Still wish I'd put together a buyout for Arcam though.
From Investors Business Daily via Yahoo News:
General Electric (GE) is expanding the uses for 3D printers and expects the emerging technology to "touch" more than half of its manufacturing in 20 years.
With business segments in aviation, energy technology, medical equipment and home appliances, the industrial conglomerate's increasing adoption of "additive manufacturing" could shake up printer makers 3D Systems (DDD), Stratasys (SSYS) and ExOne (XONE) as well as U.S. industry overall.
Less than 10% of GE's manufacturing uses 3D printing in some form today, though that share should rise to 20% to 25% in 10 years and 50% or more in 20 years, the company told IBD.
"I'm not saying that 25% of all parts will be 3D-printed, but that 3D printing will touch it in some way," Christine Furstoss, GE's technical director of manufacturing and materials technologies, told IBD in an interview.
"Maybe it's the tool that we are using or the early prototypes we make," Furstoss said. "We are committed to driving it in as many areas as we can.
3D Already Plays Big Part
GE already uses 3D printing in a variety of areas from making medical devices and jet engine parts to prototyping components for washing machines.Three-dimensional printing works by layering material, like plastic or ceramic, into a desired shape. Traditional manufacturing works the other way, by cutting out an object from a larger piece of material.At GE, 3D printing isn't just a way to make products. It's also a way to try out new tools that could make products better.
"We don't have to invest the time and money into making a permanent tool, but we can 3D print one and be able to see if it really has the type of benefits we dream of," Furstoss said....MORE
