Marylanders Exhibit 3-D Printing Technology at Showcase of Manufacturing in America
February 14, 2013
Marylanders Exhibit 3-D Printing Technology at Showcase of Manufacturing in America
WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today welcomed Direct Dimensions of Owings Mills, Ellicott Dredges of Baltimore, Towson University's Object Lab, and the Regional Manufacturing Institute (RMI) of Maryland to the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade's ‘Our Nation of Builders: Manufacturing in America' showcase.
The subcommittee organized the event so that manufacturers from around the country could exhibit the goods they create and jobs they support. Congressman Sarbanes' guests showcased an impressive display of 3-D technology and fabrication that can be used for everything from novelty items to the prototype models needed to develop sophisticated industrial projects.
President Obama recently highlighted the promise of 3-D printing and its potential to revolutionize American manufacturing in his State of the Union address. Building on the successes of the federally-funded National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute (NAMII) – the nation's leading 3-D manufacturing innovation center – President Obama called on Congress to help launch 15 new "Innovation Hubs" around the country to help nurture the emerging technologies that promise to propel American manufacturing in the 21st century.
"Federal investments in research and innovation pay off impressively when American businesses develop cutting edge technologies like those on display at today's hearing," said Congressman Sarbanes, a member of the subcommittee. "Companies like Direct Dimensions and Ellicott Dredges are making Maryland a leader in advanced manufacturing, helping to create high paying jobs and fuel economic growth."
Towson University's Object Lab is a research-based educational, state-of-the-art, rapid technologies and digital fabrication lab engaged in a range of digital technologies for current and next generation manufacturing. There, students learn the skills needed to pursue rapid technology careers across all sectors and industries.
Direct Dimensions and Ellicott Dredges are private corporations in Maryland that utilize 3-D printing technology to develop solutions for a myriad of industrial and commercial needs. Together, the two companies employ nearly 300 people.
RMI is a non-profit organization that works to bring training centers like the Object Lab together with businesses like Direct Dimensions and Ellicott Dredges to spur growth in the manufacturing sector.
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