The 21st rapid.tech 3D starts tomorrow

Starting tomorrow, the multifaceted world of additive manufacturing will once again take centre stage at Messe Erfurt. rapid.tech 3D will be opening its doors to visitors in the Thuringian state capital until 15 May. Now in its 21st edition, it is the longest-running German trade event explicitly dedicated to the topic of additive manufacturing (AM).

71 exhibitors from Belgium, China, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland and the USA have signed up for the event. These include international corporations such as 3D Systems, Linde and Stratasys, as well as Thuringian SMEs and research institutions such as PORTEC, the Ernst Abbe University of Applied Sciences and the Thuringian Institute for Textile and Plastics Research TITK. At the specialist conference, 73 renowned experts from industry and research will speak about AM innovations of today and tomorrow. Besides Germany, they come from Denmark, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Poland, Turkey and Switzerland. In addition, 25 speakers will be showcasing current 3D printing applications in the exhibitor forum.

Under the motto “Innovative and profitable – the future of additive manufacturing”, the exhibitors and speakers will present the wide range of applications of 3D printing, from everyday production on earth to future applications in space. One example demonstrates how additively manufactured parts can be produced more economically with dry ice blasting, while another will show how 3D-printed moon rock can be used to build base stations on the moon.

3D printing solutions for energy, electrical and military technology as new topics

The programme highlights include keynote speeches by top-class 3D printing experts from MTU Aero Engines, BWT Alpine Formula One Team, Roland Berger and Turkish Aerospace. There are also eight user forums and the quality-tested AM Science Forum. The new Energy Technology & Hydrogen and Electronics & Components forums and a session in the “Innovations in AM” forum will address the increased interest in AM applications in energy and electrical engineering, as well as in the military sector. The latest AM applications and developments can also be found in the aerospace, mobility, medical, software, AI and design industries. In addition, the associations VDMA Additive Manufacturing, DECHEMA and 3-D MID will continue their partnerships with rapid.tech 3D and contribute their expertise on the topics of AM and robotics, as well as chemistry and process engineering.

Visitors can also benefit from an even closer integration of the conference and exhibition. What they have heard in the presentations can be seen or even touched in the hall, where as well as the exhibition stands, they will find networking formats such as the Technical Deep Dives Tours, the “Expert Tables” and the AM Science Poster Slam.

Anniversary show of the 3D Pioneers Challenge selects the “Pioneer of the Decade”

An integral part of rapid.tech 3D is the 3D Pioneers Challenge (3DPC). This year, the international competition will return to Erfurt for the tenth time. The anniversary gave all previous finalists and winners the chance to go before the jury panel once again and scoop the title of “Pioneer of the Decade”. 33 applicants from all over the world have reached the final. The jurors will select the winner of the decade from among them. Contenders include the first heart 3D-printed with stem cells from Israel, a revolutionary technology for additive manufacturing without gravity from Switzerland, and the transformation of music into 3D-printed sculptures from Austria.

Messe Erfurt also invites you to the first edition of Quantum Photonics on 13 and 14 May 2025, which will take place in parallel with rapid.tech 3D. The technology and applications for additive manufacturing and quantum technologies intersect at numerous points, generating valuable synergies.