16th International Wohlers Conference looks at the truth behind the Additive Manufacturing supply chain
November 4, 2014
The 16th Annual International Wohlers Conference is scheduled to take place during Euromold, Frankfurt, Germany, on November 27, 2014. The popular event will this year include a focus on the Additive Manufacturing supply chain.
Peter Sander, Vice President and Manager,
Emerging Technologies & Concepts Airbus
Operations GmbH, will present a keynote at
the conference
It is claimed that the current Additive Manufacturing (AM) supply chain is not as evolved as it may seem, being underdeveloped and in some cases almost non-existent. The conference organisers state that this immaturity could present opportunities, as well as major challenges for companies hoping to adopt AM for series production.
Another serious consideration, stated the organisers, is post-processing, such as the removal of support material and heat treatment which requires special processes and expertise, and can be time-consuming and labour-intensive. Companies are also questioning whether the necessary design tools and designers are available to drive the use of AM for production applications. It is claimed that without fresh thinking, better software tools, and the use of automation to reduce labour, companies may find it difficult to justify the use AM for series production.
The event will highlight how individuals and organisations around the world will be impacted by the quickly evolving Additive Manufacturing and 3D printing supply chain. Presentations include:
Keynote: Opportunities and Challenges for Future Industrial Production
Peter Sander, Vice President and Manager, Emerging Technologies & Concepts Airbus Operations GmbH Hamburg, Germany
The Impact of Recent Developments in AM
Terry Wohlers, Principal Consultant and President Wohlers Associates, Inc., USA
Implications of AM on the Supply Chain and Vice Versa
Dr Olaf Rehme, Project Manager for Additive Manufacturing Corporate Technology, Research & Technology Center, Siemens AG, Germany
HP’s Digitization Journey in Print Manufacturing: Lessons for 3D Printing
J Scott Schiller, Worldwide Director, HP 3D Printing Graphics Solutions Business, Hewlett-Packard Company, Spain
The Industrialization of Metal Powders
John E Barnes, Director of High Performance Metal Technologies CSIRO, Australia
Current AM Production and Near Term Evolution
Paolo Gennaro, Additive Manufacturing Sales Director AvioAero, Italy
The AM Supply Chain in China
Dr Xiaoshu Xu, CEO and Technical Director Hunan Farsoon High-tech Co., Ltd, China
Printing the Future of Optics
Richard van de Vrie, President and CEO LUXeXceL Group, Netherlands
The Realities of Direct Metal Printing
Dr Ing Jonas Van Vaerenbergh, Operations Manager, Direct Metal Printing 3D Systems – LayerWise, Belgium
Business-to-Consumer Supply Chains in 3D Printing
Tim Caffrey, Senior Consultant Wohlers Associates, Inc.,USA
