AMUG March 2026

President’s Report

Here we are…just days before we all come together at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno! I can’t wait to start seeing your faces. The beginning trickle of people into the hotel for our AMUG week always finds me with such glee. It’s the launch of all the planning. It’s the beginning of another reunion. It’s the opportunity to make new connections.

I’ve been sharing reminders for the last several months. At this point, you’ve likely crossed off your to-do list in preparation for AMUG. This time, I thought I’d highlight a couple of things happening during our week together. Of course, as a registered attendee, you have access to three tools for planning your days: the online planner and the final agenda (both available here), and the mobile app (see your email for information on installing). I find these so helpful in keeping me on track—I can steer myself off course through constant conversation!

Are you aware that we have pre-conference trainings scheduled? These are at our conference, yet offered independently. They are led by independent organizations with a separate fee. That said, you might find them applicable and useful! ASTM is offering a two-day course, “Unlock the Path Toward Navy Contracts” and a complementary two-hour session, “Supplying the Fleet,” and AM Academy is offering a one-day course, “Technology Identification, Suitability and Applications in AM.” You can find the registration for these here.

We’ve set up a pre-conference tour of the University of Nevada, Reno College of Engineering for Sunday.  Registration is required, and transportation will be provided. Access registration here.

Is this your first time attending an AMUG Conference? If so, we are hosting a New Member Welcome at 4:00 pm on Sunday in the Reno Ballroom. Here, you’ll get a rundown of what to expect during the week, and you’ll meet the board members and other long-time contributors to the growth and adoption of AM.

Outside of track sessions, you’ll find some additional learning opportunities. We have hands-on workshops available each day. We also have three training labs hosted by Würth, HP, and GoEngineer. They’ve got some additional teaching/experience features for you—be sure to go into their designated rooms (Carson rooms on the same floor as the AMUGexpo).

As many of you know, we offer a scholarship each year to one student and one educator utilizing AM in education and professional development. You will meet the recipients of this year’s scholarships and learn about their activities on Tuesday morning. A special thanks to Formnext and GreatAmerica for financially sponsoring these scholarships…it is clear they are interested in investing in the future of additive by way of making these scholarships possible.

If you have questions, please contact me at president@amug.com. If you’d like to set up a time to meet in person, I’d love to!

Looking forward to sharing time together.

Shannon VanDeren
President
President@amug.com

From Crops to Concrete: Turning Corn Waste into 3D-Printed Construction Material

The Mexico-based collective Manufactura has developed CORNCRETL, a 3D-printable composite made from agricultural by-products and designed for structural use. Founded in 2022 by Dinorah Schulte, Manufactura connects pre-Hispanic building knowledge with robotic fabrication. CORNCRETL (a portmanteau of “corn” and “concrete”) utilizes nejayote, a calcium-rich wastewater produced during the nixtamalization process practiced for millennia in Mesoamerica.

Rather than being discarded, the liquid becomes a key ingredient in the printable mixture. Because corn remains a daily staple in Mexico, the process generates significant volumes of organic residue, making the material both culturally rooted and locally abundant. By combining this liquid waste with dried corn husks and stalks, the team created a printable binder.

Learn more in the full story here.

Ceramic AM hits $186M: VoxelMatters’ New Market Report Now Available for Pre-sale

Our VoxelMatters Research branch, a global leader in AM market research, is launching a pre-sale for its Ceramic AM Market 2026 report, offering a £500 discount until the official release on March 24, 2026. This new market study provides the most in-depth analysis and forecasts of the ceramic AM market (units and revenues)—including hardware, materials, and services—by end-user segment and geography.

The total ceramic AM market grew to $186.5 million in 2025, up 13.5% year-on-year. For the first time, services nearly matched hardware as the largest segment by revenue, reaching $75.8 million (+22.3% year-on-year) compared to hardware’s $77.6 million (+8.2%) and material’s $33.1 million (+8.1%).

Further information available here.

Pick up Your Free Copies of Our Magazines at AMUG 2026

Metal AM is excited to once again support the Additive Manufacturing Users Group Conference as a media partner.

Head to the Media Sponsors area to find print copies of Metal AM magazine, alongside our sister publications, PIM International and Metal Powder Technology!

Not attending in person? Download the free PDF here.

Continue the Conversation: Additive Manufacturing Advantage 2026

AMUG’s strength has always been the openness of its community and the willingness of practitioners to share lessons learned from real-world deployments.

At 3D Printing Industry, we’re ready for Reno and will once again provide extensive post-event coverage of AMUG Conference presentations, technical discussions, and emerging trends. Our goal is to ensure that the insights shared during the conference reach a wider audience and remain accessible long after the event concludes.

AM I Navigator and Leading Minds Launch AM Alliance at AMS 2026

At the recent Additive Manufacturing Strategies (AMS) 2026 in New York City, AM I Navigator and the Leading Minds consortium announced a new alliance aimed at accelerating the industrial adoption of AM. The news was formally unveiled on February 26 during the event, marking one of the key strategic announcements coming out of this year’s show.

The two AM groups have “joined forces,” as Materialise CEO Brigitte de Vet-Veithen put it during the live announcement, under a newly formed umbrella organization called the Additive Manufacturing Alliance. The goal is to make AM easier to understand, easier to implement, and more widely used in industrial production. de Vet-Veithen was joined onstage by Karsten Heuser, VP Additive Manufacturing for Siemens, for the exciting announcement. The companies are partners in both initiatives.

Read the whole story here.

Aerospace Engineering in Special Focus Issue

The March 2026 Special Focus Issue of Digital Engineering magazine examines new advancements in aerospace engineering, including articles on metal AM, NASA’s AM training programs, news from the Paris Air Show, and 3D-printed war drones.

Download your copy here.

Additive Talks, Season 6, is Just Around the Corner

Save your spot for the first episode on AM Aerospace & Space

The conversations that move the AM industry forward happen when the right people sit at the same table.

Equip Yourself with Exclusive AM Insights and Access

AMUG is built on knowledge exchange, and a TCT Executive Membership means you’ll arrive armed with plenty from our latest Deep Dive reports, exclusive industry analysis, and insider conversations that go beyond the headlines.

Become a member today and benefit from:

• Quarterly print edition of TCT Magazine + instant digital access
• Full access to premium long-form industry analysis
• Monthly Deep Dive reports on the globe’s leading AM economies
• Monthly Members Only Podcast
• Minimum 15% discount on all paid TCT events + VIP Access

And if your next stop after AMUG is RAPID + TCT in Boston, your membership just paid for itself. TCT Executive Membership gets you free expo access, a 20% discount on the full conference pass, and $100 off the Gala – $525 in savings.

Become a founding member here.