DETROIT, April 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RAPID + TCT 2025, North America’s premier additive manufacturing (AM) and industrial 3D-printing event coproduced by SME and Rapid News Publications Ltd., will take place April 8-10 at Huntington Place in Detroit. The event marks the return of the highly anticipated Executive Perspectives Keynote Series, expanded this year to bring together more than 25 top global industry executives to share insights into the latest trends and opportunities in AM.

“The Executive Perspectives Keynote Series is back by popular demand, uniting some of the brightest minds in AM to address the technology’s most pressing topics,” said Steve Prahalis, chief operating officer of SME. “Its return underscores the value these discussions provided at last year’s event in Los Angeles. RAPID + TCT 2025’s panels have evolved to represent a more diverse range of expertise, including OEMs and end users, each offering unique points of view.”

Now in its second year, the Series will feature 90-minute discussions each morning, along with additional sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, including:

Additive Manufacturing Impact: View from the C-Suite — Tuesday morning’s session brings together executives from some of the biggest companies in AM to discuss the current industry landscape, key challenges and emerging opportunities, as well as to explore how AM continues to transform industrial production. The panel will also discuss supply chain resilience and the impact of cutting-edge technologies like AI, automation and sustainable materials on operations. Panelists include:

• Yoav Zeif, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, Stratasys
• Brigitte de Vet-Veithen, Chief Executive Officer, Materialise
• Nick Graham, Chief Revenue Officer, Formlabs
• Glynn Fletcher, President, EOS
• Moderated by: Todd Grimm, President, T.A. Grimm and Associates
  

Real-World Applications using Additive Manufacturing — Tuesday afternoon specifically focuses only on end users from high-performance industries — motorsports, defense, medical and automotive — that are leveraging AM to drive innovation. Panelists will share firsthand insights on how AM is transforming their product development, optimizing performance and enhancing supply chain efficiency in these demanding sectors. Panelists include:

• Tamas Havar, PhD, Principal Engineer, Gulfstream
• Jonathan Dankenbring, Manager, Prototype Manufacturing, Rivian
• Jonathan Morris, MD, Executive Medical Director Immersive and Experiential Learning; Medical Director Anatomic Modeling Unit; Medical Director Biomedical and Scientific Visualization; and Neuroradiologist, Mayo Clinic
• Kory Drake, Design Engineer, Arrow McLaren Indy Car
• Moderated by: Joris Peels, Executive Editor, 3DPrint.com
  

Printing for Patients: How 3D Printing is Shaping the Future of Healthcare — Wednesday morning will focus on the state of AM in healthcare and how it is revolutionizing medical devices, improving patient outcomes and driving revolutionary developments like using patient-specific implants and regulatory considerations. In a unique discussion format, two OEMs will take the stage with their customers. Panelists include:

• Jeffrey Graves, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer, 3D Systems
• Patrick Treacy, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Onkos Surgical
• Nick Enstock, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, AddUp
• John Davidson, President, ACUITY
• Moderated by: Laura Griffiths, Head of Content, The TCT Group
  

Geopolitical Insights and Their Impact on Additive Manufacturing — The Wednesday afternoon session is a discussion on increasingly relevant issues in the global manufacturing industry. This panel will investigate topics like tariffs, international actors, investments, mergers and acquisitions, reshoring and national security. Panelists include:

• Terry Wohlers, Dr. h.c., FSME, Distinguished Fellow of Advanced Manufacturing, Wohlers Associates, Powered by ASTM International
• Shannon VanDeren, Owner/President, Layered Manufacturing and Consulting, and 2025 President, AMUG (Additive Manufacturing Users Group)
• John Wilczynski, Executive Director, America Makes
• Mark Burnham, JD, Director of Policy, Additive Manufacturing Coalition
• Moderated by: Steve Plumb, Editor-in-Chief, SME Media
  

The State of Additive Manufacturing — Thursday’s panel will set the stage for next year in AM with a dynamic conversation exploring key trends driving manufacturing’s transformation along with the ever-evolving role of AM in industrial production, supply chain resilience and the influence of advanced manufacturing technologies like AI, automation and sustainable materials. Panelists include:

• Rajeev Kulkarni, Chief Strategy Offer, Axtra3D
• Jeff DeGrange, FSME, Chief Commercial Officer, Impossible Objects
• Alex Moñino, Senior Vice President and General Manager, HP
• Nils Niemeyer, General Manager, DMG MORI Additive Solutions for North America
• Moderated by: Todd Grimm, President, T.A. Grimm and Associates
  

RAPID + TCT 2025 features several other unique offerings for attendees, including an AM Service Providers Pavilion, underscoring companies that provide access to industrial-grade technologies, highly specialized materials and the kind of engineering support that can turn a prototype into a production-ready component.

RAPID + TCT 2025 will take place alongside SME’s AeroDef Manufacturing, SAE’s World Congress Experience (WCX) and America Makes’ Technical Review & Exchange (TRX), bringing together four world-class manufacturing events under one roof. This colocation provides attendees with access to over 600 manufacturers, showcasing numerous developments in advanced manufacturing technologies.

Visit rapid3devent.com to learn more about the advancements taking place at RAPID + TCT 2025 and register for the event. Stay up to date on all things AM by following us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

About RAPID + TCT 2025
For 35 years, SME and RAPID have defined the crucial role of additive manufacturing and empowered the establishment of an industry that continues to conceive, test, improve and manufacture new products at a faster, more cost-efficient pace. In 2017, the two industry leaders in 3D-technology events, SME and The TCT Group, partnered to produce the annual RAPID + TCT event. For users and suppliers alike, the event is the premier destination for those who provide technology and those who need to understand, explore and adopt 3D printing, additive manufacturing, 3D scanning, CAD/CAE metrology and inspection technologies.

About Rapid News Publications Ltd & The TCT Group
Rapid News Publications Ltd, the owner of the TCT Group, has been a leading authority in additive manufacturing, 3D printing, design, and engineering technology for more than 30 years. A rich mix of live events and an all-encompassing media portfolio enables TCT to deliver business-critical intelligence, connecting the additive community across Europe, North America, and Asia. The TCT Group is owned by Rapid News Publications Ltd (rapidnews.com) a member of the AEO (Association of Event Organizers) and BPA Worldwide.

About SME
Established in 1932 as a nonprofit organization, SME represents the entire North American manufacturing industry, including manufacturers, academia, professionals, students, and the communities in which they operate. We believe manufacturing holds the key to economic growth and prosperity, and champions the industry's potential as a diverse, thriving, and valued ecosystem. SME accelerates new technology adoption and builds North America’s talent and capabilities to advance manufacturing and drive competitiveness, resiliency, and national security. SME designs new ways to understand and solve problems, and our solutions advance the next wave of growth in manufacturing. Learn more at SME.org.

CONTACT: Kate Winter
248-840-5654
kwinter@identitypr.com