High quality and new level of networking

For exhibitors, speakers and visitors, it is the mixture of congress, exhibition and networking formats that characterizes the Erfurt trade event and ensures a high level of expertise on both the scientific and user sides. The even closer networking between the lecture rooms and the exhibition hall was particularly well received this year. Everyone involved benefited from this exchange, as was often the conclusion.

Qualified AM GmbH offers solutions to a major problem in additive manufacturing. Gregor Reischle founded the company a year ago with the aim of offering standards for additive manufacturing for all regulated industries. He himself has eight years of expertise in this field. He deliberately chose rapid.tech 3D to present the services of Qualified AM. "The event is a perfect fit for us due to its scientific approach and quality. Here we find expert visitors who understand the process chains."

The Italian company Ginger Additive presented a cost-efficient solution for large-format additive manufacturing in Erfurt. To date, the team has mainly used the pellet printer for production in areas such as architecture, design and interiors. Now Ginger Additive wants to move more into industrial applications and demonstrated its range of services with a printer at rapid.tech 3D. Rouven Jost is responsible for commercialization on the German market. He was pleasantly surprised by the presentation in Erfurt. "The right visitors came who are interested and know their way around the subject matter."

There was also a great deal of interest in the products and services offered by the Ernst Abbe University of Applied Sciences in Jena. In particular, the production of foamed plastic parts, the technical kidney as a filter system modeled on nature and the tiny photons for various micro-applications attracted a lot of attention. Dr. Kerstin Michalke, a member of the scientific staff, gave a positive assessment of the university's presentation. "We are represented at rapid.tech 3D every year. It's a good platform for us. And it's also good for Thuringia." She was particularly pleased about the even closer connection between the exhibition and the congress. She shares this opinion with many other exhibitors and visitors.

Successful networking formats Technical Deep Dives tours and expert tables

Formats such as the Technical Deep Dives tours and the expert tables made a particular contribution to this networking. During the Technical Deep Dives, participants were given brief and in-depth insights into new technologies and applications directly at the exhibitor stands. At the expert tables, the role of 3D printing in the dental trade, additive manufacturing in implantology, tool and mould making, the challenges of large-format PBF/LB-M printing and issues of standardization were discussed in small groups.

Innovative and profitable AM solutions in the focus of the specialist congress

The topics of innovation and profitability dominated the four keynotes and 60 presentations at the congress. In the opening keynote, Dr. Karl-Heinz Dusel, Head of Technology Development for Additive Manufacturing at MTU Aero Engines, spoke about the necessity and possibilities of establishing AM as a competitive technology in the aviation industry. He outlined MTU's approach to achieving this and cited cost-reduction procedures as a key factor.

The second day was opened by Pat Warner, Advanced Digital Manufacturing Manager at BWT Alpine Formula One Team. He gave exclusive insights into the world of Formula 1, where AM has become indispensable. Max Schaukellis, Senior Project Manager at Roland Berger, turned the spotlight on everyday production with his keynote speech on the automated AM factory. He predicted that this automated production, which is linked by means of AI and robotics, will be rolled out on a large scale in around five to ten years.

The closing keynote closed the circle thematically to the opening keynote. Dr. Remzi Ecmel Ece, Manager of the Additive Manufacturing Department at Turkish Aerospace, presented the path and vision of Turkish Aerospace in AM specifically for the application area of aircraft structures. To this end, the company has drawn up a strategy road map to establish the production of certified AM components for the aviation industry between 2022 and 2027.

Partnerships ensure high program quality

The topics from the keynotes were explored in greater depth in the specialist forums Aerospace, AM4industry, Science, Electronics & Components, Chemistry & Process Engineering, Mobility, AI, Software & Design, Energy Technology and Hydrogen. The Innovations in AM forum offered special sessions on AM in defense technology and medical technology.

The high quality of the program was ensured not least by the renewed cooperation with the conceptual sponsor VDMA Additive Manufacturing and the cooperation partners DECHEMA and 3-D MID e. V.

Panel discussions on internationalization, innovation and profitability

The panel discussions once again addressed key topics of rapid.tech 3D from different perspectives. The internationalization of the AM market was on the agenda on the first day of the event. The current influences of US politics and the advance of Chinese suppliers played a role here. It is important that there is the political will in Germany and Europe to advance AM technologies. In this respect, the promotion of additive manufacturing formulated in the coalition agreement of the new German government is a positive signal. The participants in the discussion also saw the opportunity to become less dependent on the USA, particularly in the field of defense technology. This could lead to a further boost in development.

At the end of the event, members of the rapid.tech 3D advisory board discussed the question that ultimately decides on the use of AM: Is it really profitable? Innovation and profitability are two sides of the same coin. After all, being innovative means earning money with new products and services. In this respect, additive manufacturing will hold its own against conventional methods and processes if it offers added value for the customer. The panelists referred to examples that were also presented at rapid.tech 3D, such as individually manufactured cranial implants that cannot be produced using other methods. There are also parts in the aerospace sector that are innovative and therefore profitable.

Top-class awards presented

This year, several high-caliber awards were presented at rapid.tech 3D. The international design competition 3D Pioneers Challenge, which has been held for ten years, selected the "Pioneer of the Decade" for the anniversary of the show in Erfurt. The award went to the team from the Dvirs Lab at Tel Aviv University for a 3D-printed, beating heart made from stem cells.

Dr. Dieter Schwarze and Dr. Matthias Fockele also received awards. The physicists are pioneers of metal 3D printing, which is now one of the most widely used metal AM processes under the name LPBD. They received the Big Five Award 2024 for outstanding achievements in additive manufacturing.

The "Best Paper Award" was presented for the first time. The scientific review committee of rapid.tech 3D awarded this premiere prize to Stefan Brenner from the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich. His paper dealt with the production of vacuum-tight high-frequency cavities using multi-material PBF-LB/M, which are used as key components in linear particle accelerators.

Change at the top of the advisory board

Michael Eichmann, the long-standing Chairman of the Advisory Board, has stepped down from his position. As a passionate designer and advocate for the development of 3D printing, the Stratasys manager has helped build and shape the Erfurt event from the very beginning. He will remain associated with rapid.tech 3D as Honorary Chairman of the Advisory Board. Messe Erfurt would like to thank him warmly for his enormous commitment.

Michael Eichmann's successor is Dr. Karsten Heuser. The additive manufacturing expert is responsible for AM activities at Siemens Digital Industries. He is also a member of the board of the Additive Manufacturing Working Group at VDMA and other committees dedicated to the industrialization of additive manufacturing. Dr. Heuser will lead the advisory board together with Prof. Dr. Seidel from Munich University of Applied Sciences, who has held an advisory board chair since 2023.

The next rapid.tech 3D will take place in Erfurt from May 5 to 7, 2026.