According to the latest AMPOWER Report, the market for additive manufacturing is showing moderate growth overall, with applications in the defense sector in particular gaining significant momentum. A specialist session at the “Innovations in AM” forum at rapid.tech 3D from May 13 to 15, 2025 in Erfurt will be dedicated to this development. Industry experts see the defense sector as a growing field of application for industrial 3D printing, providing both technological and economic impetus.
Increasing geopolitical uncertainty is leading to increased investment in new manufacturing technologies. In this context, additive processes such as laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) offer the possibility of manufacturing complex components quickly and with less material. Airbus and Diehl Defence are presenting concepts for high-performance guided missile components in which aluminum alloys represent an alternative to titanium. These enable an improved balance between weight, strength and cost structure.
Additive manufacturing of electronic assemblies is also increasingly coming into focus. Hensoldt Sensors uses AM-supported processes in the small series production of defense electronics. Jörg Sander, responsible for additive manufacturing of electronic devices, emphasizes in his presentation the relevance of tailor-made AM solutions for applications with high demands on functionality and reliability.
An international contribution comes from Turkish Aerospace. In his keynote speech, Dr. Remzi Ecmel Ece will show how additive processes are being integrated into aircraft structure development in order to strengthen local production capacities and technological independence.
With further forums on mobility, energy, medicine and software, rapid.tech 3D offers a comprehensive overview of the status and prospects of additive technologies. At the same time, Quantum Photonics, which is being held for the first time, will open up additional interdisciplinary points of contact for research and industry.
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