APRIL 2025
President’s Report
Oh, my goodness! Where to start? In writing for this newsletter, I’m usually thinking of the things I want you to know about the upcoming conference or what we are working on. This time, I think I will share about what’s working on me!
First, I’m so full. Yes, with food/drinks. But more importantly, with gratitude, awe, humility, adoration, joy, and blessings. This family is something that cannot be replaced, and yet it just keeps growing! The connectedness of this group at AMUG (volunteers, sponsors, members, media, operations, contractors) cannot be rivaled by another.
Shannon VanDeren
President
To all that contribute to the effectiveness of this conference, THANK YOU! Contractors (largely in Red Oak)…you build the scene, you create ease for us to gather, and you ensure we are met with success upon arrival. Sponsors/exhibitors… you create the playground of education in our expo area, you create the scene where members and co-sponsors can learn more about your offering and understand how to implement, and even refer, your services to our fellow AM colleagues. Members…you ARE the reason for AMUG! You are the WHY. Volunteers, you are the HOW.
Second, I shared some intentional focused meetings at AMUG. I did that to gain direct feedback from some of the above-mentioned contributors. The comments and questions are stirring in me, working on me. The time you take to make me a better leader and AMUG a relevant and collaborative entity are absolutely not lost on me. I’m churning these conversations and will be discussing these with the board as we begin planning AMUG 2026.
Third, being in front of you on the stage is good. Being next to you is the BEST! Thank you for your inclusion in conversations, and thank you for your words of affirmation as well as your words of suggestions for change or consideration. I hear you. And I want to keep hearing you!
Fourth, awards at AMUG are special. Watching the recipients of this year’s DINOs make their way to the stage to accept the award and then the flood of joy from the AM family who knows them is so endearing. Watching one celebrate another is so tender. This year, I felt inspired to offer the President’s Award. This is not offered every year; in fact, our first was given in 2000, and this year was only the twelfth President Award given by AMUG. This decision is literally the ONLY one the President of AMUG gets to make independently (and completely unknown to the AMUG Board). Jason Lopes has continued to serve, champion, and adore AMUG for years. He is a fan-favorite on the stage by way of his career. He is just as tremendous off the stage, encouraging users, inspiring users-to-be, sharing his trials and triumphs, and roaring about the impact of AMUG. Why does this work on me? I am reminded that the tasks to create the conference are so much more than my to-do list… they are a journey to developing joy, creativity, camaraderie, friendship, and workplace success!
Fifth, if you know me…you know I hate goodbyes. And with each AMUG, the closing on Thursday evening doesn’t just bring the exhale of relief. It brings the sharp inhale of excitement as we start immediately thinking about what next year will bring and how we can continue to grow and represent the body of users well.
Friends and family of AMUG, thank you again for sharing your time, energy, and input with us in Chicago! I hope we will share time together in Reno next year. I hope you will share your experience and encourage other colleagues to join us (that is the BEST compliment ever). I hope you will stay in touch with us. You are the reason we GET TO build this conference year after year. You are appreciated!
With sincerity,
Shannon VanDeren
President
President@amug.com
Jason Lopes Receives President’s Award
For only the 12th time in AMUG’s history, Shannon VanDeren, president, presented the President’s Award, which recognizes exemplary vision, leadership, and tireless years of service for the advancement of the users group.
Jason Lopes (Gentle Giant Studios) received this esteemed award at AMUG 2025.
Before announcing Jason as the award recipient, Shannon cited a lengthy list of contributions, actions, motivations, and traits that make him deserving of this prestigious honor. She summed it up by saying, “It’s time to recognize Jason as the human, the contributor, the teammate, the teacher, and the student.”
Congratulations, Jason!
Jason Lopes, 2025 President’s Award honoree.
DINOs Awarded to Six AMUG Members
At the 2025 AMUG Conference, six deserving individuals received the coveted AMUG DINO (Distinguished INnovator Operator) Award.
In recognition of tenure, years of service, contributions, and eagerness to help others, the DINOs were presented to:
- Amy Alexander, Mayo Clinic
- Dan Braley, Boeing Global Services
- Patrick Gannon, Ricoh USA, Inc.
