Munich Technology Conference on Additive Manufacturing prepares for 3rd edition, will focus on AM industrialization
MTC3 is taking place in Munich on October 8–10, featuring speakers from industry, academia and government
Additive manufacturing has the potential to reach true industrial scale. Propelling it toward that goal are innovations in materials, hardware and software, but holding it back are regulatory and technical challenges yet to be overcome. These innovations and challenges will be the focus of the third annual Munich Technology Conference on Additive Manufacturing, MTC3, taking place October 8–10 at the Technical University of Munich in Germany.
First held in 2017 (and expanded in 2018), the MTC invites experts from industry, academia and government to discuss the industrial future of AM, considering its current and future possibilities and the obstacles preventing its widespread implementation.
Introduced by Swiss industry group Oerlikon, global players from industry, academia and consulting jointly host this year’s conference. The seven partners are, besides Oerlikon, the Technical University of Munich (TUM), GE Additive, LINDE, McKinsey, Siemens and TÜV SÜD. These seven world-renowned companies and institutions are joining forces to accelerate the adoption of AM and shape the future of manufacturing in the Industry 4.0 paradigm. Their engagement at MTC3 further underpins their strong belief in the potential of AM.
Widening the scope
Past events have seen enthusiastic participation from several industry leaders, scientists, engineers, equipment manufacturers, educators and government officials, who are united by the goal of understanding the challenges facing the industry and identifying, through close collaboration and sharing of resources, real solutions in areas such as process data analysis and workflow optimization.
This third edition will persevere with similar themes while zooming in on specific pertinent topics such as the evolution of digital factories, metal powder innovation and new post-processing technologies. Detailed information on the MTC3 program is available for download here.
“Additive manufacturing has the potential of starting a new industrial revolution,” says TUM SVP Prof. Thomas Hofmann, who will open MTC3 on October 8. “Existing production processes across many manufacturing industries will give way to high-precision technologies using innovative materials and digital 3D processes for the design of geometrically complex, load and function optimized components. However, the industrial implementation of these changes requires an integrated collaboration of leading partners from industry, academia and public institutions. This is the only way to overcome technological and regulatory obstacles.”
Big questions for AM
Throughout the event, around 40 expert speakers will attempt to assess the current status and achievements of AM industrialization. This collaborative analysis — a forward-thinking approach that demonstrates the participants’ unity in seeking increased AM adoption — will work to identify the industries that are faster adopting AM than others and the lessons that can be learned from their specific cases. These success stories can provide the basis for accelerating the industrialization of AM.
Keynote speakers will include Oerlikon CEO Dr. Roland Fischer, who has been an instrumental promoter of collaboration among leading players in the AM industry, as well as representatives from the other six MTC3 partners. They include Pierre Forêt, Senior Expert AM, LINDE, providing expertise on inert gas atmospheres and Dr. Karsten Heuser, VP AM, Siemens Digital Industries, who is driving and coordinating many of the AM activities at Siemens. Prof. Dr. Thomas Hofmann, TUM SVP will bring academic know-how and Gregor Reischle, Head of Additive Manufacturing TÜV SÜD, Product Service GmbH will provide key insights on certification procedures and standards. The very rich line up also includes more high profile speakers such as Dr. Christoph Schmitz, Senior Partner, McKinsey; Dr. Chris Schuppe, GE Additive General Manager – Engineering; Holger Lindner, CEO Product Service, TÜV SÜD; Dr. Jan Michael Mrosik, Siemens COO Division Digital Industries; and Todd Skare, CTO, LINDE. The full list of participating speakers can be found in the event’s Program.
MTC3 x 3
The three-day event, which expects to welcome around 1,000 industry professionals, will run distinct activities on each day.
Day 1, on October 8, will consist of a pre-conference networking evening during which AM startups are invited to pitch their ideas to corporations, who in turn can connect with up-and-coming industry innovators.
Day 2, on October 9, is the first day of the conference proper and will feature a wide array of expert speakers. The day will comprise eight moderated discussions on the following topics:
- Collaboration: The solution to industrialization
- Driving industries: Focus aviation
- Digital manufacturing: Becoming part of the digital factory
- AM materials: The power of powder
- Hardware: Faster, bigger, smarter?
- Post-processing: Innovations in printed parts treatment
- Norms, standards & quality management: Getting a common framework
- Startups: Fresh ideas
Day 3, on October 10, will offer a series of eight interactive workshops organized by the seven MTC3 partners. The workshops will discuss issues and obstacles in the AM industry and participants will collaborate on potential solutions.
MTC3 takes place October 8–10 at the Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany. Registration for the event is currently open, with a small number of tickets still available.
This article was created in partnership with Oerlikon
