PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020) - Officials from Allegheny County and the University of Pittsburgh have come up with a plan to draw 3-D printing companies to vacant land next to Pittsburgh International Airport. Called "Neighborhood 91", the idea is to create a hub where additive manufacturing or 3-D printing firms can share elements they need in the manufacturing process. Among those are powder, parts, powder storage, access to argon, helium and other noble gases, and expertise. Neighborhood 91 will also have its own power grid with electricity generated on site from natural gas and solar power.Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald says, "The neighborhood concept will create enormous efficiencies, but just as important is leveraging our region's universities, which will provide necessary research and development and fuel the workforce to fill these jobs."An eastern Pennsylvania argon gas supplier, Arencibia, has agreed to be the hub's first tenant. Airport CEO Christina Cassotis says the 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 happed until now," said Cassotis. "It's a game changer."Cassotis signed a memorandum of understanding to develop the site with University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Pat Gallagher. "It combines the region's strength in additive manufacturing and advanced materials with the intellectual capital of its world-class universities," said Gallagher.The name Neighborhood 91 comes from Pittsburgh's 90 designated neighborhoods.
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