- Ryan Kircher, rms Company
- Dallas Martin, Toyota
- Brennon White, General Motors
In the 28-year history of the DINO Awards (and 38 years of AMUG), this recognition has been presented to just 197 AMUG Members.
Congratulations to our newest AMUG DINOs!
2025 DINO Award recipients (from left): Patrick Gannon, Brennon White, Dallas Martin, Amy Alexander, Ryan Kircher, and Dan Braley.
Members Elect Four to Serve on Board
The results of the 2025 elections for AMUG Board positions are in. At AMUG 2025, members elected the following individuals to serve on the board for two years, starting July 2025.
- Secretary: Heather Natal, GoEngineer
- Director, Education & Conference: Alex Roschli, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Director, Marketing & Events: Kim Killoran, Stratasys
- Director, Sponsors & Exhibitors: Dallas Martin, Toyota
The balance of the 9-member board—those with one year remaining in their terms and those that are appointed—consists of:
- President: Shannon VanDeren, Layered Manufacturing & Consulting
- Treasurer: Robin Van Bragt, Eagle Plastics Plus LLC
- Vice President: Tim Bell, Sciath aiM Forge Inc
- Director at Large: Bruce LeMaster, Obsidian Solutions Group, LLC
- Director, Membership: Claire Belson Barnes, Markforged
2025 – 2026 AMUG Board (from left): Front – Heather Natal and Kim Killoran; Middle – Bruce LeMaster, Shannon VanDeren, and Claire Belson Barnes; Back – Tim Bell, Robin Van Bragt, Alex Roschli, and Dallas Martin.
Technical Competition Winners Announced
On the closing day of AMUG 2025, Bonnie Meyer and Corey Wardrop, co-chairs of the Technical Competition Committee, revealed the winners of the 2025 Technical Competition.
For Advanced Concepts, the entry by Evan Butler-Jones (Equispheres) titled “Apply AM for Integrated Passive Cooling in an e-Motor Housing” received the first-place award. This project was a collaborative effort with Martinrea International for efficient thermal management of e-motors.
For Advanced Finishing, Ryan Watkins (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory) took the top spot with his “Mars Sample Return Crush Lattices” entry. Earlier in the week, Ryan’s keynote presentation provided technical insights into the research and development efforts for the project that relied on the crushable lattice structures.
By a vote of those at AMUG 2025, the Members’ Choice award went to Luke Hileman (Ricoh 3D for Healthcare) for his entry “Neonatal Thoracentesis Trainer.” The Technical Competition judging panel also recognized Luke’s work with a second-place award in Advanced Concepts.
(Left) Evan Butler-Jones (Equispheres) and Steve Geddes (Martinrea), Advanced Concepts winners.
Ryan Watkins (NASA JPL), Advanced Finishing winner.
Luke Hileman (Ricoh 3D for Healthcare), Members’ Choice winner.
AMUGderby Results
The results are in for the second annual AMUGderby.
Fifty-two racers competed during AMUG 2025’s Wednesday-evening Special Event & Dinner. With race fans packed around the track and shouting their support, each car completed four races, and average times were computed to determine the winners.
In the Standard Class, Brent Griffith (Labconco) won with his “Black Mamba,” which had an average time of 3.128 seconds.
Robbie Highet (Mayo Clinic) came out on top in the Open Class with a 3.110 average time for his “Out of Time” car.
The award for best design went to Luke Hileman (Ricoh 3D for Healthcare). “Mini Me” was a creative mix of a crouching, cartoonish body with a 3D-scan-derived representation of Luke’s head.
Cub Scout Pack 3865 of Chicago was instrumental in making the AMUGderby work. It supplied the track with electronic timing, ran the races—including registration, pre-race inspection, and race calling—and made the selection for best design. The pack’s onsite team included Matt Johnson, Ed Doran, Ben Roxworthy, and Rob Kordas.
Congratulations to our AMUGderby winners, and thanks to Pack 3865.
AMUGderby winners (from top): Luke Hileman, Brent Griffith, and Robbie Highet.
Join the Team: Volunteer for an AMUG Committee
The application process for AMUG Committee Members is now open via the volunteer form! Eligible applicants must be AMUG Members in good standing and have attended the 2025 AMUG Conference. The committee terms last one year, starting in July 2025 and ending in June 2026. Please note that if you are currently on a committee and wish to remain on the committee for the next term, you must fill out the form. Committee terms do not automatically roll over.
