(Erfurt, 17 June 2021)
The countdown has begun: in just a few days, the 17th Rapid.Tech 3D conference will get under way. Germany’s longest-standing additive manufacturing (AM) conference will welcome visitors for a virtual exchange of information and ideas on 22 and 23 June 2021. “In these extremely challenging times, we need anchor points that enable us to keep up to date with the latest developments and talk to each other. We worked with our Advisory Board and other dedicated partners to develop a digital format for Rapid.Tech 3D, and visitors will be able to enjoy a triad of conference live stream, virtual exhibition and online networking,” explains Michael Kynast, CEO of Messe Erfurt.
Online conference at the heart of the Rapid.Tech 3D digital event
The digital event will focus on the application of AM solutions and the overarching theme of sustainability. The specialist conference, which will remain the heart of the virtual event, will consider this central theme from a variety of perspectives. Over the course of 40 talks, users and providers of additive technologies will present examples of industrial 3D printing in different sectors and technologies. Keynote addresses by experts from Daimler Buses, the BDLI (German Aerospace Industries Association) and Liebherr-Aerospace will showcase how AM is paving the way for climate-neutral mobility. Both conference days will open with a keynote address, and day two of the conference will also close with a keynote address. Day one will conclude with a discussion between representatives of BASF, Heraeus and SPEE3D on the topic of AM and sustainability, and nine trade forums will take a closer look at the challenges of the issue and potential approaches. Sessions on Automotive & Mobility; News from AM; Tool, Model and Mould Making; and the Fraunhofer Competence Field for Additive Manufacturing are scheduled for 22 June. On 23 June, AM developments and applications will be discussed in forums dealing with Software, Processes & Design; Medical, Dental & Orthopaedic Technology; AM in Construction Engineering & Architecture; and Aviation. In addition, an insight into the additive manufacturing of the future will be provided on both days by researchers and developers in the AM Science forum.
Virtual showcase
The Rapid.Tech 3D virtual exhibition area will enable visitors to find out about current developments and innovations in tools, production technologies, software, processes and process design for additive manufacturing, with over 20 companies and research institutes presenting their products and services. Virtual exhibitors will include 3D-printed tools specialist AM Polymers as well as leading technology partners and service providers such as Additive Innovation, Antonius Köster, CT Core Technology, Dassault, Farsoon, HP, Stratasys, toolcraft, Solukon and Zeiss. Additive Tectonics, a pioneer of AM in architecture and construction, will present examples of how industrial 3D printing can make construction more efficient and give it greater individuality. And the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and Ernst Abbe University of Applied Sciences in Jena will present their research portfolio along with the latest developments in 3D printing.
Networking with digital business cards and chat roulette
The Messe Erfurt team have come up with a whole host of creative ideas to enable visitors to compare notes, exchange ideas and make contacts directly. Every guest will be assigned a digital business card, for instance, which they can fill out with their personal details and areas of interest, and which will give them access to the networking area. It will also provide every participant with specific suggestions for potential contacts. In addition, the networking area will allow participants to view all speakers, exhibitors and guests and contact them via text chat, video call or message. A calendar function enables appointments to be booked with potential contacts. One special feature of the networking area is the “chat roulette” function. Guests who activate this function will be able to connect with other users in rotating video calls, similar to speed-dating, and use the allocated time for discussion and building new contacts.
Partnership for real-time digital experience
Jena-based company rooom AG will play a key role in ensuring the success of the digital event, with the Rapid.Tech 3D specialist conference and accompanying exhibition being broadcast online thanks to a partnership with the marketing tech start-up. rooom AG provides all-round 2D, 3D, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) solutions, and this practical solution is enabling the event to go ahead, even in the context of the pandemic. The company has won multiple awards for its unrivalled start-up idea and for individual flagship projects, including at the German Innovation Awards 2019 and the Thuringia Innovation Awards 2020.
Website: www.rooom.com