Can you 3D print an aircraft engine? Yes, yes you can… granted you have the inclination and enough thermoplastic to scare a small horse. Last year at Autodesk University 2009, Autodesk and Stratasys saddled up to reveal an aircraft engine created in Inventor and printed using the Fortus3D production system.
I maintain that it would have been a more dramatic presentation if the CEO of both Autodesk and Stratasys actually did ride out on the aircraft engine together… with Bette Midler singing The Wind Beneath My Wings…
However, in lieu of that, we did talk recently with Joe Hiemenz, Technical Communications and PR Guy for that Stratasys outfit about the print and how it was developed.
You know when you’re walking in the park and a pigeon flies straight into your face? 
In one week we’ll be smackin’ ourselves (and you) with some Autodesk University coverage. Why would we do that? Well…for good reason party people. 1) product dev tech 2) Las Vegas 3) ponies 4) they invited us. We’re probably excited. In fact, we’ll probably give some awkward high-fives to people we hardly know.
