by Industrial Print Magazine Staff
At Formnext, more than 800 exhibitors and 38,000 visitors meet from November 17 to 20, 2026 and transform Frankfurt am Main in Germany into the capital of additive manufacturing (AM). With the main focus on innovative uses for three-dimensional (3D) printing, the event looks to expand into educating further into the end-to-end process chain.
Topics of note, whether on the exhibit floor or throughout the seminar rooms, include material diversity, automation, software solutions, post processing, and quality assurance.
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Here we share a preview of what to expect from various vendors exhibiting throughout the multiple halls that make up the educational and informational event.
AltForm, hall 12.0, booth E139, premieres its new modular ZENIT directed energy deposition (DED) cells. Available as the ZENIT L 2×2-meter, one robot; ZENIT XL 4×2-meter, two robots; and ZENIT XXL 4×4-meter, four robots; the cells work on a single large part or on multiple parts simultaneously, and modules can be added after purchase. An inert chamber option enables processing of titanium and aluminum alloys for aerospace and defense applications. The booth also features two laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) systems equipped with AltForm’s new HMI with integrated artificial intelligence assistant—the Print Brilliance 400 420x420x450 millimeter (mm), four laser built for high-throughput production and automation, and the entry-level Print Sharp 200, with open parameters for newcomers and research centers. New software developments are revealed at the show as well.
Axtra3D, hall 12.1, booth B36, unveils multiple technology advancements. Two new solutions are designed to target molding and small detailed casting applications. Software advancements include Volume Professional 1.3, which introduces enhanced capabilities, while Volume Industrial 1.0 debuts new features, including automated support generation and editing, custom lattice generation, and surface texture generation. Each edition delivers specialized tools for different production needs. A new website and Axtra3D Academy gives customers, partners, and resellers direct access to documentation, support scheduling, calibration resources, and real-time telemetry, enabling faster service and simplified maintenance. Building on last year’s Axtra.Workflow launch, Axtra3D introduces new and enhanced series versions of Axtra.Cure and Axtra.Wash, alongside an updated Axtra.Insight tool for part and process validation.
CT CoreTechnologie GmbH, hall 12.1, booth C82, presents 4D_Additive 1.8 SP1, its universal 3D printing software featuring enhanced automation and simulation capabilities. Direct MES integration via the 4dam format automates part loading, orientation, and duplication, potentially reducing manual work by 40 to 60 percent. Integrated simulation visualizes selective laser melting (SLM) part distortion and helps optimize support structures. New cutting tools simplify part segmentation, while temporary stiffeners reduce thermally induced deformation in large, thin-walled components. The Build History Tree records every preparation step and enables parameter adjustments. Powerful, thermally optimized 3D nesting and support for standard CAD formats complete build preparation.
DMG MORI, hall 12.0, booth D139, demonstrates to industry professionals laser metal deposition welding using a powder nozzle on the LASERTEC 65 DED hybrid second generation and the powder bed process on the LASERTEC 30 SLM third generation. Both solutions combine many years of experience in machine tool manufacturing with innovative features for future-oriented approaches to manufacturing. Through reproducibility, precision, and cost effectiveness, they actively contribute to industrialization. As a reliable partner throughout the entire lifecycle, DMG MORI supports the rapid adoption of these technologies and a smooth production ramp up with comprehensive consulting through additive intelligence.
EOS, hall 12.0, booth D71, unveils its newest polymer selective laser sintering system, alongside end-to-end production capabilities and real-world industrial applications. Executives and subject matter experts are available on site for interviews with attending media.
ExOne, hall 12.0, booth F51, puts high-speed sintering (HSS) at the center of its booth and shows how large format polymer 3D printing moves from prototyping into series production. The highlight is the VX1000 HSS. It combines a large build envelope with fast, consistent layer times and an open materials approach. This allows large parts, or high volumes of smaller parts, to be produced economically in a single build. A selection of printed components demonstrates the surface quality, detail resolution, and mechanical performance achievable with PA12 and other polymers. Automotive shows the technology at work—Hyundai’s Namyang research and development center operates two VX1000 HSS systems. Application experts are available in the booth to discuss part qualification and post processing, as well as PA12 On-Demand service for companies that want to start producing without investing in their own HSS system.
GEFERTEC, hall 12.1, booth B101, is exhibiting as part of the Berlin-Brandenburg joint booth. The spotlight is on large-scale metal components produced using wire arc AM (WAAM). These parts demonstrate the capability of GEFERTEC’s manufacturing systems, including the newly launched arc10X, with a modular design for seamless integration into existing manufacturing environments; and the arcTitan, specifically developed for the AM of titanium components. Exhibits at the booth include a 700 kg compressor impeller, a titanium emergency exit frame for aircraft, a tooling mold, and a fish-friendly seawater pump impeller displayed publicly for the first time.
Lithoz, hall 11.0, booth B50, launches CeraFab S65 Performance Pack and premieres new industrial ceramic applications. The Performance Pack is a 4K projection kit doubling light intensity to 120 mW/cm² and lifting resolution by 60 percent—from 40 to 25 µm, making it much more accessible for processing dark ceramics. The S65 Performance Pack performs live demonstrations during the show. Application highlights include 116 aluminium nitride cooling plates printed on a single CeraFab S320 platform, demonstrating linear scalability for ultra-precise thermal management components; novel alumina cooling plates with molybdenum-manganese metallization by Sigma Advanced Materials; a new zirconia color range on luxury watch bezels; hydroxyapatite spinal cages developed with Swiss ADMS pioneer Spherene; casting cores by Access e.V. displayed inside a real turbine blade from a renowned engine manufacturer; and complex lead-free KNN piezo ceramic parts for miniaturized medical sensors and actuators.
Nikon Advanced Manufacturing, hall 12.0, booth D119, offers Formnext attendees an early look at MACHX from its Nikon SLM Solutions unit as manufacturers increasingly turn to AM to scale production of complex, high-performance parts across demanding industries, including aerospace and defense.
Solukon, hall 12.0, booth D58, presents a new depowdering system, the SFM-AT850. Designed for the automated depowdering of complex, large LPBF metal parts, the system combines a compact footprint with a high load capacity of up to 1,000 kg. It accommodates parts measuring up to 650x650x800 mm and features Solukon’s front-top loading concept for safe, flexible crane loading. At the same time, Solukon unveils the SFM-AT850-E version of this machine with ultrasonic excitation, offering gentle and noiseless cleaning. Smart Powder Recuperation (SPR) technology with programmable two-axis rotation and vibration excitation, protective-gas inertization, and compatibility with SPR-Pathfinder enable reliable, reproducible powder removal, even from intricate geometries and internal channels. New machine software features include a flexible portrait display, user access levels, simplified program management, and remote maintenance.
Wayland Additive, hall 12.0, booth B139, showcases Calibur3, featuring the NeuBeam metal AM process, which offers a compelling alternative to laser and traditional eBeam metal AM systems. Calibur3 overcomes the compromises of traditional metal AM systems, enabling applications previously seen as troublesome or impossible and the development of projects with new materials.
Nov2026, Industrial Print Magazine
