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AMT and IMTS Advance AM Implementation: Delivering Comprehensive Overview and Granular Details

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When you want to create a summary of current trends within the additive manufacturing (AM) ecosystem, do you think on a galactic scale or drill down to the planetary level? The good news is that IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show and AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology deliver the macro and micro perspectives to support all the roles within the AM value chain.

“Through our shows, events, educational efforts, and service offerings, we are helping AM reach a greater potential by linking it to the larger manufacturing technology industry, and investment community,” says Doug Woods, president at AMT, which owns and produces IMTS. “For example, we featured AM at IMTS 2024 with the AM Sector, accelerated by Formnext, and the Formnext Stage, multiple presentations on the IMTS+ Main Stage, and in AMT’s Emerging Technology Center.”

Additive Manufacturing Sector at IMTS 2024, Sept. 9-14, McCormick Place, Chicago, Ill.

In April, we will release the IMTS 2026 floor plan. We are excited to highlight the AM Pavilion, accelerated by Formnext, which promises to showcase the latest products, cutting-edge materials, and groundbreaking advancements in additive manufacturing. IMTS 2026, takes place Sept. 14-19 at McCormick Square, Chicago.

AM Investor Insights

To help business leaders navigate the future of AM, AMT organized an investor-oriented IMTS+ Main Stage presentation titled “How Capital will Influence the Future of Manufacturing” featuring a presentation led by Troy Jensen (Cantor Fitzgerald) and a panel featuring Danny Piper (NewCap Partners), Arno Held (AM Ventures), and Stephen Butkow (Cantor Fitzgerald). The panel members all agree that the AM industry is capital constrained, which is not necessarily a negative because it demands a more disciplined approach from investors moving forward.

IMTS+ Main Stage presentation, “How Capital will Influence the Future of Manufacturing” was led by Troy Jensen of Cantor Fitzgerald, and featured panelists Danny Piper of NewCap Partners, Arno Held of AM Ventures, and Stephen Butkow of Cantor Fitzgerald.

“What drives our investment decision, mainly aside from the team that we’re investing in, is the application that a company owns,” says Held. “Even if they have a certain material or a specific hardware, it’s really about what are they producing with it and how well defended that position is. Startups have a very big competitive advantage because a startup can be designed around the use of additive manufacturing.”

While the panel agrees AM is a “slow revolution,” one spot of encouraging news is that the metal additive manufacturing service industry shows signs of maturing and even profitability, notably serving customers in the aerospace, defense, and medical industries.

“The applications are now very defined, the use cases are very defined, and that is a fantastic foundation for a sustainable business,” says Piper.

The panel noted that one key to unlocking investments is engineers who become more comfortable with AM technologies, which then unlocks new applications (to that end, watch the IMTS+ Main Stage presentation with Stratasys and St. Cloud State University).

The investor panel was the first event in the new AMT Investor Series of in-person and digital events designed to provide insight, expertise, and knowledge for both the manufacturing and investor communities.

“How Capital Will Influence the Future of Manufacturing – Part II” will be held as a webinar on Thursday, March 6, from 10:30-11:30 a.m. (EST) featuring the speakers from Part I mentioned above. For details and to register, visit AMTonline.org/events.

“While on AMT’s website, [you should] also explore the capabilities of the AMT Additive Database, which is just one of the many intelligence and advisory services from AMT,” says Dayton Horvath, director of emerging technology and investments at AMT. “The Additive Database provides access to expert analysis, an extensive database of AM companies and products, an AM investment dataset, market projections, and more.”

ETC AMazement

At IMTS, one of the top destinations for many visitors is AMT’s Emerging Technology Center (ETC), which introduces visitors to technologies that they can’t buy today but could impact their business in the future. IMTS 2024 featured a game-changing solution for the production of high-mix, low-volume components using a convergent manufacturing platform conceived of by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

Overview of the AMT’s Emerging Technology Center featuring the convergent manufacturing platform conceived of by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

The platform featured two metal AM systems from Lincoln Electric and exponentially grew their capabilities by orienting them around Fastems FPT 500 automated pallet tower and integrating the capabilities of a five-axis MU400V machining center from Okuma, an Ajax Tocco induction heating system, a vision system from Zeiss, and four robots from Yaskawa America.

