighborhood 91, which is also the first project for the 195-acre Pittsburgh Airport Innovation Campus near the airport terminal and runway. Arencibia, a supplier of argon gas for the aerospace and additive manufacturing sectors, has signed on as the development’s first tenant. The name is based on Pittsburgh’s 90 distinct neighborhoods.
“Part of our vision is to advance the region’s role as a world leader. Additive manufacturing is looking for a place to call home and no one has made that happen—until now,” says Pittsburgh International Airport CEO Christina Cassotis.
The Neighborhood 91 concept is built on sharing capital resources to help save time and money. It will house an end-to-end ecosystem that will include:
- Powder, parts, postproduction, testing and analysis. Officials are estimating that manufacturing lead times will shrink by 80 percent and transportation costs could be reduced by even more.
- Communal powder storage and delivery facilities.
- Airport access. As part of Neighborhood 91, a second microgrid is being planned by the airport to exclusively power the development.
- Easy access to argon, helium, and other noble gases that can account for up to 60 percent of additive manufacturing costs.
Construction is set to begin in 2020.
