Formnext 2025 expands program: tours, live shows, and focus on economic viability

For its tenth anniversary, Formnext is significantly expanding its supporting program. In addition to the established stages, special shows, awards, and seminars, guided tours, AM live shows, and interactive formats are being added.

“With our expanded event program, we are addressing current developments in the world of additive manufacturing,” explains Christoph Stüker, Vice President Formnext at Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH, and continues: “On the one hand, the industrial application spectrum is expanding every year, and more and more people are gaining access to this innovative technology. At the same time, the AM industry is demanding ever more economically efficient as well as more specialized solutions.”

The free-to-attend stage program is spread across three stages. On the Application Stage (Hall 11.1, E69), industrial use cases take center stage, from orthoses and watch cases to rocket engines, robotics components, pipelines, and spare parts for wind turbines. The Industry Stage (Hall 11.0, D72) covers cross-cutting topics such as sustainability, industrialization, and “Design for AM,” including examples from AI-generated consumer goods to printing with mushroom mycelium. On the Technology Stage (Hall 12.1, B49), exhibitors present product and process innovations.

The conference focuses on decentralized manufacturing strategies and the growing role of comparatively affordable desktop 3D printers in industrial environments. A panel on Mergers & Acquisitions contextualizes consolidation in the AM industry. The Discover3DPrinting seminars, in cooperation with ACAM, run daily on the Application Stage; DeepDives address large-format polymer printing, DED processes, data-driven design, and scaling. New this year are guided post-processing tours on 19 Nov (DE) and 20 Nov (EN) from 14:00, meeting point: foyer in front of Hall 12.0, no registration required.

Special shows deepen industry entry points: VDMA will showcase mechanical engineering applications at Additive4Industry (Hall 12.0, B01). BE-AM covers construction 3D printing, the AM Art Space connects art and AM, and the AM Innovation and Standards Summit with ASTM International (17 Nov, Hall 4.0, Room Europa) focuses on qualification and standardization. Startups will present themselves in the Start-up Area (Hall 11.0, D62) and at Young Innovators (Hall 12.1, B39); Pitchnext takes place on 18 Nov from 14:15. The awards will be presented on 20 Nov from 16:20. The partner country in 2025 is Spain with around 30 exhibitors.