Among other goals, the platform can supplement U.S. casting capacity, create more robust supply chains, reduce energy consumption, and bring new efficiencies to tooling and mold production and metal part repair. So that IMTS visitors would be able to relate to the system, ORNL created three industry-specific demonstrations:

  • A mold/tooling demonstration produced a unique mold for each day of the show; the injection mold would be used to create a unique challenge coin each day
  • A casting and forging demonstration replicated the first article casting the Navy uses to qualify a new foundry
  • An energy demonstration simulated repair of a worn tooth on wind turbine gear.

Diagram of the ORNL convergent manufacturing platform.

“The team from ORNL did such good job integrating technologies and solving problems that I believe we could see a convergent manufacturing platform in U.S. production facilities in two or three years,” says Woods. “This approach is perfect for job shops, because it can produce multiple different parts with easily programmable changeovers. Then, if you wanted a longer part run, you could let the system run unattended overnight.”

Details of the convergent manufacturing platform.

AM Everywhere at IMTS

AMT catapulted AM visibility within the manufacturing community at IMTS 2014 with the 3D printing of the Strati on the show floor (watch video of the 10-year reunion of the team behind the event). Since then, IMTS has become an AM destination event featuring the Additive Manufacturing Sector – Accelerated by Formnext and AM solutions found throughout the show.

“AM Sector exhibitors demonstrated new solutions to make parts faster, bigger, better, more accurate, repeatable, integrated, and operator-friendly,” Horvath observes.

“The manufacturing community demands repeatable, reliable, and profitable performance from their technology investments,” confirms Melanie Lang, co-founder and CEO of FormAlloy Technologies. “Our DED Smart Software Suite enables users of our precision Directed Energy Deposition (DED) technology to harness the power of data to record, analyze, and improve part build, enhancement, repair, and joining.”

Exhibitor Oqton showcased its end-to-end industrial AM manufacturing software called 3DXpert.

“We keep the integrity of the geometry and take the entire process from the beginning to the end, which includes build orientation, build preparation, support, nesting, and simulation to predict defamation of the part while it is printing and compensate for it,” says Sridharan Hariharan, director of customer success, industrial additive, Oqton.

Jon Cackler, the owner of Variety Vault, drove from Ames, Iowa, specifically to check out the new Form 4 printer from Formlabs. “One of the major reasons we came to IMTS is that we have been looking to step into bigger SLA technologies and more capable machinery for medical applications,” says Cackler.

First-time exhibitor Axtra3D featured its Lumia X1, which uses advanced Hybrid PhotoSynthesis (HPS) technology to deliver print speeds up to 20 times faster than conventional DLP and SLA systems.

“We successfully sold one printer directly on the show floor, with a second sale following a week later,” says Rajeev Kulkarni, chief strategy officer at Axtra3D. “Innovation runs deep within the visitors at IMTS, so for a new technology such as ours, it’s a show that brought benefits beyond measure.”

Jupiter Machine Tool, a strategic integration partner in Meltio’s booth, unveiled its high-precision five-axis vertical mill integrated with Meltio’s 3D metal wire head.

“The industry has been waiting for a precision five-axis hybrid machine that would allow you to print a few layers, mill, and repeat to create internal passageways or other complex geometries,” says Meltio booth visitor Ryan Jaimes.

Over in the Metal Removal Sector, Mazak featured its Integrex i-450H ST AG hybrid multitasking center, which combines additive and subtractive processes.

“With legacy technology, it could take six to 15 months to get a casting made and machined. The ability to accelerate product development, repair, and replacement times makes hybrid solutions a game-changer,” says Bridget Spears, marketing and communications manager at Mazak.

Pioneering the Future of Manufacturing

IMTS 2024 wasn’t just about showcasing today’s advancements in additive manufacturing — it set the stage for what’s next. The technologies and insights unveiled are shaping the trajectory of AM, making it more integrated, efficient, and impactful across industries. All IMTS 2024 AM Sector exhibitors remain listed on the IMTS website. For more AM and manufacturing news, visit IMTS+.

Looking ahead to IMTS 2026, the promise is even greater. With innovation accelerating and the AM ecosystem maturing, the next show will expand on these foundations, showcasing breakthroughs that redefine what’s possible. From emerging applications to transformative solutions in automation, hybrid manufacturing, and sustainability, IMTS 2026 will be the destination for those ready to take the next leap in manufacturing technology.

Stay connected at IMTS.com and AMTonline.org to join the journey toward 2026, where the future of manufacturing takes shape. Get the latest updates by signing up for the IMTS Insider at  here.

AMT will participate at Additive Manufacturing Strategies, Feb 4-6 in New York City.

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