While filling out the volunteer form, applicants can choose up to three committees of interest. There is also a section to include a short bio, where you can include skills and details that could set you apart from others. This extra information is always appreciated when there are many applicants to review.
For a listing of committees and brief descriptions of their functions, visit the committees page.
The volunteer form will be open until June 1, 2025. Contact volunteer@amug.com for any questions.
Expo Committee volunteers gearing up for a day of setup.
SPONSOR NEWS
GoEngineergoengineer.com
GoEngineer is Named Official North American Reseller of Bright Laser Technologies (BLT)
GoEngineer is thrilled to announce our partnership with Bright Laser Technologies (BLT), a global innovator in metal additive manufacturing, as the official North American distribution and service provider of BLT’s portfolio of advanced 3D printing solutions.
For the first time, customers throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico can locally access BLT’s turnkey laser powder bed (LPBF) solutions—including printers, post-processing equipment, and powders. The BLT printer lineup offers more than a dozen distinct build sizes, ranging from 4 × 4 × 7.5 inches (105 × 105 × 200 mm) to 60 × 60 × 47 inches (1500 × 1500 × 1200 mm). Systems can be configured with anywhere from a single laser to as many as 26—providing the multi-laser productivity that is a cornerstone of BLT’s approach to scaling metal additive manufacturing—and supports over 80 metal alloys across the entire product family.
SMEsme.org
Mark Your Calendars for RAPID + TCT 2026 in Boston
Thank you to everyone who attended RAPID + TCT 2025 in Detroit last week and/or stopped by our booth at AMUG 2025 in Chicago. We look forward to seeing you next year in Boston!
Please mark the dates and location (below) on your calendars:
- April 14-16, 2026
- Boston Convention & Exhibition Center
You can also follow the 2026 event’s progress by visiting RAPID + TCT’s website, where we’ll be sharing our call for speakers, Executive Perspectives lineup, event features, registration access, and more!
RAPID + TCT 2026: Boston, April 14-16.
Stratasysstratasys.com
New Solutions from Stratasys
Stratasys continues to lead the global shift to AM with innovative solutions. Here’s a look at some of our recent announcements:
Neo®800+ Large-Format Printer: Delivering up to 50% faster throughput while expanding SLA capabilities for innovative, high-value applications, such as wind tunnel testing and tooling.
Automated Fixture Design: An exclusive software agreement between Stratasys and trinkle 3D that integrates fixturemate™ into GrabCAD Print™ Pro, enabling manufacturers without CAD expertise to design and configure custom 3D-printed fixtures.
PolyJet ToughONE™: An advanced material featuring enhanced impact resistance and flexibility that allow for drillable, millable, and self-tapping features.
FDM® and P3™ DLP material announcements:
- VICTREX AM™ 200 for FDM, a high-performance PEEK-based material offering excellent mechanical strength, heat resistance, and chemical durability for applications such as aerospace brackets and industrial tooling.
- PC-ESD material for FDM, a polycarbonate blend with electrostatic discharge (ESD) properties, designed for static-sensitive applications in electronics assembly and production environments.
- ESD photopolymer for P3, Loctite 3D IND3380™ ESD, delivering electrostatic-discharge-safe properties for parts used in automotive tooling, industrial machinery, and aerospace components.
Contact us to learn more!
Stratasys announced the launch of the new Neo800+ stereolithography printer at RAPID + TCT 2025.
MEDIA SPONSOR NEWS
VoxelMattersvoxelmatters.com
Cheer Up, the Metal AM Market as a Whole is Doing Ok
Despite some negative sentiment in recent months, the recently released VoxelMatters report, Metal AM Market 2025, found that the metal AM segment grew in 2024, primarily driven by hardware and material sales. While some of the largest public companies faced challenges—experiencing slower growth or even contraction—others, such as Nikon SLM Solutions, saw significant expansion. Simultaneously, many SMEs reported steady or growing businesses, further contributing to the industry’s overall positive trajectory.
In a relatively small industry like metal AM, mere growth may not always suffice, and any slowdown in growth rates can be perceived as a crisis. Even 25% industry revenue growth may not (and often does not) result in significant overall profit margins for most operators. However, this should not divert our focus from the bigger picture: growth in AM continues to outpace any other industrial manufacturing segment, with new players and technologies continuously expanding the market.
