Additive manufacturing (AM) is changing the world. This disruptive, next-generation technology is helping to put more advanced rockets into space, revolutionizing design thinking for sustainability solutions and shaping jobs of the future. More than 60 speakers, including from Boeing, Siemens, McKinsey, Audi, and RWTH spoke at this year’s global industry event, the AMTC, to share their views on the journey of additive manufacturing.
The opportunities to industrialize and grow advanced additive manufacturing have never been greater. Major global issues such as climate change, growing population, and the increasing consumer expectation for sophisticated personalized products mean that business leaders are looking for better and improved ways to produce and bring goods to market.
Additive manufacturing is a technology that delivers both solutions and added opportunities to support a new generation of customer-centred products that maximize functionality and minimize waste. The opportunities and challenges facing the industrialization of advanced manufacturing and the future of AM is top of the agenda for C-level executives and their counterparts from higher education, regulatory agencies and governments at this year’s industry leading Advanced Manufacturing Technology Conference in Germany.
“Advanced additive manufacturing is about 21st century design and long-term thinking to solve complex industrial and environmental issues,” said Prof Michael Süss, Oerlikon chairman and founding partner of AMTC. “We are sensing an acceleration of its growth momentum with more and more industries embracing AM solutions.”
Under the umbrella of the 2021 motto, “Momentum for Growth,” the conference kicked off with a platform for 3D start-ups to pitch their ideas and network with industry executives. On Day 2, speakers presented success stories around new material solutions, AM education, future standards, and the success factors for scaling and customizing hardware, such as 3D printers. The final day of the conference covered workshops on five key topics. In total, more than 60 speakers addressed the latest developments in the additive manufacturing industry.
Hosted this year in Aachen, the conference underlined the high-level and extensive collaboration needed to launch a new industrial revolution. The RWTH Aachen University joined as a second highly respected educational research partner to complement the existing partnership with the Technical University of Munich. “For Advanced manufacturing to be successful in the future, engineers, managers, and scientists need to learn about and understand additive manufacturing,” said RWTH Professor Johannes Henrich Schleifenbaum. “We have already introduced an AM curriculum at RWTH and are thrilled to see so many AM-related research projects underway.”
