"The incredible activity on the exhibit floor across all three days was a clear indicator of the excitement and success of this year's RAPID + TCT event in downtown Detroit," said Willig. "From the engaging keynotes to the insightful thought leadership panels to the in-depth technical conference to the buzz heard all around the exhibits, the next-level networking at RAPID + TCT 2022 exceeded expectations in every way. The AM innovations don't end when the event is over though. Advancements are ongoing, and we look forward to identifying the next challenges and helping manufacturers find solutions using this ever-evolving technology."
Attendees participated in RAPID + TCT 2022 in-person and virtually through the RAPID + TCT Digital Experience — from 42 states and 38 countries. Building upon the success of last year, the RAPID + TCT Digital Experience showcased livestreaming of all keynotes and thought leadership panels from both the Main Stage and the SME ZONE theater. Visitors and delegates were able to connect face-to-face with more than 400 exhibiting companies represented on the exhibit floor.
The RAPID + TCT 2022 Conference followed seven unique tracks with sessions tagged by where one is in their AM journey: Evaluation, Adoption and Optimization of Additive Manufacturing. Throughout the three-day event, presentations delivered by some of the industry's best provided insight into AM applications already in existence across a wide range of industries, as well as thoughts on what the future holds as the technology continues to change.
Barbara Humpton, president and CEO, Siemens USA, delivered the first keynote address of the week. Her talk touched on the role of AM in driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Siemens' work in digital twin technology enabling the success of NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover. She also spoke about "glocalization," the process of reflecting global innovation with local production capabilities — accelerated by the response to COVID-19. As the space continues to grow, AM is enabling localization of production, increasing resiliency and inspiring a new generation of industry leaders.
Also on day one, Slade Gardner, PhD, president and founder of Big Metal Additive, was recognized as the recipient of SME's AM Industry Achievement Award. Established in 2008, the award was developed by SME's AM Community to recognize an individual, team or company for outstanding accomplishments that have had significant impact within AM, or in any industry through the application of AM technologies. Gardner is recognized for his contributions over a distinguished career for advancing industrial metal additive manufacturing and for recent work with large-scale metal-hybrid AM. The full list of winners of the 2022 Additive Manufacturing Community Awards can be found on the RAPID + TCT website.
The show's second keynote speaker, Brian Baughman, manufacturing chief engineer at Honeywell Aerospace, delivered an address centered on the possibilities unlocked by AM technologies. Baughman remarked on maximizing efficiency and keeping costs low, advice for the industry in developing better, more widely adopted technologies and offered examples from projects completed by Honeywell Aerospace.
Rounding out the show as the third keynote speaker on the mainstage, Caralynn Nowinski-Collens, MD, CEO of Dimension Inx, spoke about the application of exciting AM technologies in the medical field including biofabrication and 3D-printable biomaterials. She made it clear that medical has made incredible, futuristic advancements just in the past year, and the industry is poised for more growth.
In the exhibit hall, AM companies from all over had products and machines on display, including 3D Systems, Desktop Metal, EOS, Formlabs, HP, Massivit, Nexa3D, Stratasys, Thermwood and many more. Exhibitors showcased new technologies, materials, processes and software solutions, giving attendees an exclusive, hands-on look at the best the AM industry has to offer. Enthusiasts across verticals were in attendance, representing industries such as automotive, aircraft/aerospace, construction, defense, electronics, industrial and commercial, machinery, medical/surgical/dental, R&D, consumer products and consulting/engineering.
The SME Education Foundation's Bright Minds Program welcomed nearly 1,000 middle and high school students with a schedule tailored for AM introduction with hands-on workshops, high-tech demonstrations and dynamic speakers from some of the top names in AM, including a separate keynote from Brian Baughman. The program also offered students and employers alike the opportunity to network and connect with leaders from some of the top engineering programs in the country.
The 2022 edition of RAPID + TCT also saw the introduction of the AM Industry Celebration — a gathering of more than 2,000 additive manufacturing professionals and enthusiasts who joined SME along with strategic partners TCT, America Makes, AMUG and Women in 3D Printing to celebrate the advancements of the past 30+ years of this disruptive technology while looking forward to the exciting and dynamic future that AM is creating across many industries.
RAPID + TCT 2023 will take place May 2-4, 2023, at McCormick Place in Chicago. To learn more about the event, visit rapid3devent.com.
About RAPID + TCT
For more than 30 years, SME and RAPID have defined the crucial role of additive manufacturing and empowered the establishment of an industry that continues to conceive, test, improve and manufacture new products at a faster, more cost-efficient pace. In 2017, the two industry leaders in 3D technology events, SME and The TCT Group, partnered to produce the annual RAPID + TCT event. For users and suppliers alike, the event is the premier destination for those who provide technology and for those who need to understand, explore and adopt 3D printing, additive manufacturing, 3D scanning, CAD/CAE, metrology and inspection technologies. For more information, visit rapid3devent.com, follow @RAPID_Event on Twitter or on LinkedIn.
About SME
SME connects manufacturing professionals, academia and communities, sharing knowledge and resources to build inspired, educated and prosperous manufacturers and enterprises. With 90 years of experience and expertise in events, media, membership, training and development, and also through the SME Education Foundation, SME is committed to promoting manufacturing technology, developing a skilled workforce and attracting future generations to advance manufacturing. Learn more at
SME.org, follow
@SME_MFG on Twitter or
facebook.com/SMEmfg.
