Formnext Connect set to bring AM community together online
November 5, 2020
Formnext Connect, which takes the place of the physical Formnext trade show and exhibition this year due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, is set to bring the AM community together digitally on November 10–12, 2020. The event organisers, Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH, have highlighted the “outstanding lineup of content” expected during the online event.
“We’ve had a great deal of success with our concept of showcasing real industrial applications all along the process chain,” stated Sascha F Wenzler, vice president for Formnext at Mesago Messe Frankfurt. “We’re now going to take Formnext into the virtual realm with an extensive main stage programme and a variety of individual sessions.”
With this effort in mind, Formnext has built a new studio in Frankfurt, Germany, from which it will broadcast an exclusive programme exploring the current and future challenges in industrial Additive Manufacturing across the three days of the event.
On the main stage, some of the biggest names in AM will take part in panel discussions on the technology’s potential uses in key sectors such as mechanical engineering, aerospace, medical technology and the automotive industry. Participants will include senior representatives from Airbus, AMT, Audi, Continental, KSB, MAG Medical, Ottobock, Schaeffler, Siemens, and VW.
In addition, Formnext Connect will feature topic-specific sessions, expert talks, roundtable events, and more. A variety of international subsidiaries and brand events of Formnext will present their portfolios, and partner organisations such as ACAM, BE-AM, the VDMA Working Group Additive Manufacturing and the VDWF will also be on hand to share their knowledge.
On November 10, participants will have the opportunity to learn about the innovative business ideas submitted to the Formnext Start-up Challenge. In addition, a virtual showcase will take place for the purmundus challenge, with this year’s finalists presented before the winners are announced on November 11.
This year’s TCT Conference @ Formnext Connect will be accessible without an additional ticket as part of the exhibition’s supporting programme. The conference session on November 11 has been scheduled to reflect timezones across the American continent, and the November 12 session will begin early enough to accommodate participants from the Asia-Pacific region.
November 10 – Hear from executives, the aerospace industry and sustainability experts
Formnext Connect will kick off on November 10 with a panel of executives from EOS, ACAM, Siemens, VW, and AM Ventures, who will discuss various aspects of Additive Manufacturing. Conversations on sustainability (with Fraunhofer IPT, Dyemansion, and the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland) and mechanical engineering (Met-L-Flo, VDMA, BASF, KSB, and the Association for Manufacturing Technology) will follow throughout the day.
In the afternoon (CET), representatives from Relativity Space, the Airbus group, and the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences will explore the topic of AM in the aerospace industry. Between these sessions, Formnext Connect participants will be able to obtain information on key markets such as China, Japan, Russia, and the United States, or learn more about the winners of the 2020 Start-up Challenge at the Pitchnext event.
November 11 – Use cases from diverse industries and AM Standards Forum
On November 11, the programme includes a discussion of how Additive Manufacturing can be used in the automotive industry, with representatives from Continental Engineering Service and Audi. Additionally, the User Case Area will highlight specific applications from the field of mechanical engineering, and experts from Ottobock and the MGA Medical network will explore the opportunities AM presents in medical technology.
The BE-AM Symposium (construction and architecture) and the AM Standards Forum (norms and standards) will also take place on November 11. The AM Standards Forum is organised in cooperation with the US Commercial Service.
China: Formnext’s 2020 partner country
The programme on November 12 will centre on China and the broader AM market in the Asia-Pacific region, with global industry experts discussing current developments and opportunities. Further content on Additive Manufacturing as it pertains to tool- and mould-making will conclude the day’s programme, with VDWF presenting on specific solutions and important trends.
Discover3Dprinting seminars
On all three days of Formnext Connect, Discover3Dprinting seminars will be held for participants who are just getting started in industrial AM. The Additive Manufacturing Working Group (VDMA) will also demonstrate real applications and corresponding expertise on the topic ‘AM for Industry – From Manual Work to Industrial Production’ throughout the three-day event.
The Formnext Connect schedule is available to view in full via the event website. The live programme of Formnext Connect will end at 2:00PM on November 12, but its matchmaking and text-based chat functions will continue to be available, along with on-demand content from the event. until December 31, 2020.
Registration for Formnext Connect is free; tickets are available here.
