3D Printing in the Defense Sector
Formnext Launches 2026 Defense Summit
Formnext is expanding its program to include the security and defense sector and will host the first Formnext Defense Summit in 2026. The event will focus on the potential of additive manufacturing for resilient supply chains, industrial applications, and collaboration between industry, government, research, and the military.
Formnext is expanding its range of topics: Starting in 2026, the additive manufacturing (AM) trade show will place greater emphasis on the importance of additive manufacturing for the security and defense sectors. The focus will be on the potential of industrial 3D printing to create more resilient supply and value chains, as well as to enable flexible and decentralized production within the European security sector.
A key element of the new direction is the Formnext Defense Summit, which will take place for the first time on November 17, 2026, in Frankfurt am Main, concurrently with the trade show. The event format is being developed and organized in collaboration with the Additive Manufacturing Defense Network (AMDefNet).
From the initiators' perspective, additive manufacturing can play an important role in making supply chains more resilient, shortening response times, and making production processes more flexible. As a result, the technology is becoming increasingly important for safety-critical applications.
The Defense Summit is designed to bring together representatives from the military, politics, industry, and research. The focus will be on topics such as supply chain management, procurement, logistics, training, standardization, as well as digitalization and data management. In terms of content, the event will focus on industrial applications as well as system and supplier structures in the security and defense sectors.
According to the organizers, the summit is intended to promote dialogue among industry representatives, technology providers, policymakers, and military stakeholders. The goal is to discuss common requirements and further develop topics such as quality standards, cybersecurity, and resilient supply chains. The program includes keynote speeches, technical presentations, a panel discussion, and thematic experience areas.
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