YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - A two-day event at YSU brings together world leaders in additive manufacturing as well as major airplane companies like Lockhead Martin and Boeing.
YSU and America Makes are just now concluding phase one of an $8 million program funded by the Air Force. 

Since the program's inception YSU has led research projects supporting the production of additive manufacturing or 3D printing for specialized parts found on US Air Force planes.

Brett Conner, Director of the Advanced Manufacturing Research Center, said, "YSU had to go ahead and meet with air force units to determine what the needs are. Coming up with candidate parts and working on design and reverse engineering and different advanced manufacturing approaches to make those spare parts."

They are already making parts in phase one. For example, a T-pipe header made of aluminum for 3-130's. The 3D printing process will make a sand mold and then aluminum is poured into the mold to make this part. Normally it would take months to get a part like this now they can get it in less than one month.

And the next phases of the project means MORE parts can be designed and made faster and at a lesser cost than ever before.

Brian Rice from the University of Dayton Research Center, said, "It helps mature the supply chain so that when the new aircraft roll out, you got a robust technology and supply chain to make the parts."

As YSU continues to work with the Air Force in phases two and three, the total funding of the program could amount to nearly $30 million and a lot of hands on experience for local students.