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The Syracuse Learning and Technology (SALT) Makerspace is getting ready for its grand opening on Thursday, September 11 at 6:00 PM. Housed in the Delevan Center on West Fayette Street, the SALT Makerspace features metal and wood shops, a computer lab with 3D printers, and a lounge where local inventors and artists can connect. Recent presentations and an open house are energizing the community.
Backed by a $29,000 grant from the Syracuse Tech Garden, the SALT Makerspace is the brainchild of Mike Giannattasio, a Syracuse University alumnus with a Master’s Degree in Sculpture. Private donors have also contributed $16,000, along with what Giannattasio calls “countless pieces of equipment”. By sharing tools and knowledge, local artists and engineers can minimize costs while turning ideas into manufactured items.

GE Aviation is proving that the future of advanced manufacturing involves 3D printing. At a time when many manufacturers are still exploring or experimenting with 3D printers for parts prototyping, the aircraft engine builder is investing $50 billion in production equipment. “We spent years proving out this technology for a critical component,” says Greg Morris, GE Aviation’s General Manager for Additive Manufacturing.
The equipment upgrade to the company’s Auburn, Alabama plant will put at least 10 new 3D printers on the factory floor. Eventually, more than 50 machines could occupy a third of the 300,000 square-foot facility. Meanwhile, back at GE Aviation’s headquarters near Cincinnati, engineers will continue to develop new 3D printed components.