The 3D printing events you won’t wanna miss in 2023
Like every year the 3dpbm team is preparing for the next season of additive manufacturing by identifying the most important 3D printing-related shows to attend in 2023. The past year saw a big return to in-person shows. Too big, in fact, with some 3D printing events overlapping, as was the case for TCT 3sixty in the UK, MECSPE in Italy, and ADDIT3D in the Basque Countries of Spain all in the same week.
And that’s not even all: sometimes the situation is rendered more complex by the fact that some vertical segment shows are of high interest to the AM industry, as is the case for aerospace or dental industry trade shows. For example, due to a lack of foresight by the organizers of the Space Tech Expo Europe, the show took place exactly in the same week as Formnext, drawing many visitors away and requiring some companies that are significantly invested in the space industry to double their organizational efforts.
In order to help industry operators (including ourselves) plan ahead, we’ve identified and included in our calendar a series of internationally (and sometimes nationally) relevant 3D printing events (or 3D printing intensive vertical events) that companies should plan to attend or exhibit at. The schedule is thick so buckle up.
PS. The calendar is updated regularly throughout the year as dates are confirmed and new shows are announced. So don’t forget to subscribe to our automatic event update services (at the bottom right of the calendar page).
January
For every technological industry in the world, the year always starts at CES. 3D printing is no different. The huge Las Vegas show has a dedicated area dedicated to 3D printing and focuses on both consumer 3D printers and high-tech consumer products made with 3D printing.
January is also about Vicenza Oro, which is a highly specialized trade show for the jewelry industry in the heart of Italy’s first 3D printing district of Vicenza. At the main venue, you will find the latest in luxury jewelry and watches while T.Gold is where you’ll find jewelry manufacturing technology, including a wide variety of 3D printers. The amount of 3D printing at T.Gold has not increased dramatically over the past few years but this industry was among the very first to heavily use AM for indirect jewelry production and it is now looking to directly 3D printed precious metals. It’s a fascinating segment that has helped the industry get its footing so it’s a great place to start the year.
CES
When: January
Where: Las Vegas
Type: Consumer electronics industry trade show and exhibit
Vicenza Oro T-Gold
When: January 20-24
Where: Vicenza, Italy
Type: Jewelry industry trade show
February
Among all consumer product segments (and even some non-consumer segments), eyewear is the one that has seen the greatest adoption of AM and still has the highest potential. So MIDO in Milan, one of the largest eyewear industry shows will be a good place to see how far AM has come as of early 2023.
After that, it will be time to dig deeper into AM on the US side of the Atlantic. First, with AMS, a growing conference focusing on the business side of AM that will see many US-based AM industries thought and business leaders speak on a variety of key topics. Immediately after that, down in Nashville, Tennessee, Dassault Systemes is holding the 2023 edition of its 3DEXPERIENCE event (formerly SolidWorks World) which is increasingly focusing on additive manufacturing.
Back in Milan, Italy, the MICAM event is the leading trade show for the footwear industry, another major and growing AM adopter for prototypes, molds, lasts, tools and even some direct production of insoles, midsoles and uppers. Not to be missed.
MIDO Eyewear
When: February 4-6
Where: Milano, Italy
Type: Eyewear Industry trade show
AMS – Additive Manufacturing Strategies
When: February 7-9
Where: New York City, NY, USA
Type: Additive manufacturing conference
3DEXPERIENCE World
When: February 12-15
Where: Nashville, TN, USA
Type: 3D software conference
MICAM Milano
When: February 19-22
Where: Milano, Italy
Type: Footwear industry trade show
March
March again jumps between the EU and the US. First with IDS (International Dental Show), the largest trade show in the world for dental industry professionals. With as many as 89 3D-related exhibitors, here 3D printing is literally huge, so much so that this show is as (or even more) important to many 3D printing companies as the AM-specific trade shows.
When it comes to AM-specific, it doesn’t get more so than AMUG. It’s not a trade show as much as it is a conference for AM industry users and professionals so this is where you’ll see some of the newest and most relevant case studies. Not a major media event but a big moment for the industry nonetheless.
IDS – International Dental Show
When: March 14-18
Where: Cologne, Germany
Type: Dental industry trade show
AMUG
When: March 19-23
Where: Chicago, IL, USA
Type: Additive manufacturing conference
April
April is always one of the most exciting times for AM (and manufacturing in general) in Europe on the axes that run through Germany, France and Italy. The first stop is in Hannover for the Messe (Fair) by the same name which is the largest advanced manufacturing show in the world. As such it always offers many insights on a variety of high-end industrial additive manufacturing technologies. Siemens has a particularly relevant role here as it’s on its home turf.
Shortly thereafter it will be time for the Salone del Mobile in Milano which always come with its fun Milan Design Week framework of events throughout the city. 3D printing has been a main area of exploration for many designers both for furniture (increasingly so, as LFAM technologies become more accessible and advanced) and for product design in general.
LFAM technologies, but also a wide variety of other composite 3D printing technologies, are playing an increasingly relevant role at JEC World, the biggest show in the world for the composites manufacturing industry. The show continues to grow as these two exciting horizontal industrial segments converge to advance manufacturing in aerospace, maritime, automotive and more.
