The Barnes Global Advisors (TBGA), the additive manufacturing (AM) consultancy based in Pittsburgh, is a pillar of the AM industry. TBGA’s expertise is sought by AM OEMs across the globe, leading adopters of AM technologies, economic development groups, key private-public consortiums, and even the Pentagon.

TBGA has been an Additive Manufacturing Strategies (AMS) sponsor for years now, and AMS 2026 (February 24-26) is no exception. Register here, and you can see TBGA Director of Government Solutions Andy Davis moderate the panel “Advancing AM for Defense,” on February 24 at 9:50 AM. You can also see John Barnes, TBGA founder, as well as the CEO of Metal Powder Works, on February 25 at 9:30 AM, in a talk entitled, “20(/)30 Vision: Adoption.”

Given that TBGA is comprised of so many different minds, it was only right that we get some insight from an assortment of the consultancy’s ever-growing team.

Matt Kremenetsky: TBGA goes to a LOT of trade shows. What keeps you coming back to AMS?

John Barnes: AMS is a connection event for me. I can have good conversations in a more intimate setting and I feel like people attending are there. They’re present. They’re engaged. The panel format encompasses more views and more opinions.

John Barnes at AMS 2025

MK: What are some advantages of networking in person that you think will never be outdone by networking virtually?

Cynthia Rogers: Networking in person allows you to have impromptu conversations you couldn’t have in a virtual environment. Those random meet ups can start casually and then lead to connections and discoveries you wouldn’t find within a structured online setting. Many times we’ve seen casual conversations turn into opportunities and alliances that ultimately help to grow the AM ecosystem.

MK: TBGA recently formed an exciting partnership with EWI. How do these types of partnerships help the AM world?

Christina Kurth: Strategic partnerships are at the core of how TBGA operates. Our collaboration with EWI reflects how complementary strengths can advance the additive manufacturing community. EWI brings deep technical expertise and infrastructure, while TBGA contributes business strategy, cross-sector experience, and implementation support to help bridge innovation to real-world adoption. Through partnerships like this, our ADDvisor team acts as an extension of our partners, aligning technical merit with market insight to accelerate adoption and advance the industry.

MK: What’s one lesson that the rest of the US manufacturing base can learn from what TBGA, Neighborhood 91, and the Resilient Manufacturing Ecosystem have done in Pittsburgh?

Andy Davis: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Neighborhood 91 is the world’s first additive manufacturing production campus. It is made up of commercial companies which are co-located on the Pittsburgh International Airport property to form the full AM value chain. Each company specializes in something different (i.e., powder production, cold spray, materials characterization) which allows each to focus on being really good at that thing versus having to be good at everything. The high level of reliance and coopetition among the residents have driven innovation where otherwise there would be competition or no relationship at all. This includes equipment utilization, material-process combination development efforts, and sharing of staff across multiple businesses. TBGA has brought federal funding through the Department of War’s Resilient Manufacturing Ecosystem (RME) program, which has further applied the campus to solve Army, Air Force, and Navy problems. The RME program is a great example of leveraging a commercial manufacturing capability for defense applications – the very definition of a dual use advanced manufacturing hub.

MK: We’re starting to see a lot more interest in skilled trades, including manufacturing, from younger demographics, as well as from people who are simply switching careers. Does AM have a special role to play in that context?

Christina: Yes, additive manufacturing has a special role to play for both younger generations and individuals transitioning into skilled trades, such as manufacturing. It bridges the digital and physical sides of making, resonating with students who grew up around video games, CAD, and coding, as well as with adults who have discovered 3D printing as a hobby.

At TBGA, we support education at every level, from volunteering in high schools to guest lecturing at universities, to help introduce additive as a viable career path. One of our employees recently met someone at a trade show who said they were inspired by one of our Principal ADDvisors to pursue additive manufacturing as a graduate student, which shows the lasting impact of mentorship and visibility in the field.

For adults looking to transition a hobby into a career or take on a new challenge, TBGA offers training through Purdue and TEES to help build foundational skills and strengthen their resumes before entering the workforce. Adults with experience in traditional manufacturing or even from entirely different industries bring a valuable perspective. They understand process flow, quality systems, and production realities that help ground additive programs and make them more scalable. Those outside the industry often bring creativity and problem-solving approaches that push the technology in new directions.

This focus is timely, as workforce development consistently emerges as the critical path for growth and production in our customer business case studies. Supporting individuals who wish to enter or advance in manufacturing is crucial to establishing a robust and sustainable industrial foundation.

MK: Aside from aerospace and defense, what are the verticals TBGA is most excited about?

Christina: Outside aerospace and defense, TBGA is most excited about verticals in health, oil and gas, and consumer markets, with consumer innovation driving productivity across the industrial base. We are also initiating and supporting industry consortia that connect these sectors, advancing new additive approaches, and creating shared value.

Don’t forget to register for AMS so you can see Andy, John, Cynthia, Christina, and possibly more from TBGA’s constantly expanding cohort of ADDVisors!

This piece was originally seen in AMS: The Preprint.

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