The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) has announced that online registration is now available for its 2018 Education & Training Conference, which will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, at the historic St. Louis Union Station from April 8 – 12, 2018.
The users group conference, now in its 30th year, is open to owners and operators of industrial additive manufacturing (3D printing) technologies used for professional purposes.
AMUG brings together engineers, designers, technicians, supervisors, plant managers and educators from around the world to share expertise, best practices, challenges, and application developments in additive manufacturing. Unique among additive manufacturing (AM) events, the AMUG Conference is differentiated by the openness of attendees and their willingness to share. Paul DeWys, owner of Forerunner 3D, stated: “AMUG has the single best ROI of any conference I’ve ever attended. By the end of the first day, it had already paid for itself. The conference was phenomenal.”
“It is my pleasure and honour to lead AMUG in the milestone year of its 30th anniversary. Way back in 1987, our organisation hosted its first conference,” Paul Bates, AMUG president, said. “It was a small gathering of early adopters of rapid prototyping, which we now call additive manufacturing. Over the past 30 years, the technology has become mainstream, the options have expanded and the applications have progressed beyond simple models. More individuals are doing more with the technology, often in surprising ways. It is the mission of AMUG to help our members understand how they can do more with the available AM technologies.”
The AMUG Conference will include technical sessions and hands-on workshops designed to help users get more from, and do more with, their systems. Through its Innovators Award, Technical Competition and Awards Banquet, excellence in applying additive manufacturing and contributions to the industry will be recognised. The five-day event also includes the two-night AMUGexpo, networking receptions and catered meals.
The conference agenda is expected to contain over 200 presentations and hands-on workshops. One highlight will be the fourth annual Innovators Showcase. The showcase is an on-stage interview, which has the feel of a fireside chat, where attendees get to know an innovator in the industry and discover insights from that individual’s experiences. For 2018, the special guest will be TCT Hall of Famer, Wilfried Vancraen, founder and CEO of Materialise, who has built a well-regarded AM software and services company.
Bates added: "I encourage everyone to register as soon as possible. We have made every effort to have spots for all that wish to attend, but the growing interest in additive manufacturing and growing respect for AMUG may lead to a repeat from the 2017 conference – a sell-out with no standing-room-only options. We are expecting yet another record-breaking year, which could push attendance beyond capacity.”
The advanced, all-inclusive conference registration fee is $895.00. For details and a link to registration, visit http://www.amug.com. Companies interested in participating as exhibitors or sponsors may also use the online registration process. Representatives of the financial market and media should contact AMUG directly for more information.