Formnext Asia Shenzhen 2026 to spotlight AM for AI liquid cooling

Formnext Asia Shenzhen 2026 will return to the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center from August 26–28 with thermal management for AI infrastructure as one of its featured application areas. As high-density AI server chips push past the limits of conventional air cooling, liquid-cooling components—produced via additive manufacturing to achieve internal channel geometries that machining cannot reliably deliver—are attracting growing interest from both hardware engineers and AM suppliers.

The three-day event will cover the AM production chain for liquid cooling end-to-end, from metal powders through printed components and batch production services, and will be supported by a new forum on AM applications in liquid cooling and heat management. The wider exhibition will span metal and polymer AM systems, materials, software, scanning and post-processing technologies.

Cooling geometry

High-density AI processors generate heat that conventional air cooling cannot reliably dissipate at scale. Liquid cooling addresses this by circulating coolant through internal channels in metal cold plates mounted directly on the chip. The engineering difficulty lies in those channels: straight passages are achievable through standard machining, but curved, branching or form-fitting geometries—designed to follow chip contours and maximize heat transfer—typically require joining multiple metal parts, with every joint a potential leak path in proximity to sensitive and expensive electronics.

AM eliminates the need for joints by producing cold plates and heat exchangers as single printed components, offering considerably more design freedom in routing internal channels. Goldman Sachs projects liquid-cooled AI servers will reach 76 percent market penetration in 2026, up from 15 percent in 2024, while a JPMorgan report cited by Reuters puts the global market for AI server liquid-cooling systems at over $17 billion this year, up from $8.9 billion last year.

Among the AM equipment suppliers confirmed for the event, Addireen, AmPro, BCX Laser, Farsoon Technologies, FastForm3D, Han’s Laser, Southern Additive and UNILASER will present laser PBF systems capable of processing pure copper and copper alloys—materials that offer high thermal conductivity but have historically been difficult to process in metal AM.

Grinm Additive and Zhongyuan Advanced Materials will showcase aluminum and copper powders developed for 3D printed cooling components. HP Additive will demonstrate binder jetting for batch production of copper cooling components, while Uprise 3D will exhibit powder extrusion systems for technical ceramics used in thermal insulation.

Synergies with power electronics

The 2026 edition will run concurrently with PCIM Asia Shenzhen, the regional exhibition and conference for power electronics, intelligent motion, renewable energy and energy management, which is also expanding its focus on AI and data center applications. The co-location places Formnext Asia Shenzhen exhibitors in the same venue as engineers, component suppliers and system integrators working on the power requirements of high-density computing.

The new Thermal Management and Liquid Cooling AM Forum will feature industry experts and exhibitor representatives presenting application cases for 3D printed components in AI server environments. The broader conference program will also cover AM applications in low-altitude aviation and drones, new energy vehicles and robotics.

Other confirmed exhibitors across the wider AM supply chain include Bambu Lab, CNPC Powder, Creality, Graphenova, HBD, Intamsys, Kings 3D, Meshy AI, Raise3D, Southern Additive, Tripo AI, UNILASER, UnionTech and Zhongyuan Advanced Materials, with further announcements expected before the August opening.

Formnext Asia Shenzhen is organized by Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt Co Ltd and is part of the international Formnext event family. The next edition of Formnext in Frankfurt is scheduled for November 17–20, 2026.