ALTOONA, PA – A professional grade 3D printer, which was donated by WPS Office Solutions and the Dellaposta family to Catalyst Space (www.catalystspace.org), is now making 3D printing technology available to local companies and the community at large. 3D printing is a cost- effective option for short-run production and prototyping, because it removes the need for mold making and tooling. Production times go from months to days and the savings incurred as a result are huge.
“This is just the first step in acquiring more advanced technologies and creating partnerships with companies in our area.” said Andrew Trexler, Director of Catalyst Space. WPS Office Solutions’ contribution paves the way for future technologies to be implemented into our model of open access resources.”
Debra Dellaposta, President of WPS Solutions, commented, “It is so important to stop the brain drain we see in our region. We are losing very bright and talented young people because we lack technical, manufacturing job opportunities. We are very excited to partner with Catalyst Space to help bring innovation and growth to our region.”
Bringing advanced manufacturing abilities to the community will help recapture the jobs and overall economic growth that were lost to outsourcing. The development and implementation of open access educational programs, focusing on the fields of advanced manufacturing, coding and programming, and other STEM related industries, will help the region regain valuable expertise and create a climate conducive for entrepreneurial growth. Catalyst Space plans to collaborate with businesses, secondary schools, and higher education to develop community resources and create non-traditional education opportunities. By doing so, the community becomes more desirable for both emerging startups and existing businesses.
To learn more about how you can take advantage of our 3D printer and other related services please visit: www.catalystspace.org or Like our page facebook.com/catalystspace for the latest updates.
About Catalyst Space
Founded in 2014, Catalyst Space is a non-profit makerspace/incubator/hackerspace located in Altoona Pennsylvania. Our mission is to bring advanced manufacturing resources and related education to the local community.