by Industrial Print Magazine Staff
Billed as North America’s largest and most influential additive manufacturing (AM) event, RAPID + TCT is back at McCormick Place – West Building in Chicago, IL from May 2 to 4, 2023. Presented by SME and the owner of the TCT Group—Rapid News Publications—it combines both a conference and exhibit hall to bring attendees to the next level of their business.
Above: JEOL USA, booth 4441, showcases its EBM powder bed fusion machine.
The conference is held over eight tracks—automative, aerospace, defense, consumer goods, healthcare, wider industrial, research and development, and AM ecosystem. Over 160 AM experts are scheduled to present across all of the themes.
In the Exhibit Hall
More than 350 companies plan to exhibit the latest three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies and applications. Here we’ve included some of what can be seen at the show.
3DCeram, booth 4859, is a turnkey provider for 3D printing technical ceramics with stereolithography (SLA). 3DCeram recently launched the C1000 FLEXMATIC, with a print size of 320x320x200 millimeters (mm). The C1000 Flexmatic offers one or two laser options for industrial print speeds. A removable tank allows semi-automated post-processing of printed parts and thus continuous production for large series. The machine is user friendly and UL compliant. INFO# 210
3DEO, booth 5429, announces its newest material, pure copper. Developed for use in 3DEO’s Intelligent Layering technology, the new material features excellent thermal and electrical conductivity suitable for a variety of applications and industries. 3DEO will have copper components on display, as well as parts from its library of materials including 17-4PH and 316L stainless steel. INFO# 211
6K Additive, booth 1812, produces premium metal powders for AM made from sustainable sources. The manufacturing process is environmentally friendly and allows for the production of powders that are truly spherical, void of porosity and satellites, with better flowability than competing technologies. 6K Additive’s UniMelt microwave plasma process leverages sustainable sources as feedstock such as certified millings from CNC, grindings, used additive powder, or even the support material used in AM. At the booth learn more about premium powder offerings including Nickel 718, Nickel 625, Titanium 64, SS316L, Copper 18150, and GRCop. Also on display are new refractory powders that include Tungsten, Rhenium, and Tungsten-Rhenium. INFO# 212
B9Creations, booth 2259, unveils its largest format 3D printer, the B9 Core 6 Series MPro and shows live 3D printing demonstrations. With a build volume of 192x108x304 mm, B9Creations’ Core 6 Series MPro is ideal for customers who need an expanded design space without sacrificing the ultra-high resolution and accuracy B9Creations’ platforms are known for. The MPro offers effective resolution finer than 40µm and produces parts that are within ±50µm from CAD file to 3D printed part with real-time correction of error. INFO# 213
EOS North America, booth 4612, showcases its EOS P110 Fine Detail Resolution polymer system, the AMCM M 290-2 industrial metal 3D printer, and new and innovative applications leveraging advanced AM solutions. INFO# 214
HP, booth 4618, exhibits its commercial Jet Fusion and Metal Jet 3D printing solutions, the HP Jet Fusion 5420W and the HP Metal Jet S100 Solution. Exciting advancements to the systems are showcased, as well as a new strategic partnership with Endeavor 3D, an AM service bureau, who will be maximizing the printing capabilities at its facility with HP technology. INFO# 215
Impossible Objects, booth 4024, invites attendees to learn about composite-based AM (CBAM) and the latest material developments and recent customer success stories. Meet its expert team and learn more about the CBAM 3D printer, which is onsite and ready for showcase. INFO# 216
Ingersoll Machine Tools, booth 1720, highlights its MasterPrint Robotic, is the robotic version of the company’s family of AM equipment, which provides companies with the ability to seamlessly program, simulate, 3D print, and mill large composite parts in a single piece. INFO# 217
JEOL USA, booth 4441, showcases its electron beam melting (EBM) powder bed fusion machine and displays a variety of metal parts that the 3D printer has built, highlighting the aerospace, medical, and energy fields with samples from Ti64, nickel alloy 718, and pure copper. JEOL invites attendees to explore the capabilities of this dynamic system. The new JAM-5200EBM EBM powder bed fusion 3D printer improves productivity, quality, and reliability to produce stronger and lighter parts for AM. INFO# 218
Lubrizol 3D Printing Solutions, booth 5438, features an extensive material portfolio including the ESTANE 3D TPU range, which can be used in powder bed fusion or fused filament fabrication 3D printers. ESTANE 3D is a versatile elastomer with exceptional abrasion resistance, high elasticity, and excellent flexibility over a wide temperature range. A new grade ESTANE 3D M88A is available under a selective availability program. This soft and flexible polymer is exclusively designed and certified for HP’s Jet Fusion 5200 series, offering a friendly unpacking process, ability to dye parts for bright colors, and ideal for complex lattice design. INFO# 219
Mantle, booth 1528, encourages attendees to stop by its booth to see the future of injection mold tooling. Mantle’s innovative metal 3D printing technology is designed specifically for printing injection mold tooling, delivering the tolerances, surface finish, and material properties required for precision tooling. Molders, tool shops, and OEMs use the technology to simplify tooling creation, reducing lead times and costs by as much as 70 percent. Mantle showcases its innovative TrueShape printing technology and case studies with a number of partners. INFO# 220
Materialise, booth 4830, launches its new version of Magics, a powerful data and build preparation software for AM. The new release includes the full integration with the CO-AM Software Platform, which allows users to trace work with CO-AM and automate workflow through the dedicated automation module. With the new Machine Manager integration, AM users maintain control of build files, ensuring machine connectivity on their factory floor and scaling up their AM operations. INFO# 221
