The 20th Rapid.Tech 3D has kicked off with an impressive keynote speech, specialist forums and innovative 3D printing applications. Almost 100 exhibitors and 70 speakers from ten countries will be presenting the latest developments and applications in the field of additive manufacturing until May 16, 2024.
The opening keynote of the congress was dedicated to 3D printing in the semiconductor industry for the first time. Dr. Radu Donose from ASML, a leading manufacturer of lithography systems for chip production, presented how his company is already additively manufacturing over 200 machine parts. Using a twelve-kilogram wafer carrier system, he showed how additive manufacturing significantly reduces material consumption and production time. ASML has also developed an internal standard to ensure the quality of additively manufactured parts.
The newly introduced AM4industry forum shed light on industrial applications in mechanical engineering. Contributions from companies such as Reintjes, DiManEx, toolcraft, Hermle, Siemens and Trumpf showed how additive manufacturing is used in various areas. The forum was organized by the Additive Manufacturing (AM) working group of the VDMA, which was also the conceptual sponsor of the event.
Pump manufacturer KSB presented a 3D-printed containment shell as a series component for magnetically coupled pumps in the process industry. This innovation will be officially presented at ACHEMA, the world forum for the process industry, in June. Schaeffler presented a new system for additive manufacturing with metallic multi-materials, which is already being used in toolmaking and medical technology.
An afternoon panel discussion highlighted the role of AM as a driver of innovation and growth in Germany and Europe. Experts from Siemens Mobility, RWTH Aachen, DLR, Rheinmetall and toolcraft discussed the fact that although Germany has a good AM basis, its commercial implementation needs to be accelerated.
The new networking formats, such as the Technical Deep Dives, enabled visitors to delve deeper into current AM topics directly at the exhibitors’ stands. The AM Science Corner provided a platform for scientific contributions that could not be included in the forum.
The 3D Pioneers Challenge, an international competition for design and technology developments, also took place in Erfurt again. The second day of the event began with a dialogue keynote from Dr. Brent Stucker of Wohlers Associates, followed by a keynote from Dr. Jan Brummund of InnoSyn on the application of AM in the chemical industry.
Rapid.Tech 3D 2024 offers a comprehensive overview of the latest developments and applications in industrial 3D printing. With specialist forums, panel discussions and new networking formats, the event provides an in-depth insight into the opportunities and challenges of additive manufacturing.
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