Rapid.Tech 2014 focuses on 3D printing

ERFURT, Germany – With a user conference, design engineer day, specialist forums for the aviation and medical and dental technology industries, Rapid.Tech is among the leading international events in the field of 3D printing and additive manufacturing. The specialist trade fair, scheduled to take place for the 11th time in Erfurt on 14 and 15 May 2014, will provide ample opportunity for interchange among newcomers to the field, experts, researchers and users, covering both theory and practice. In tandem with Rapid.Tech, the second German Personal Fabrication Convention FabCon 3.D will be taking place in Erfurt from 15–17 May 2014.

Sustainability, the Industry 4.0 project and individualisation are all global trends, and there is one key technology required to implement them all: additive manufacturing (AM). To exploit the potential of AM effectively it is necessary to be fully informed about all the latest developments covering materials, processes and machines.

“Generative manufacturing processes are becoming ever more relevant across multiple industries and are playing an increasingly important part in production processes. This is generating an enormous demand for information, as well as for an interchange of experiences and discussion,” said Wieland Kniffka, head of Messe Erfurt. “Rapid.Tech sets the standard here, with its mix of think-tank, knowledge transfer and an exhibition geared toward practical applications.”

This year’s programme at Rapid.Tech which will feature over 60 presentations given by speakers from countries including Germany, Denmark, Great Britain, Switzerland and Spain, all simultaneously translated between German and English. The opening presentation at the keynote session will be on “The Future of 3D Printing at Siemens”. It will describe the rapid development of additive manufacturing processes in recent years, highlight the huge potential AM has for industry and examine the challenges involved in carrying out the necessary refinement of this innovative technology. There will also be discussion of what is needed with regard to standardisation so that these processes can be fully integrated into industrial manufacturing.

In another talk, Dr.-Ing. Bernhard Langefeld of Roland Berger Strategy Consultants will be using findings from a recent study to answer the thought-provoking question: “Additive Manufacturing – A Game Changer for the Manufacturing Industry?” There will also be a presentation by Dr.-Ing. Oliver Ke?ling on the Arburg Plastic Freeforming (Arburg Kunststoff-Freeformer – AKF) process, a new industrial procedure for additive manufacturing which enables even the most complex components to be created in mass-produced plastic materials. Friedemann Lell of Sauer GmbH / DMG Mori Seiki will be showcasing an innovative solution for the production of finished parts using additive manufacturing. This hybrid solution is the first in the world to combine additive laser cladding and a full-fledged 5-axis milling machine in one system.

Afterward, specialist forums under the headings of “Aviation”, “Medical Technology” and “CAD/CAM and Rapid Prototyping in Dental Technology” plus the user conference entitled “New Technologies” and the design engineer day will all give industry-insiders a chance to look at the latest applications, discuss the possibilities of additive processes in their specialist fields and cast an eye towards the future. This is also facilitated by theadidas