Aluminum giant Alcoa is betting big on 3D printing.

On Thursday, the company announced it plans to spend $60 million on a manufacturing center that will employ 3D printing to shape high-performance parts for aerospace and other uses.

According to Alcoa, the $60 million expansion will include a “state-of-the-art additive manufacturing center focused on feedstock materials, processes, product design and qualification.”

They added the “investment advances development of proprietary metal powders engineered specifically for 3D printing.”

The manufacturing center will be located in Pittsburgh and help bring some much-needed jobs to the area.

In addition, the Alcoa team said that the center will help the international leaders in metal manufacturing have an edge in the international market and be on the cutting edge of their field.

“Alcoa is investing in the next generation of 3D printing for aerospace and beyond,” Alcoa Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Klaus Kleinfeld said in a statement released by the company. “Combining our expertise in metal alloys, manufacturing, design and product qualification, we will push beyond the limits of today’s additive manufacturing. This investment strengthens our leadership position in meeting fast-growing demand for aerospace components made using additive technologies.”

Photo Credit: Alcoa