3DPOD Episode 202: RAPID 2024 with SME CEO Bob Willig and Angie Szerlong, SME Group Director of AM Events
Bob Willig is an experienced executive who, after years of roles with GKN, the Gates Corporation, and others, became the Executive Director of SME (the Society of Manufacturing Engineers). In this episode of the 3DPOD, we talk to him about what SME is, what it does, and how it aims to grow 3D printing. In addition to Bob, we are also joined by Angie Szerlong, who has been a key leader of the RAPID + TCT event since 2001. She talks to us about this year’s RAPID + TCT and gives advice on what to do if you’re a new visitor or an exhibitor. We talk to both Angie and Bob about the future of additive manufacturing, important developments, and the future of events.
Podcast (podcast-audio): Play in new window | Download
Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter
Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.
Print Services
Upload your 3D Models and get them printed quickly and efficiently.
You May Also Like
Formnext 2026: A More Mature AM Landscape Takes Shape in Frankfurt
Formnext 2025 offered a clear view of where Additive Manufacturing currently stands: an industry that has moved well beyond its hype phase and is progressing at different speeds across technologies,...
Engineering Readiness for the Most Demanding Defense Programs
As additive manufacturing moves from innovation to execution, success is no longer defined by machine capability alone. For the most demanding U.S. defense programs, additive manufacturing must be engineered, qualified,...
From Monitoring to Measurement: Why Objective Inspection is Becoming Essential for Scalable Metal AM
Additive Manufacturing (AM) is no longer judged by its printing capabilities, but how it can print reliably, repeatedly, at scale. As metal AM continues its transition from prototyping to production,...
Cheap Printers Make Metal Powders Costly
Last year, on stage at AM Strategies, the argument was simple: additive manufacturing had to stop chasing elegance and start chasing economics. The 3D printing community had spent decades refining...






















