Analyzing the Impact of an AM Campus Alongside an Airport [Report]

In November 2019, the Pittsburgh International Airport announced the development of a global epicenter for additive manufacturing. The development, named Neighborhood 91, is being developed in conjunction with the University of Pittsburgh and will be built adjacent to Pittsburgh International Airport airport terminal and runway as part of the 195-acre Pittsburgh Airport Innovation Campus.

In mid-January, advanced manufacturing engineering consultancy The Barnes Group Advisors (TBGA) released the results of an impact study of the project, revealing the overall economic benefits of an additive manufacturing production campus at the airport.

TBGA said the campus was designed to house an end-to-bend additive manufacturing (AM) ecosystem, featuring all the necessary components that make up the AM/3D printing supply chain.

“The TBGA report substantiated that a cluster concept like Neighborhood 91 can act as a catalyst for AM industrialization and innovation with the creation of a cost-efficient ecosystem,” TBGA said. “Multiple numerical data models with relevant industry data were complemented by economic theory to analyze the impact.”

• TBGA identified five key impact areas that the campus would have:
• Reduction in production costs – 25% for parts and 30% for powder
• Simplified supply chain with 80% reduction in manufacturing lead time and 80+% Reduction in transportation cost and miles for powder to part production
• Workforce development and R&D boost productivity and innovation
• Agglomeration economies and labor market pooling for reductions in learning curves and under-utilized equipment
• Reduced energy consumption and emissions

“The current AM production supply chain is fragmented. This study validates that Neighborhood 91’s centralized campus will significantly reduce costs and the need to manage parts across a dispersed supply chain,” commented TBGA ADDvisor Services leader and report co-author Laura Ely.

“A cluster does two key things: It enables process owners to focus on developing and optimizing their core process, and it creates a skilled regional labor pool,” added TBGA founder and managing director John Barnes. “It is also a win for the region because innovative companies locate near other innovative companies; this is an area where Pittsburgh, specifically, has been successful through the years.”

The full economic impact report is available for review on the Neighborhood 91 website.