3D printing is past the stage of being a niche technology, and has planted its feet firmly in the manufacturing industry. Its growth shows no signs of slowing down and it is therefore important to stay up to date with the latest trends and innovations.

The most efficient way to this is through networking with 3D printing practitioners, researchers and OEMs. Conferences are a great place to meet such people.

This article aims to provide a list of conferences covering various 3D printing topics that can be attended within the next 6 months.

If you're looking to attend a conference this year, head over to our sister website ConferenceMonkey to find the best conference for you.

1. 3D Printing USA

Where: Santa Clara, CA

When: 14/11/2018 – 15/11/2018

Conference

3D printing USA is a must-visit event that covers the full spectrum of 3D printing technologies, materials and applications. Some of the major topics to be covered are listed below:

• 3D printing electronics
• Wearable technology
• 3D printing polymers
• 3D printing composites

 

Despite this conference focusing on 3D printing, there are many exhibitors showing off the latest technology in the fields of AI, the internet of things, modern materials like graphene, and more.

Master classes

Up to 20 master classes are also presented on the day before and after the expo. These offer the attendee added value by giving the opportunity to dive deep into a chosen topic before the expo, or to sharpen up on a topic observed during the event.

Speakers

Some of the biggest players in the 3D printing industry will be speaking at this conference and include Markforged, BASF and Ultimaker to name a few.

2. Polymers + 3D

Where: Houston, Texas

When: 01/11/2018 – 02/11/2018

Conference

As the name suggests, Polymers + 3D focuses on polymers and their applications in 3D printing. Some of the key topics to be covered are listed below:

• Differences between elastomers, polymers, thermosets and plastics
• Thermo-mechanical characterisation and properties of polymers
• Coatings and finishes for 3D printing
• 4D printing and beyond

Workshops

Workshops run concurrently, and will cover all the topics being presented at the conference. Some of the more interesting workshops include life cycle analysis, methods of 3D printing, biomedical applications of 3D printing, and many more.

Speakers

The speakers for this conference include industry experts from Gigabot, Structure 3D, as well as experts from various universities.

3. Inside 3D Printing Mumbai

Where: Mumbai, India

When: 19/12/2018 – 20/12/2018

Conference

Inside 3D printing Mumbai covers almost every industry that makes use of 3D printing and provides the attendee with a perfect opportunity to be exposed to other industries. Some of the main topics include:

• Fashion
• Architecture
• Engineering
• Business

An exhibition runs alongside the conference and includes exhibits from some of the biggest players in the 3D printing industry. These include among others 3D systems, Stratasys and Formlabs.

Workshops

This conference does not include any workshops but does include an interactive session on 3D bio printing.

Speakers

Various speakers from Imaginarium, Autodesk, Renishaw and General Electric will be presenting at the conference.

4. International Symposium on Additive Manufacturing

Where: Dresden, Germany

When: 29/01/2019 – 31/01/2019

Conference

ISAM consists of a business forum as well as symposiums on a large number of highly technical 3D printing topics making this the ideal conference for researchers and engineers. Some of these topics are listed below:

• Industrial additive manufacturing and the digital factory
• Structural Optimisation
• CFD modelling advances in additive manufacturing
• Non-destructive investigation of strain by neutron diffraction

Workshops

No workshops are presented in this conference. However, a visit to the Dresden additive manufacturing centre is planned.

Speakers

Some noteworthy speakers include Siemens, Altair, the University of Texas.

5. EuroSciCon on 3D printing

Where: Lisbon, Portugal

When: 17/09/2018 – 18/09/2018

Conference

The theme of this EuroSciCon conference is the modelling and implementation of new technologies in 3D printing. The conference has 28 individual topics that cover both the academic and business side of 3D printing. Some of the main topics include:

• Organ tissue in 3D printing
• 3D printing for commercial enterprises
• 3D image transformation
• Metal additive manufacture

Workshops

Various lectures and workshops will be offered that are inline with some of the topics covered in this conference. A list of actual workshops is not yet available, but based on the scope of the conference there will be some interesting workshops on offer.

Speakers

At the time of writing, no list of speakers was available.

In Conclusion

The list above is by no means exhaustive. However, it covers some of the biggest conferences left this year. If you are not able to attend any of these conferences, search your surrounding area for a 3D printing conference. 3D printing is the future and is one branch of an ever-evolving industry that interfaces rapid manufacture with the internet of things and automation. Attending any 3D printing conference is a good idea for any engineer.

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