a news item of interest about 3D printing in manufacturing
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General Electric Co. (GE) is on the hunt for ways to build more than 85,000 fuel nozzles for its newest jet engine. Instead of assembling them from 20 different parts, it plans to create the units in one piece -- with 3-D printers.Constructing the components with lasers one layer at a time will producer stronger, lighter nozzles than with conventional machining, according to GE. That means ensuring the printers evolve into equipment sturdy enough for assembly-line production, not just tools to fashion plastic prototypes.