World’s leading additive manufacturing event will draw 7,000 industry professionals and executives to Detroit

SME, an association of professionals, educators and students committed to promoting and supporting the manufacturing industry, will host its RAPID + TCT event from May 20-23 at Cobo Center in Detroit.

RAPID + TCT is North America’s preeminent event for discovery, innovation and networking for additive manufacturing, bringing together the best new ideas from the biggest and most innovative names in the industry. With over 125 presentations, eight workshops and three keynote presentations, the event is both a global conference and tradeshow that features more than 375 exhibitors and three networking receptions.

The three keynote presentations from some of the nation’s most creative minds, will include:

• Bill Taylor, Entrepreneur, Author and Co-founder of Fast Company
• Naomi Murray, Ph.D., Director of Advanced Operations and Additive Technology Solutions at Stryker
• Dominik Rietzel, Dr.-Ing., Head of Additive Manufacturing (Non-Metals) at BMW Group

“At SME, we pride ourselves on providing opportunities for industry professionals to connect, learn and advance their businesses. For nearly 30 years, RAPID + TCT has served as a springboard for high-level decisionmakers to invest in technologies driving manufacturing into the future,” said SME CEO and Executive Director Sandra Bouckley. “We are thrilled to welcome 7,000 such leaders from around the world to our home in Detroit.”

With a critical focus on 3D printing, RAPID + TCT is a high-energy experience that puts the capabilities of additive manufacturing technology on display and explores the applications throughout affected industries, including aerospace, automotive, medicine and more. These technologies are challenging the status quo, from best practices throughout the business landscape to public policy.

Each year, hundreds of leading technology and manufacturing companies debut exciting new products and innovations at RAPID + TCT. These exhibits draw many of the world’s most prestigious brands—ranging from Google and Amazon to Nike, Microsoft, NASA, Target and more—to conduct industry research on the ground at the event.

This year, RAPID + TCT returns to its birthplace: Detroit. Not only is the area home to the highest concentration of engineering talent in the U.S., but the city is enjoying huge startup growth and has experienced more than $13 billion in new investments across more than 200 projects since 2006.

For more information on the RAPID + TCT event and the ability to register, please visit https://rapid3devent.com.