RAPID 2013 Announces Keynote Speakers

As the importance of additive manufacturing (AM) continues to grow, the nature of AM conferences changes. In place of a mainly industry insider feel to the events, more and more professionals interested in discovering what AM can offer for their business will attend to meet AM industry leaders and see AM first-hand. You won’t find a greater concentration of AM in North America than at RAPID.

I was privileged to attend RAPID 2012, and you can find highlights of my coverage here. The annual conference hosted by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers draws attendees from around the world. Along with the impressive exhibitor hall, the main draw to RAPID is the speakers that come to share their knowledge of AM, and to discuss breakthroughs in the technology.

This year’s keynote speakers at RAPID 2013 include Dr. Ivan Poupyrev, Director of Interaction Group, Disney Research, Pittsburgh; Edward Morris, Director, National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute; and Terry Wohlers, President, Wohlers Associates. Dr. Sarah Blank, Acting Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce has also been invited to speak at RAPID.

Dr. Poupyrev’s keynote is titled “Fusing Interaction and Physical World,” and will discuss the future of interactivity in manufacturing, including, “advances in materials and new manufacturing techniques.” Edward Morris will deliver a keynote titled “The Future of Additive Manufacturing and Introduction to NAMII,” which will, unsurprisingly, focus on the recently founded NAMII institute in Youngstown, OH.

Terry Wohlers, the final keynote speaker of RAPID 2013, will address the state of the industry, delving into multiple aspects of AM, including the newest systems, trends, and what the future might hold in store for AM. For more information on Wohlers, you can find Rapid Ready’s interview with him here.

RAPID 2013 will be held June 10-13 in Pittsburgh, PA at the David L. Lawrence convention center.

Below you’ll find a video about RAPID 2012 highlighting the experiences of attendees.

Source: RAPID 2013