Hannover Messe
When: April 17-21
Where: Hannover, Germany
Type: Machine tool industry trade show
Salone del Mobile – Milano Design Week
When: April 18-23
Where: Milano, Italy
Type: Furniture and design industry trade show
JEC World
When: April 25-27
Where: Paris, France
Type: Composites industry trade show
May
During the month of May the focus is once again on the US market as Rapid + TCT, the largest additive manufacturing industry trade show in North America is set to take place in Chicago. Similarly to what happened with Formnext in November 2022 in Germany, the show is taking place at the same exact time at Space Tech Expo USA, which will force many industry operators to double their effort in order to exhibit or attend both shows.
Another interesting appointment to mark for May is the 3D-DAY fair in Tel Aviv, Israel, one of the world’s main hubs for 3D printing technology. The Israeli knowledge base has enabled AM technologies to be developed that are now at the heart of industry leaders such as Stratasys (Objet) and HP (Scitex and Indigo).
Rapid + TCT
When: May 2-4
Where: Chicago, IL, USA
Type: Additive manufacturing industry trade show
Space Tech Expo USA
When: May 2-4
Where: Long Beach California
Type: Space industry exhibit
3D-DAY
When: May 15-17
Where: Tel Aviv, Israel
Type: Additive manufacturing industry trade fair
June
EMEA again will become the heart of the AM industry during the month of June. This time, the hosting countries are going to be Spain, England and France. The tour begins in Bilbao, in the Basque Countries of Spain, where ADDIT3D takes place within the framework of the +INDUSTRY series of events, at the BEC venue. This is becoming a key appointment for international operators.
Immediately afterward, it’s time for TCT 3sixty, one of the longest-running additive manufacturing-specific trade shows. The show has lost some of its international appeal in recent years but it remains a reference for the UK market.
ADDIT3D
When: June 6-8
Where: Bilbao, Spain
Type: Additive manufacturing industry trade show
TCT 3sixty
When: June 7-8
Where: Birmingham, UK
Type: Additive manufacturing industry trade show
Paris Air Show
When: June 19-25
Where: Paris, France
Type: Aerospace industry trade show
July
Summer holidays! Time to take a well-deserved break.
August
So far, August is still a slow month with only one interesting conference to highlight, set to take place in London.
3DPrinting2023 London
When: August 28-30
Where: London, UK
Type: 3D printing conference
September
The business year starts up again in September. First with a new edition of Formnext Tokyo which is gradually growing into a full-size conference that can rival with the most established Manufacturing World series of events and become a reference for AM in the Far East.
The next appointment, SILMO Paris, focuses again on the eyewear industry, where the newest collections of eyewear – including various 3D printed eyewear brands – are going to be presented. The show focuses on the future of the sector by rolling high value-added content to support all professionals in developing their business, and professional events, on a local and international scale.
Formnext Forum Tokyo
When: September 27-28
Where: Tokyo, Japan
Type: Additive manufacturing conference and exhibit
SILMO Paris
When: September 29 – October 2
Where: Paris, France
Type: Eyewear industry trade show
October
October is the most intense month of the year for AM shows. It starts with a relatively quiet conference on AM in Amsterdam, one of the hearts of 3D printing, and continues with a strong focus on AM at Manufacturing World Osaka, all the way in Japan.
Back to Europe, 3D Print Exhibition Paris is coming back in a new bi-annual format set to take place in a larger location. It will likely be followed shortly thereafter (dates have not yet been confirmed) by BIMU, a large international tooling industry show in Milan that has built up a larger focus on AM through the PiùAdditive initiative.
October (dates have not been announced yet) is also usually the time for AMTC in Munich – the heart of AM in Germany. This is the most important and relevant C-level conference in the world of additive manufacturing, organized by Oerlikon and the Bavarian AM Cluster of companies.
8th European Congress on 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing
When: October 2-3
Where: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Type: Additive manufacturing conference
Manufacturing World Osaka
When: October 4-6
Where: Osaka, Japan
Type: Manufacturing industry trade show
3D Print Exhibition Paris
When: October 11-12
Where: Paris, France
Type: Additive manufacturing industry trade show
BIMU/PiùAdditive
When: TBC
Where: Milano, Italy
Type: Machine tool and additive manufacturing industry trade show
AMTC 2023
When: TBC
Where: Munich, Germany
Type: Additive manufacturing conference
November
November will be entirely dedicated to Formnext, the biggest and most important additive manufacturing industry trade show in the world. This is where the year ends, and all the newest, recently released products are shown, and where it starts again as the newest products are presented and plans are made for the coming year. The good news is that this year the show will not take place at the same time as Space Tech Expo Europe, which will take place shortly thereafter, enabling anyone to easily attend both events.
Formnext
When: November 7-10
Where: Frankfurt, Germany
Type: Additive manufacturing industry trade show
Space Tech Expo Europe
When: November 14-16
Where: Bremen, Germany
Type: Space industry trade show and exhibit
December
Winter holidays. Time to take a final break and get ready for another intense year in AM.
