Preparations are well underway for the 19th edition of Rapid.Tech 3D, the Additive Manufacturing trade show designed to take place from May 9th to May 11th in Erfurt. As you may have seen in our coverage of last year, the event successfully provides a combination of congresses, exhibitions and networking opportunities so that any AM user, whatever the level of their journey, can find the solution or the information that best meets their needs.
If you’re a regular visitor of AM tradeshows, you probably already know that what makes an event unique often comes down to an activity one never experienced elsewhere.
From a content standpoint, I would say that, through its different forums, Rapid.Tech3D 2023 truly highlights the diversity of possibilities one can expect from AM – at every step of the value chain and in some of the main vertical industries that adopt this technology and auxiliary equipment.
To date, over 70 experts from Audi to Zeiss will present the latest AM applications and practical examples across nine different forums. The latter include: Forum Mobility, Forum Innovations in AM, Forum AM Science, Forum Chemistry & Process Engineering, Forum Software & Processes, Forum Medical, Forum Design, Forum Aviation as well as Forum Post Processing & Quality Assurance. Among these entries, the “Chemistry & Process Technology” and the “Post Processing & Quality Assurance” are the newly added ones to the program.
Next to the forums that feature individual presentations from experts of each field, it is supplemented by keynote speeches from AM users on top of their field as well as panel discussions on the economic opportunities of AM following the different crisis that have shaken the world.
That being said, keynote speakers are often the ones that attract people the most at a tradeshow and for this 2023 edition, the organizers of Rapid.Tech3D have truly gathered a line-up of forward thinking experts on top of their field of activity.
Who are these keynote speakers?
9 May: Keynotes from Ferrari and Diehl Defence
David Abate, chief technologies and infrastructures officer at Ferrari S.p.A., and Franco Pinna, head of innovation and advanced technologies at Ferrari S.p.A
Ferrari has often been quite secretive about its use of AM. A few applications have often been shared here and there but without too much details of the challenges the teams face. Rapid.Tech 3D will kick the event off with a presentation of the Ferrari managers who will provide an in-depth view of the use of AM for their sports and racing cars.
Diehl Defence to highlight Air Force experience with additive manufacturing | May 09th
With the war between Russia and Ukraine, the defence industry has a lot to think about – Experts of this field currently explores the development, production and application of state-of-the-art defence systems that could better protect their country. That’s where AM comes into play.
Diehl Defence combines the Diehl Group’s activities in defence and security. Acknowledged for the development and commercialization of guided missiles and ammunition for armies, air forces and navies, the company also provides advanced system solutions for ground-based air defence.
At Rapid.Tech 3D, Anja Rupprecht and Markus Bähr will illustrate how AM is adopted across all divisions (Defence, Aviation, Controls, Metal and Metering) and in the entire value creation process – from research and development to series production.
“We use additive processes to produce prototypes quickly, for example, or to manufacture production aids, thus making processes more efficient. For this purpose, we use methods such as FDM, SLA or LPBF. The three Diehl Defence sites in Germany all operate autonomously and we can thus be very flexible. We also cultivate intensive discussion between our plants and divisions about AM projects, components and general procedures and issues. This is one way of structuring the many different requirements in a meaningful way,” explains Anja Rupprecht.
The reproducible production of high-quality series components will be a key area of focus of their presentation.
10 May: Keynotes from Rinspeed and Shell
Automotive designer Frank M. Rinderknecht on visionary mobility and concepts | May 10th
In the 1977 special agent thriller The Spy Who Loved Me, James Bond, played by Roger Moore, dived beneath the water in a sleek vehicle. While this feat could only be depicted through animation at the time, Frank M. Rinderknecht made it a reality some three decades later. In 2008, he presented the sQuba, the world’s first submersible car that moved like a fish in water and was also emission-free.
Visionary mobility and sustainability concepts have been Rinderknecht’s motivation and the focus of his work for over four decades. Together with his team at Rinspeed AG and numerous partners, the Swiss inventor and designer transforms forward-looking ideas into concept vehicles, some of which are spectacular. Innovative digital and additive technologies have played an essential role in this. ‘Especially for us as prototype builders, it’s hard to imagine life without 3D printing,’ says the automotive visionary.
On 10 May 2023, his talk will look at the question: New mobility: Does form follow function? Among other things, he will discuss the impact that changes in mobility are having on the function and design of vehicles. ‘The electrification of driving is already well under way. The game changer is automated driving. This won’t happen today or tomorrow, but it will bring about a much greater change than the switch from combustion engine to electric motor,’ says the expert.
‘3D printing for catalysts at Shell: Future or fiction?’ with Shell’s Jurjen Meeuwissen
If you’re a regular reader of 3D ADEPT Media, you are probably familiar with the different ways energy company Shell adopts AM technologies. It’s been a decade that the company is using AM, reaping the benefits of the technology with their digital inventory of spare parts, among other things and highlighting challenges they still need to address. Compared to leak-tight parts for instance, 3D printing of catalysts poses even greater challenges, as it involves the production of porous structures. Jurjen Meeuwissen will discuss this challenge in Erfurt.
11 May: Keynote from the Ariane Group
Back in Erfurt for another Rapid.Tech event is Dr Steffen Beyer of the Ariane Group. The manager of SprayLab Additive Manufacturing and industrialisation expert at the Ariane Group already spoke about the importance of additive manufacturing for future aerospace propulsion systems back in 2019. In this year’s keynote on the closing day of Rapid.Tech 3D, Dr Beyer will highlight the progress that has been made so far and talk about the use of Direct Energy Deposition (DED) processes to manufacture combustion chamber components for rocket engines. These reusable engines are to be used to power Europe’s launch vehicles in future.
These keynote speakers are definitely the number one reason we will attend Rapid.Tech 3D. If you’re also interested in meeting any of these speakers, note that there is still time to register for the event.
**Copyrights for the pictures: Diehl, Ariane Group, Ferrari & Rinspeed AG