MELD Manufacturing, booth 4641, showcases its line up of 3D metal printers utilized for large-scale parts. Everyone is invited to attend presentations featuring the machines along with information about the company’s no-melt technology for printing metal. Video is displayed throughout the booth spotlighting each of the machines and showing the MELD open atmosphere technology. Schedule a private meeting with a MELD expert in its in-booth conference room during the show. MELD’s newest machine, 3PO, is its first to offer hybrid capabilities. It features MELD’s additive technology with an integrated subtractive capability. It accommodates a build volume of 157.5×106.0x39.4 inches. K2 is designed for production and repair of large parts and boasts a build volume of 82.7×43.3×39.4 inches. L3 offers a generous workspace while having a smaller footprint. It features a build volume of 45x23x23 inches. INFO# 222
Meteor Inkjet Ltd., booth 3956, is an independent supplier of electronics, software, tools, and services for industrial inkjet. Expanding 3D printing beyond prototyping and into the manufacturing space, inkjet technology enables two of the most flexible AM processes, binder jetting and materials deposition. In Chicago, Meteor shows its full range of solutions for 3D and AM print systems including drive electronics for all major industrial inkjet printheads; ready-to-use digital front ends that integrate with commercially available 3D build tools; software development kits allowing custom printers to be built from the ground up; and a complete suite of tools and services to support the design and optimization of print systems. INFO# 223
Photocentric, booth 1715, showcases production parts from its print farm, photopolymer resins, and LCD-based 3D printers. Visitors can admire large format prints with optimized topology printed with LC Titan, with a build volume of 27.6×15.6×47.2 inches. Also on display, proprietary resins including 50 percent plant-based range and Photocentric’s 3D printers; large format LC Magna and Opensource LC Opus. Photocentric and BASF Forward AM collaborate to create and validate a line of resins for both Photocentric and third-party printers. Photocentric showcases scalable technology to make mass manufacture of affordable components a reality. INFO# 224
Prima Additive, booth 1615, exhibits its specialized metal AM systems, equipped with powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition technology. Among the peculiarities of this brand is the presence in its product portfolio of systems equipped with green and blue lasers, particularly performing when it comes to working with highly reflective materials. Furthermore, the open configuration of the systems makes them suitable for process and new materials research purposes. At the booth it is possible to see one of the 150 series machines, a consolidated product already sold in dozens of units in Europe, equipped with powder bed fusion technology and a work area six inches in diameter by 6.3 inches in height. INFO# 225
Rapidia, 4243, manufactures equipment to bring high-speed metal 3D printing to anyone, anywhere. Rapidia’s AM platform is powered by Metal Paste Deposition, a powder-free metal 3D printing process that can scale from lab-based rapid prototyping into an affordable small-scale production solution. Rapidia showcases its Conflux 1 metal printing solution. By using Metal Paste Deposition, Conflux 1 makes production of complex metal parts faster, easier, more affordable, and safe. The complete system, consisting of a paste printer and vacuum sintering furnace, eliminates the debinding step, and supports removal to produce functional parts in under 24 hours. INFO# 226
Roboze, booth 2438, exhibits one of the most industrialized 3D printing solutions in the world for the production of non-metallic parts for regulated industries—ARGO 500. ARGO 500 is an AM solution developed by Roboze that shifts the focus of 3D printing from simple prototyping to the production of finished parts with production standards comparable to traditional methods. The high know-how of the team in materials science and mechatronics has resulted in a repeatable and therefore scalable system, for the production of components with super-materials such as PEEK, Carbon PEEK, ULTEM AM9085F, and Carbon PA PRO. INFO# 227
Stratasys, booth 5012, is leading the global shift to AM with innovative 3D printing solutions for industries such as aerospace, automotive, consumer products, and healthcare. Through smart, connected 3D printers, polymer materials, a software ecosystem, and parts on demand, Stratasys solutions deliver competitive advantages at every stage in the product value chain. The booth features a variety of 3D printers and printed parts showcasing five different technologies—fused deposition modeling, PolyJet, SAF, P3, and SLA. Visitors see real-world examples of how customers use Stratasys technologies to bring agility to manufacturing and supply chains, transform product design, and improve patient care. INFO# 228
TRUMPF, booth 4218, introduces the TruPrint 1000, a productive and compact entry-level system for additive processing of metal powders using the laser metal fusion process also known as powder bed fusion. Thanks to improved gas flow, the new TruPrint 1000 ensures high productivity and quality and is easy to operate, which shortens production time. A new multiplate function makes the TruPrint 1000 even better suited for series production. Due to its robustness and quality in 3D printing, the TruPrint 1000 is ideal for manufacturing dental prostheses or medical technology, but is also impressive in research and development or small series production.
TRUMPF’s booth also highlights the TruPrint 5000, a highly productive, semi-automatic laser metal fusion machine that meets the highest industrial 3D printing requirements. Combined with external part and powder management and monitoring solutions, the TruPrint 5000 is ideal for industrial AM. INFO# 229
Xact Metal, booth 4836, exhibits the XM200G, a dual-laser powder bed fusion metal 3D printer. This system is compact, high performing, and easily configurable to the user’s needs with options of 100W, 200W, or 400W of power usage. Able to print an array of materials—from steels to alloys—the XM200G can span industries, from industrial tooling to dentistry and remain a low-cost option. Visit the Xact Metal team at to see it for yourself and learn more about the XM300G, the next generation of XM machines coming later this year. INFO# 230
Register Today
A visit to Chicago this Spring will bring you up to date on the newest 3D printing technologies and applications. Visit rapid3devent.com today and register.
Apr2023, Industrial Print Magazine
