In the 1977 special agent thriller The Spy Who Loved Me, James Bond, played by Roger Moore, dived beneath the water in a sleek vehicle. While this feat could only be depicted through animation at the time, Frank M. Rinderknecht made it a reality some three decades later. In 2008 he presented the sQuba, the world’s first submersible car that moved like a fish in water and was also emission-free.

Visionary mobility and sustainability concepts have been Rinderknecht’s motivation and the focus of his work for over four decades. Together with his team at Rinspeed AG and numerous partners, the Swiss inventor and designer transforms forward-looking ideas into concept vehicles, some of which are spectacular. Innovative digital and additive technologies have played an essential role in this. ‘Especially for us as prototype builders, it’s hard to imagine life without 3D printing,’ says the automotive visionary.

He will discuss the challenges he associates with the much-cited mobility revolution in Erfurt: the Rapid.Tech 3D team has invited Rinderknecht to give the keynote address at the prestigious specialist conference. On 10 May 2023, his talk will look at the question: New mobility: Does form follow function? Among other things, he will discuss the impact that changes in mobility are having on the function and design of vehicles. ‘The electrification of driving is already well under way. The game changer is automated driving. This won’t happen today or tomorrow, but it will bring about a much greater change than the switch from combustion engine to electric motor,’ says the expert.

Recent Rinspeed projects point to where this journey might take us. Their aim is to make urban mobility efficient and sustainable at the same time, for example via modular vehicle concepts that increasingly provide automated, emission-free solutions for both passenger transport and delivery services. Enabling new ways of thinking and initiating change are essential goals that Rinderknecht is pursuing with his work. ‘Sometimes we find it difficult to break away from today’s standards. But we need to look beyond the end of our noses. I hope that I can inspire people to do this,’ he says, referring not least to his keynote in Erfurt.

In addition to Rinderknecht, other well-known speakers, including from the international automotive and aviation industries, are expected at the Rapid.Tech 3D specialist conference. The three-day programme from 9 to 11 May 2023 will also offer insights into the latest AM applications and developments in industry and science, for example in the forums Mobility, Medicine, Aviation, Design, Software & Processes, Innovations in AM and Science. AM topics from the areas of chemistry/plant engineering/production technology, as well as post-processing and quality assurance, will be discussed in dedicated trade forums for the first time.

For those attending the specialist conference, it’s worth ordering tickets early. Early bird rates still apply until 28 February 2023.

Find out more at: www.rapidtech-3d.com/specialist-congress/tickets/

The conference and exhibitor areas of Rapid.Tech 3D 2023 will focus on India’s 3D printing expertise, among other things. A wide range of preparations are currently under way for Indo-German meetings and a joint Indian stand in Erfurt.

By mid-February 2023, more than 60 companies and research institutions had already registered as exhibitors, including companies from Poland, France, Israel and Canada.

The interactive floor plan showing which areas are still available can be found at https://www.rapidtech-3d.com/exhibitors/interactive-floor-plan/.

Information on special show areas such as the Additive Area or the Start-up Area is available at https://www.rapidtech-3d.com/exhibitors/registration-prices/.

Over 2,500 trade visitors from 18 countries flocked to Rapid.Tech 3D 2022 in Erfurt. They learned about new products and services in additive manufacturing from 97 exhibitors from eleven countries, including the US, the United Kingdom, Austria and Switzerland. Visitors were delighted with the conference programme, which featured ground-breaking keynote addresses and trade forums offering in-depth presentations. Delegate numbers were higher in comparison to the last in-person conference in 2019.

Further information: www.rapidtech-3d.com