Airbus has inaugurated a highly automated fuselage assembly line at its A320 factory in Hamburg, Germany. The new line features a digital data acquisition system, 20 robots, automated guided vehicles, and automated positioning by laser measurement.
Although 3D printing is a relatively quick process, creating a final prototype or a production-ready product with the technology can take months or even years.
PITTSBURGH—Pittsburgh International Airport unveiled plans for Neighborhood 91, one of the world’s first development focused on bringing all parts of the additive manufacturing supply chain into one location.
LICHTENFELS, Germany—GE Additive recently opened a 40,000-square-meter campus here called GE Additive Lichtenfels. The facility is the new home for the company's concept laser teams.
WORCESTER, MA—Worcester Polytechnic Institute has received a three-year, $25 million award from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory to advance the cold spray 3D-printing technique that could be used to repair vehicles and other critical technology in the field.
BROOKLYN, NY—Voodoo Manufacturing has launched Voodoo Clear Aligners, a new dental manufacturing and distribution service, and expanded its high-volume 3D printing factory here.
Beer drinkers have debated for years about whether the taste of a bottle of beer improves with age. What they agree upon, however, is that the longer a company makes beer, the better the odds that it produces a great-tasting product, glass after glass.
Additive manufacturing is transforming the way many types of products are designed and assembled. One industry that's benefitting the most is aerospace, which traditionally requires complex, low-volume components that must withstand rigorous operating conditions.
CAMBRIDGE, UK—Market research firm IDTechEx projects that the global market for 3D-printed medical devices will climb to more than $6 billion over the next decade.
