Arizona State University’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering recently launched the Manufacturing Research and Innovation Hub, decked out with the latest in 3-D printing equipment.

The hub is on the Polytechnic campus in Mesa and has $2 million worth of 3-D printing equipment designed for polymers and metals, a news release on the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce website said. The hub's advanced technological offerings will allow students, teachers and industry partners to stay at the cutting edge of this young field.

“This facility is a culmination of the kinds of energy and ideas that we think are important to driving a very modern educational experience and doing very creative things in research,” Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering  Dean Kyle Squires said in the release.

The hub is a collaborative partnership between the schools, Honeywell Aerospace, Concept Laser Inc., Phoenix Analysis & Design Technologies Inc. and Stratasys Ltd.

“I can’t imagine a more exciting time to be alive in manufacturing than today and tomorrow,” John Murray, president and CEO of Concept Laser Inc., said in the release. “As I look at the forecast, it’s 10 times out of the gate — 10 times the amount of business, the number of machines, the research and development — everything is accelerating at a pace that’s really hard to imagine.

“Education is an absolute cornerstone to this entire industry and its ability to expand, and we’re excited to be a part of it,” Murray said in he release.