1,400 visitors at the leading specialist conference on additive manufacturing methods

Düsseldorf, March 4, 2015 - Over 1,400 visitors from 52 countries have flocked to this year's Inside 3D Printing, the most important specialist conference on the topic of 3D printing in Germany. In the roughly 60 sessions in three tracks, professional visitors found the opportunity for professional exchange on the highest level. The conference took place in parallel to the newly conceived METAV, the international trade fair for technologies in the metal processing industry with 35,000 professional visitors, in Düsseldorf on February 24 and 25.

In the opening keynote by Jeff DeGrange, Chief Operating Officer at Impossible Objects, a host of examples were presented to the audience which demonstrated in just how many areas additive manufacturing has already changed our world: In addition to mechanical engineering and the automobile industry, additive processes are producing innovations in electronics, robotics, as well as in medicine and architecture. The conference demonstrates just how abundant the opportunities are for new and improved technologies to continue to make new applications possible. In the meantime, additive manufacturing integrates into existing processes and into new approaches such as Industry 4.0. This requires the know-how and expertise of all those involved -- from the supplier of ideas to the user.
Concept Laser wins International Additive Manufacturing Award (IAMA)
The International Additive Manufacturing Award (IAMA) was presented directly following the keynote. The winner is the company Concept Laser from Oberfranken, which beat the other 15 presenters. Its innovation consists of a system that ensures a high product quality by means of monitoring already during the manufacturing of the individual item. The system allows subsequent product quality tests to be dispensed with.
Dr. Eric Klemp, Commercial Director of the Direct Manufacturing Research Center (DMRC) of the University Paderborn and program coordinator of the conference says: "The Inside 3D Printing covers a wide range. Manufacturers and users not only displayed fantastic application examples for additive manufacturing with metal, plastic, carbon fiber and ceramics. It went beyond this with the implementation of additive manufacturing in Industry 4.0, standardizations, market trends, investment strategies and legal questions such as product protection. Above all, the biggest takeaway was: The world is full of new business models thanks to 3D printing."
Top managers and product managers from leading companies in attendance
Amongst the visitors are both employees of Germany industrial concerns such as BMW, Deutsche Post, Evonik, ThyssenKrupp, as well as international heavyweights like General Electric, Mitsubishi, Philips, Saint-Gobain or Xerox, and representatives of specialized mid-sized companies. Matthew Finlay, CEO of the global events producer Rising Media, thinks: "Noticeable this year was that both top managers, who are responsible for the strategic decisions at large companies, as well as product managers, who were interested in the diverse product lines were in attendance in large numbers at the Inside 3D Printing. This shows just how strong the interest in additive manufacturing methods continues to rise in the entire producing industry."
Forum for professional exchange on additive manufacturing processes
The Inside 3D Printing was brought into being by Rising Media as a forum for the professional exchange about additive manufacturing methods. At its premiere in 2013 in New York, it already drew over 3,000 visitors. Since then, the event has been held in nine different cities including New York, Tokyo, Singapore, São Paulo, Mumbai, and Shanghai. Being presented are new business opportunities though 3D printing, case examples from companies and the current state of research on the technology.
Inside 3D Printing is aimed at experts, researchers, service providers, manufacturers, merchants, and investors, as well as experts from various industries who want to expand their knowledge about the professional use of 3D printing technologies. The conference sessions will present business opportunities, case examples, and the current state of research on the technology.
For more information, please visit http://inside3dprinting.de/en.