Spain is a sophisticated and progressive country known for embracing the finer things in life. And technology certainly plays an enormous role in providing those things. With a bevy of 3D printing services online, retail stores, an active tech-savvy community, and events springing up to laud the wonders of the new technology, it has made an impact on every level. At the highest level though, as 3D printing becomes entwined with the world of manufacturing, Spain wants to see it continue expanding and spreading internally.
As 3D printing sweeps through Spain, those who are heavily involved in the future of innovation and technology are getting organized. Often it takes a cohesive group of dedicated individuals to provide information, accessibility, and education on a subject as new as 3D printing, which has become popular enough in Spain to warrant some organization regarding the process, as well as marketing.
Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (AFM) in San Sebastián, Spain has formed another group to do just so, in their ongoing commitment to technological and internalization, with headquarters in Spain and an office in China.
AFM has just announced the creation of The Association for Additive Manufacturing and 3D Technologies. ADDIMAT is a smart idea as a whole, bringing together a number of entities all with similar interests, ideas, and agendas for sharing innovation and the hot new technology of 3D printing that is reshaping manufacturing and creating the technological revolution we are all hearing so much about on a daily basis. At ADDIMAT, the members are placing total focus on all areas related to “manufacturing and marketing of equipment and materials for additive manufacturing and 3D printing.”
With AFM as their foundation, ADDIMAT has strong resources to draw on, including support and management from experienced personnel at AFM. Membership in ADDIMAT can be requested without charge through 2015 from those involved in 3D printing technologies. Beginning with AFM, the other founding members are:
- Danobat Group
- Egile Group
- Fagor Automation
- Goratu
- Kondia
- Ibarmia
- Nicolás Correa
- Ona Electroerosión
- IK4 Technology Centre
- Tecnalia Technology Centre
- The University of the Basque Country
- IMH Machine Tool Institute
- The Innovation Centre TKNIKA
- The Bilbao Exhibition Centre
Their mission is simple but vast in its purpose: develop and advance the technology of 3D printing in Spain. With the support ADDIMAT is able to provide to the entrepreneurial elements involved in their association, as a whole they can work to promote 3D printing with ADDIMAT adding both a collective voice and a platform.
With AFM, the “dean of industrial associations,” behind them — and involved with nearly all the manufacturing technology and machine-tool companies in Spain — ADDIMAT, created December 17th 2014, has a sure road ahead as they embrace the technology taking manufacturing into the future, transforming many processes more quickly than anyone imagined.
Do you think organizations and associations for promoting 3D printing and innovative technology are beneficial? Do you belong to any? Tell us about it in the ADDIMAT forum over at 3DPB.com.
