3D Printing Keynotes, Thought Leadership Panels, 250+ Exhibitors, & More at RAPID + TCT 2021

Everybody who’s anybody in the additive manufacturing industry is getting ready for RAPID + TCT 2021, being held at McCormick Place in Chicago from September 13-15. This is the 30th year for the annual event, produced by 3D technology event leaders SME and Rapid News Publications and touted around the world as North America’s large and most influential AM event. In addition to an exhibit hall featuring more than 250 exhibitors and 200+ new products, the SME Zone Theater featuring industry partner presentations, a Medical Additive Manufacturing Showcase, and more, over 150 expert speakers will be presenting at this year’s conference.

“When you attend, you’ll hear real-life examples of how industry leaders are implementing additive manufacturing and review case studies on how the technology is transforming traditional manufacturing. Explore innovative solutions, network with peers and discover new applications to help plan and execute your additive manufacturing strategy, from evaluation to adoption to optimization,” the website states.

Included with your expo pass are three industry-leading keynote speakers, who will discuss their own take on how 3D technologies are transforming multiple industries, and how you can keep ahead of the competition. The first will be Melissa Orme, PhD, Vice President of the Boeing Company, who will be speaking on the 13th about “How AM is Disrupting the Aerospace Industry: Opportunities and Challenges on the Road Ahead.” Orme began her career in academia, as a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of California, Irvine, before taking on senior leadership roles, like chief scientist and head of clinical research, at technology startups.

“The disruption to the aerospace industry will occur when the Additive Manufacturing industry has demonstrated that risk associated with AM can be mitigated. The industry is currently on the steady path forward accumulating and archiving data derived from captured opportunities that increase our understanding, experience and maturity, thereby allowing Additive-only solutions to their product designs,” the website writes about Orme’s presentation.

Orme will discuss in which circumstances additive manufacturing can add value, what’s needed to scale the technology, and more.

The second keynote presentation, “An Industry 30+ Years in the Making,” will be delivered on the 14th by Terry Wohlers, Dr. h.c., FSME, principal consultant and President of Wohlers Associates, Inc. A prolific writer, Wohlers has authored 435 books, articles, and technical papers, and is a principal author of the Wohlers Report, often referred to as the “bible of 3D printing.” He has also provided consulting assistance to over 275 organizations in 27 countries.

“The additive manufacturing industry has hit its stride, with countless startups offering a new breath of products and services around the world. They come at a time when mergers, acquisitions, and initial public offerings are at an all-time high. This cumulation of activity was anticipated by some many years ago, but it has taken decades to develop. Over this time, the AM industry has grown by 26.1% per year, on average, based on research conducted by Wohlers Associates since 1989. It is difficult to name another industrial sector that has grown at this level over such a lengthy period. Even so, the company’s research shows that AM represents 0.1% of the world’s manufacturing economy and is only scratching the surface of what is possible.”

Finally, Mark Wehde, the Chair of the Mayo Clinic Division of Engineering, assistant professor of Biomedical Engineering in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, and a fellow in the Mayo Clinic Academy of Educational Excellence, will present the event’s last keynote, “How Technology is Changing Healthcare,” on the 15th. He will focus on how newer technologies, like bioprinting, are going to change how the healthcare community cares for patients.

“Healthcare is a very human enterprise, but one that has always been driven by technology. We are well into the beginning of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This is the digital platform revolution. A significant beneficiary of this is Healthcare 4.0, which refers to the shift from traditional hospital-centric care to a more virtual, distributed care that heavily leverages the latest technologies around artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning, data analytics, genomics, home-based healthcare, robotics, and 3D printing of tissue and implants.”

Throughout RAPID + TCT, 11 Thought Leadership Panels will also be held on the Main Stage, with four each on the first and second days and three on the third day. During each panel, four to seven industry experts will share their thoughts on a given topic.

“Thought Leadership Panels will bring together some of the most well-known names in Additive Manufacturing to discuss industry trends, the impact of marketplace demands on Additive Manufacturing, and Additive Manufacturing advancements.”

The panels on the 13th will be “Breakthrough to Manufacturing with AM – What You Need to Know,” “Industrial Manufacturers Discuss the Production Readiness of Additive Manufacturing,” and “Supply Chain Transformation: Driving an Agile and Networked Ecosystem,” followed by “Additive Manufacturing in the Department of Defense.”

On the 14th, the Thought Leadership panels will be “Materials: From Selection to Market,” then “Design Workflow for Additive Manufacturing: Lessons Learned from the Trenches,” MAM topic “Hospital-Based 3D Printing: Better Patient Care Through In-House Manufacturing?” and “Are You Using Additive the Best Way for Your Manufacturing Operations? CATCH UP!”

Finally, on the 15th, the panels will be a “Castings Roundtable Discussion,” “Being Agile Using Additive Manufacturing – When Does It Make Sense,” and closing things out with “3D Scanning ― Why Do It and How.”

There will be nearly 300 exhibitors from 18 different countries and 31 US states at RAPID this year, ready to show you everything you need to know about the latest 3D technologies in order to get ahead of the competition with the necessary products, services, and technologies to positively impact your bottom line. 11 exhibitors are from the 3D Printed Electronics category, with 19 in 3D Scanning/Imaging, 10 listed as Biomaterials, and nearly 30 in the Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) category. There will be exhibitors focused on Electron Beam Manufacturing (EBM) technology, like GE Additive, and others, like Fabrisonic and Optomec, in the Hybrid AM Machines category, and a whopping 54 in Metals. To find all your favorites, and some new names as well, check out the Exhibitor List and the Floor Plan.

“RAPID + TCT is the must-attend event for anyone implementing or exploring additive manufacturing. See the latest innovations, meet industry experts, and gain insight into the countless possibilities of additive manufacturing, all at one place.”

New this year is the RAPID Live! Digital Experience & App, which offers attendees access to industry resources, livestreaming, exclusive event content, and the ability to engage with members of the the RAPID + TCT community through the Activity Feed. You can use the platform to build your own agenda, save exhibitors you find interesting, make connections, and take notes on the presentations and products you want to learn more about later. Also, for a little bit of event fun, you can compete with your fellow attendees by unlocking challenge codes to win prize bundles at the show!

Register today for RAPID + TCT 2021 to receive event updates for the rapidly approaching show. You can also register for free as the guest of a featured exhibitor or partner, and if you register for an Expo Pass with promo code RP21EXPO100, you’ll get access to all the Exhibits, Event Special Features, SME ZONE, Keynotes, and Thought Leadership Panels. We hope to see you there!