See the full article here or purchase the full market report here.
Growth in metal AM market shown in new report.
3DPrint.com3dprint.com
RAPID + TCT 2025: Spring in the Paris of the Midwest
RAPID + TCT is a well-organized keystone in the annual AM calendar. With the U.S. government people unable to travel, this year’s show was noticeably smaller than usual. But, amidst a roller-coaster stock market and depression-era tariffs, the mood was upbeat.
People were selling real products to the 3D printing industry, from Oryx post processing equipment and sustainable 6K and Continuum powders to the Addiblast finishing machines and Solukon depowdering units. People were generally sincere and down-to-earth.
Probably the two most talked about stands were Advanced Printed Electronic Solutions (APES) and Manifest, the latter of which showcased its Parallax Volumetric Additive Manufacturing (P-VAM) kit. You could lease or buy the kit and partner with them to help determine their roadmap. The APES stand featured a vision of multiple gantries, with multiple toolheads, in multiple positions, with maglev build platforms that can switch between them in roundabout ways.
The main takeaway is that we are perhaps much less popular now but more of a community than before. But we must make it less difficult for people to make the parts they need with as little cost or risk as possible. Any paths to selling intelligent 3D printed products directly or letting people use scalable services are paths towards sustained growth for us all.
Read our full RAPID review here.
Real solutions on display at RAPID+TCT 2025. (Photo courtesy of Joris Peels)
3D Printing Industry3dprintingindustry.com
AMUG Conference Catch-Up
“AMUG is a must.” That’s how one member summarized their experience in Chicago. If you’re reading this newsletter, you probably don’t need convincing.
However, even if you were also in the all-seasons city for the week, you may not have had time to attend every starred presentation, panel, or workshop. The enviable richness of the conference program is an annual delight, and the inevitable scheduling clashes are a continual source of heartbreak. 3DPI has a (partial) solution with the first (of many) articles from our coverage.
Catch up with insights from this year’s Diamond Sponsors, and when you’re ready, learn more about how Würth Additive Group and Vestas are adopting AM at scale.
The view from the top.
Digital Engineeringdigitalengineering247.com
Design & Simulation Summit: Invitation to Present
Digital Engineering invites you to participate in the fifth annual DE 24/7 Design & Simulation Summit, and the magazine has issued a call for presentations. This one-day virtual event will focus on design, simulation, engineering, and AM.
You can see guidelines for submissions and submit your abstract here.
The deadline is May 30.
Metal AM magazinemetal-am.com
Download the Spring 2025 Issue of Metal AM Magazine
Thanks to all AMUG participants who took a copy of the new Metal AM magazine issue from the AMUG media area. If you decided it was too heavy to carry home, download your free digital edition!
This 188-page issue features all the industry news highlights from the last quarter, plus the following exclusive deep-dive articles:
- Back to the future: A decade of Additive Manufacturing innovation and growth at Materials Solutions
- Win or lose: A CEO’s reflections on Artificial Intelligence and Additive Manufacturing
- AMS 2025 New York: A reality check for the Additive Manufacturing industry
- Optimising powder removal in PBF-LB Additive Manufacturing: A Digital Twin approach
- ValCUN’s MMD: A robust, wire-based aluminium AM technology for defence and industrial applications
- Enhancing quality and reliability in metal Additive Manufacturing: The role of laser calibration
Get your free PDF download here.
Download the Spring edition of Metal AM magazine.
3D Adept3dadept.com
AMUG 2025: One Week to Feel Recharged and Re-Enthused about AM
Amid fireside chats, expert panels, and hands-on workshops, it’s the keynote speeches at AMUG that leave a lasting mark—moments where industry visionaries don’t just inform; they inspire, setting the tone for the entire event and beyond.
The keynote that especially stopped us in our tracks was that of Ryan T. Watkins, PhD, a research engineer who brought to the table a decade of experience gained at NASA JPL. Watkins succeeded in turning a very technical topic into something appealing for those who do not have a technical background, as he discussed DfAM for better spacecraft performance.
Read more on 3D ADEPT Media.
Chicago, where AMUG recharged and re-enthused users.
