WGNO

5 schools; $20M grant to design 3D printing materials; teach

The 3D printing community is coming together to print personal protective equipment for hospitals in desperate need.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Five universities in Louisiana have a $20 million, five-year federal grant to design complex alloys and polymers for 3D printing and to build a sustainable research and education program in that area.

The state Board of Regents says in a news release that the new Louisiana Material Design Alliance includes Louisiana State University, Louisiana Tech, Tulane University, Southern University and the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

The board says new materials are needed to produce metal and plastic products with fewer defects and longer life.