3D printing as an accelerator on the track and in production

The programme of the second day of rapid.tech 3D on 14 May 2025 covered topics ranging from 3D printing as an accelerator in Formula 1 to its many facets in everyday production. 

In the first keynote speech of the day, Pat Warner showed how the current BWT Alpine Formula One Team has repositioned itself with additive manufacturing (AM). The team’s Advanced Digital Manufacturing Manager took the audience on a journey of more than 25 years through the world of 3D Printing. From its beginnings in 1998, the team set up the first AM Centre in Formula 1 in 2002. Since then, the advanced technology has been continuously expanded, with current race models featuring over 200 printed components. AM thus brings innovation, performance and speed to the track and beyond.

Automated AM production in five to ten years

Max Schaukellis, Senior Project Manager at Roland Berger, presented the scenario of an automated AM factory in the second keynote. He described this factory as using robotics and AI to link the physical and virtual worlds and working on a largely automated basis, from order management and data preparation to production and post-processing – even for small batch sizes. Schaukellis expects these developments to become widespread within five to ten years, driven primarily by machine and labour costs, the dwindling availability of personnel, particularly for post-processing, and the possibilities of reproducibility and scalability with automated AM production.

Further AM developments and applications were addressed in the Chemistry & Process Engineering, Electronics & Components and Mobility trade forums.

Informed discussions at “expert tables” 

Topics such as the digitalisation and certification of AM processes dominated the in-depth discussions at the “expert tables” and in the second Technical Deep Dives Tour of the exhibition. At the tables, experts and visitors discussed topics such as the role of 3D printing in the digital transformation of skilled trades. The focus here was primarily on issues relating to dental laboratories. Other topics included additive manufacturing in implantology, tool and mould making as well as the opportunities and challenges of large-format PBF/LB-M printing and issues of standardisation. In the Technical Deep Dives, participants gained insights into new technologies directly at the exhibitor stands – for example dry ice blasting for faster support removal, SAM submerged arc welding for the production of large metallic components, or a new quality control process using deep learning algorithms.

“Pioneer of the decade” for 3D-printed heart

A highlight of the second day of the event was the “Pioneer of the Decade” award, a special honour to mark the anniversary of the 3D Pioneers Challenge. The international competition for advanced technologies took place for the tenth time this year. All of the more than 400 finalists to date were eligible to apply for the award and 33 made it through to the final round in Erfurt. The jury’s choice for “Pioneer of the Decade” fell on the team from the Dvir Lab at Tel Aviv University for their 3D-printed heart using stem cells.

The award will be presented at today’s rapid.tech 3D gala evening.

The evening will also see the presentation of the Big Five Award for outstanding achievements in the field of additive manufacturing.

“Best Paper Award” presented for the first time

The “Best Paper Award” was presented for the first time on the evening of the opening day (13 May 2025). The rapid.tech 3D Scientific Review Committee awarded this inaugural prize to Stefan Brenner from the University of the Bundeswehr Munich. His presentation focussed on using multi-material PBF-LB/M for fabricating vacuum-tight radiofrequency cavities, which are used as fundamental components of linear particle accelerators.

Look ahead to the final day

The final day of the 21st rapid.tech 3D will start with a keynote speech by Dr Remzi Ecmel Ece, Director of Additive Manufacturing/Executive Vice President Aerostructures at Turkish Aerospace. The Software, AI & Design, Energy Technology & Hydrogen and Innovation in AM trade forums with sessions on Defence and Medical Technology will follow. 

Quantum Photonics held alongside rapid.tech 3D

The first edition of Quantum Photonics on 13 and 14 May 2025 took place in parallel with rapid.tech 3D. It was geared toward researchers, developers and engineers in computing, communications, imaging and sensor technology, as well as related fields such as medicine, life sciences, chemistry, mobility and finance. The technology and application fields of additive manufacturing and quantum technologies overlap and interconnect in numerous ways.