3D Printing Facility Could Be Alcoa's Path To Modernization

Aluminum giant Alcoa Inc AA announced on Thursday that it will be undergoing a $60 million expansion of its research and development facility in Pennsylvania to explore industrial 3D printing for aerospace, automotive and construction applications.

The decision is part of Alcoa’s modernization initiative that is focused on replacing some of the company’s traditional aluminum smelting operations with the production of advanced aerospace and automotive products.

The Maturation Of 3D Printing

3D printing technology has been used to make manufacturing prototypes for decades. However, the costs and techniques involved have recently made the technology a potentially viable method for mass production of parts.

Related Link: Why The Future Of 3D Printing Is In Multi-Material Printing

Alcoa’s Role

According to Alcoa’s Chief Technology Officer Ray Kilmer, the focus of the new research will be to explore new lower-cost alloys that will work well in the 3D printing process. “What’s new now is that the machines are getting better, faster and cheaper. Alcoa is stepping into the process so we can get the performance and the cost to where they need to be,” Kilmer explained.

3D Manufacturing

The announcement by Alcoa is just the latest in a series of recent headlines about the industrial shift toward 3D printing.

Norsk Titanium recently announced the construction of the world’s first industrial-scale 3D printing facility in the United States.

General Electric Company GE also plans to introduce its first 3D-printed aircraft engine parts in 2016.

Related Link: The Weird And Wonderful World Of 3D Printing

Searching For Growth

Alcoa shareholders are desperate for some hope that the company can find a source of growth in the modern industrial world. It remains to be seen whether 3D printing will provide that hope, but Alcoa's stock jumped 4.0 percent on Thursday morning following the news.

While the S&P 500 has surged more than 80 percent in the past five years, Alcoa’s stock is down 10.4 percent.

3D printing stocks haven’t had much good news lately either, however. Shares of Stratasys, Ltd. SSYS and 3D Systems Corporation DDD are both down more than 75 percent in the past year.

Image Credit: Public Domain
Posted In: NewsEventsTech3D PrintingNorsk TitaniumRay Kilmer
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