Alabama Live (3/20, Thornton) reports that Auburn University has announced that it “is partnering with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and ASTM International to create two new research centers focused on 3-D printing.” The article states that “studies in additive manufacturing, as 3-D printing technology is known, will support the state’s aerospace and manufacturing industries,” calling the plan “a partnership that could have global implications.”
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) said the new facilities “will ultimately product a stronger, even better workforce and more opportunities for Alabamians to provide for their families.” Auburn University President Steven Leath is quoted saying, “Additive manufacturing is a disruptive technology enabling designers and developers to create next-generation, precision-engineering products that couldn’t be made any other way.”