In just its third year, formnext powered by tct is poised to set a remarkable record in drawing 471 exhibitors from 33 countries – an increase of 53% compared to 2016 (307). Scheduled to take place in Frankfurt am Main from 14-17 November, the 2017 edition will span two levels of halls for the first time. It will also raise the bar once again in terms of its international character, the global market leaders set to attend, and the sheer amount of innovations from various areas all along the process chain. On top of all this, formnext will provide even more value through a multifaceted and innovative lineup of supporting events.
The exhibition space is also set to expand by more than 50 percent – from 18,700 to around 28,000 square meters. “This impressive growth underscores formnext’s status as the leading international conference and exhibition for additive manufacturing and the next generation of intelligent production solutions,” states Sascha F. Wenzler, Vice President for formnext at event organizer Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH.
An extraordinary international presence
True to its billing as an international exhibition and conference on the next generation of manufacturing technologies, formnext boasts an impressive international attendance rate of around 51.5%, with companies participating from 33 countries. Leading this year’s list of nations are China (13.2% of the international exhibitors), the United States (10.7%), France (8.6%), Great Britain (7.4%), South Korea and the Netherlands (7.0% each), Spain and Italy (5.8% each), Poland (4.9%) and Austria (4.5% each).
Featuring the global elite of additive manufacturing
In 2017, formnext will once again present the global elite of additive manufacturing, including 3D Systems, Additive Industries, Arburg, Arcam, BigRep, Concept Laser, Dassault, Envisiontec, EOS, Formlabs, FIT, HP, Keyence, Materialise, O.R. Laser, Prodways, Renishaw, Ricoh, Sisma, SLM Solutions, Stratasys, Trumpf, Voxeljet, XJet, and, for the first time this year, Desktop Metal. In another first, GE Additive’s family of AM technologies will be assembled under the same roof. An array of highly innovative young AM companies from all across the world will be showing off their latest developments, as well. Visitors to formnext will be treated to numerous world and European premieres, as well as technology-driven product developments.
An even stronger process chain
“We’re proud of the fact that we’ve been able to expand into more specialized fields along the process chain,” says Sascha Wenzler. formnext will also be showcasing some of the world’s most sophisticated technology in various other industry sectors. Featuring global innovation leaders like BASF, Böhler Edelstahl, Heraeus, Höganäs, Linde, LPW, Sandvik, and Airbus subsidiary APWorks, the lineup in materials will be even stronger than it was last year.
From the mechanical engineering industry, first-rate representatives from the likes of DMG-Mori/Sauer, Hage, Hermle, Matsuura, and Sodick will be in attendance to present (among other things) their latest developments in hybrid machines. Finally, formnext will be expanding further in measurement technology and post-processing (Faro, Joke, Nikon, Wenzel, Werth Messtechnik, and more), as well as in software, with Additive Works, Altair, Dassault Systèmes, IKOffice, MachineWorks, Sigma Labs, and others scheduled to appear.
A cutting-edge program of supporting events
As of 2017, the VDMA’s Working Group Additive Manufacturing (AG AM) will be supporting formnext’s ongoing development as the event’s new conceptual sponsor. AG AM will also be in attendance this year to show off more than 30 examples of its members’ best practices in the use case area ready4industry. In addition, the group plans to show mechanical engineering companies the right ways to get started with and use additive manufacturing technology in a forum entitled “AM: Additive Value for Industry” (14 November, 3:15 p.m.).
In the Start-up Challenge, promising young companies will be recognized and have their chance to exhibit at formnext in an area bearing the same name. The purmundus challenge, meanwhile, will present accolades to companies for enriching our lives with their creative developments in 3D printing with the theme “Fusion – Intelligent Combinations in 3D Printing”. These competitions, along with the young German entrepreneurs set to exhibit in an area sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), will enable visitors to experience the real hotbed of ideas at formnext.
Also featured at formnext 2017 is the am4u platform, which will combine career opportunities, networks, and the chance to make new contacts in the additive manufacturing industry. It will offer a wide range of prospects to both companies and professionals new to AM, as well as to experts and executives interested in this exciting sector. The diverse agenda includes an international cooperation exchange, a career day (16 November), and numerous ways to obtain information.
Finally, the new, two-hour seminar series discover3Dprinting will be geared toward midsize companies that are looking to get started in additive manufacturing. It will be held from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on each day of the exhibition in cooperation with the Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing (ACAM). Plans are in place to continue the series in 2018, as well.
Two stages in parallel at formnext conference
Following the huge success of previous years, the formnext powered by tct conference will present the future of additive manufacturing for the first time on two stages in parallel on all four days of the event. A total of 54 presentations from leading global experts in the additive industries will feature applications, developments, and findings from international industrial firms and research institutes, including Airbus, Deutsche Bahn, Honeywell, Premium Aerotec, and Volkswagen. It’s safe to say that the formnext conference will once again serve as an international think tank capable of providing attendees with extraordinary added value in 2017.
