Youngstown Business Incubator hosts inaugural manufacturing expo

On Tuesday the the halls of the Eastwood Expo Centre in Niles were filled with manufacturers for the Youngstown Business Incubator's first Advanced Manufacturing User Expo.

The event was held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to educate and attract local manufacturers about advancements in the manufacturing industry.

It featured live technology demonstrations, panel discussions on industrial innovation, and insights into federal research and development programs.

Organizers told 21 News that they believe the future of manufacturing will rely heavily on 3D printers 

"3d printers are becoming larger, faster. Costs are being reduced, so it's making them more obtainable for manufacturers to adopt that into their facilities." VP of Advanced Manufacturing for Youngstown Business Incubator, Stephanie Gaffney said. 

Manufacturing experts like Gaffney believe these tools will soon become a common household gadget on a smaller scale.

"You can get some of those printers for a couple hundred dollars. I know my household currently has those...it is something that can easily be used [for things like a door stop or a new knob]." Gaffney said. 

A major focal point of the event was a 3D printer from Vitruvian called the 'Scorpion'. 

"[The Scorpion] is mainly used to do the exterior walls of infrastructure. We do have opportunity to play in the residential and commercial space, as well as in the defense space, being able to build protective infrastructure as well as residential commercial buildings." Director of Operations for Vitruvian, Stefano Alva said.