A circa 1887 facility that once stabilized locomotives is now providing a home for a new kind of engine: dubbed the Roundhouse, the newly refurbished space offers a flexible work environment for remote teams, startups and individuals in the new economy.
OneValley opened its doors at the Roundhouse in the Hazelwood Green development in September 2021 as the Pittsburgh Innovation Center. It houses and supports startups, nonprofits, accelerator partners, venture capitalists and corporate innovation leaders.
The center provides a safe environment that can adapt to the ever-changing nature of the pandemic. It offers indoor-outdoor collaborative workspaces that accommodate more than 250 people for events such as pitch competitions, corporate events, fundraisers and more, as well as flexible rooms for workshops that meet the needs of hybrid working models.
The Pittsburgh Entrepreneurship Platform (PEP), an extension of OneValley’s global entrepreneurship platform Passport™, was launched alongside the innovation center and is free to the center’s members. It connects local startups and entrepreneurs with an ecosystem that has access to global resources.
As the rail industry faces pressure to become more sustainable, additive manufacturing is ready to step up to the challenge, according to Modern Machine Shop.
Enter Wabtec, which is applying metal 3D printing technology in pursuit of more efficient rail transportation. Locomotives can carry up to 200,000 unique parts. Wabtec seeks to consolidate pieces, reduce weight and improve vehicle performance through additive manufacturing.
One example is the integrated brake control. Previously assembled from 32 separate parts, Wabtec was able to use 3D printing to produce a one-piece panel that was a fraction of the weight of the traditional brake control. Moreover, the company can customize the design digitally instead of physically retooling it.
The company was the first to move into Pittsburgh’s Neighborhood 91, an ecosystem that seeks to bring all pieces of the supply chain for metal additive manufacturing together on one campus.
“We are dramatically accelerating our momentum as an organization and it’s exciting for everyone involved, customers and partners alike. Idelic has a unique opportunity to transform the landscape of fleet safety, operations, and insurance. The industry’s response has been overwhelmingly positive.”
Hayden Cardiff, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Pittsburgh-based Idelic
