By Christine Fernando
Bob Markley was born and raised in Carmel when it was still surrounded by cornfields. Now, the Purdue University graduate is looking to make the area a hub for 3D printing technology.
Five years ago, Markley started 3rd Dimension Industrial 3D Printing on the northwest side of Indianapolis. The company has now announced plans to expand and create 45 new jobs in central Indiana by 2022, most of which will be high-paying engineering jobs.
“We want increased growth and high-paying jobs that we can keep here in Indiana,” said Markley, who lives in Zionsville. “We want to see the company help fuel the state’s economy.”
The company is honing a process that adds layer after layer of metal to form 3D objects, which will mostly create parts for the aerospace and automotive industries. Markley said the company is looking for people to help streamline their designs.
“We’re looking for people not afraid to push the boundaries, not afraid to ask questions and not afraid to fail,” he said.
In fact, failure is often how the company has learned to navigate the emerging technology of 3D printing.
“We’ve turned the knobs and dials on these machines, and sometimes they don’t work how we want them to,” he said. “It’s a new technology, so we’ve had failures, and we’ve learned from them and become stronger.”
By learning from their failures, 3rd Dimension has embraced innovation, Markley said.
“Innovation is the currency for Indiana’s future,” stated Elaine Bedel, president of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, in a press release. “The world today is developing new technologies faster than ever before, and companies like 3rd Dimension are showcasing how Hoosiers can use our manufacturing expertise to become national leaders.”
Markley said 3rd Dimension will continue to use innovation to contribute to Indiana’s economy and help local aerospace companies understand the possibilities 3D printing technology provides.
“It’s opened up a whole new world of opportunities,” Markley said. “And we’d love to be able to help people understand it.”
