AMUG August 2026

By August 20, 2026
 

August 2026

President’s Report

The board just wrapped up its strategic meeting at Harrah’s Atlantic City, and I’m really excited about what’s coming for the 2027 AMUG Conference.

Being at the venue in person, walking through the property, and talking through the plans gave us a chance to really see what we can do with the space. I think Harrah’s is going to be a great place to bring the AMUG community together, and there are a lot of things we’re looking forward to bringing to life.

Dallas Martin
President

We also recently approved the committee chairs’ recommended volunteer lists for 2027 (see the committee members here). AMUG wouldn’t be what it is without the people who volunteer their time, ideas, and energy, and it’s great to see those teams coming together.

Attendee registration opens September 1, and we’re working on a few fun things this year too. We’re launching an exclusive AMUG shirt designed around Atlantic City and our special event theme, available for purchase when you register. Plus, registered attendees who book within our room block will have a chance to win an upgrade from a standard room to a suite.

There’s a lot happening behind the scenes right now, and the excitement is definitely starting to build.

So, mark your calendar for September 1. Get registered, get your hotel room, and join us in Atlantic City for AMUG 2027.

I’m looking forward to seeing everyone there.

Dallas Martin
President
President@amug.com

Registration Set to Open September 1

The 2027 AMUG Conference is heading to the East Coast, in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

As this year’s conference is beginning to take shape, we are excited to continue to bring you incredible networking and learning opportunities along with a few new surprises.

One thing that won’t change is the price!

Packed with fresh industry-focused content, hands-on workshops, and a full week of networking, you’ll leave with new ideas, valuable insights, and a stronger professional network. Start planning with your team now and lock in who’s attending so they can take advantage of early-bird registration pricing.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn, connect, and get inspired alongside the AM community.

The registration portal will open promptly at 9:00 am EDT on Tuesday, September 1, for attendees with early-bird pricing of $1,295 (includes all sessions, activities, and meals). Access the registration portal here.

We look forward to seeing you “Under the Boardwalk” in Atlantic City!

Registration/badge pickup at AMUG 2026.

2027 AMUG Conference Agenda

We have established the daily schedule for the 2027 AMUG Conference and will be slotting in the specifics over the coming months. Our goal was to retain what works and modify individual elements to make the conference even better.

AMUG 2027 will keep the morning experiences members know and value, including Tuesday and Thursday keynotes, Wednesday’s Innovators Showcase, and the dining and networking schedules. At the same time, we’re continuing to fine-tune the conference based on your feedback.

The 2026 category-based fishbowl lunch on Thursday was well received, so we’re expanding the format for 2027. On Tuesday and Thursday, lunch seating will connect attendees by shared interests or industry categories. Wednesday will keep the traditional random-draw fishbowl, creating opportunities to meet people you might not encounter otherwise.

Roundtable discussions were another favorite among members in 2026. Their informal, freeform format encouraged open conversation, practical problem-solving, and peer-to-peer learning. In 2027, AMUG will dedicate a conference space to roundtables throughout the week, giving you even more opportunities to exchange ideas and connect with fellow users.

For the breakout sessions throughout the week, our Track Leader Committee has made some adjustments to tracks for 2027. Please see the Call for Speakers article (below) for the 12 topic buckets in the 2027 agenda.

We plan to publish a preliminary agenda listing speakers and their topics in December. When available, this will be announced in the newsletter.

This round-table session in 2026 morphed into a conversation alley facilitated by Carl Dekker.

The 2027 AMUG Conference Call for Speakers is Now Open

The AM community grows through shared knowledge. If you have practical expertise, innovative applications, or valuable lessons learned from the shop floor or lab, apply to lead a session in our AMUG Technical Tracks at the 2027 AMUG Conference.

Keep it technical; keep it educational—sales pitches will be rejected.

When responding to the call for speakers, please submit an abstract of your presentation, workshop, roundtable, or panel discussion directly to the submission portal.

The tracks for the 2027 programs are:

Leading a workshop is one of four options in our call for speakers. (Pictured: 2026 Foundary in a Box workshop)

  • Aerospace & Defense
  • Automotive & Infrastructure
  • Business & Workforce Development
  • Consumer Products
  • Design & Metrology
  • Education & Standards
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Healthcare & Dental
  • Industrial Technologies
  • Materials & Post Processing
  • Safety & Cybersecurity *NEW*
  • Simulation & AI *NEW*

Submit an abstract. For details on the desired topic focus areas, visit amug.com/tracks-categories.

Questions may be submitted directly to the Track Leader Committee Co-Chairs, Callie Higgins and Colton Rooney, at TrackLeader@AMUG.com.

The deadline for abstract submissions is October 21, 2026.

Call for Entries: AMUG 2027 Start-up Launchpad

The AMUG Start-up Launchpad returns to the AMUGexpo in 2027, offering up to 10 emerging companies the chance to showcase their innovations to the AMUG community.

The 2027 AMUG Conference will be held in New Jersey, a state recognized for its strong innovation ecosystem and advanced manufacturing capabilities. So, the AMUGexpo and its Launchpad will provide an ideal setting for start-ups to gain visibility, connect with AM users, and build relationships that can accelerate growth.

For AMUG members and attendees, the Start-up Launchpad provides early access to new technologies, creative solutions, and future partners in the additive space. Selected companies will represent a wide range of applications, including hardware, materials, software, and services, chosen through a committee review process.

Applications are now open, and spots are limited. Selections will be made later this year, so we encourage interested start-ups to apply soon.

Apply now for the AMUG 2027 Start-up Launchpad. For details on what the Launchpad offers, please visit the Start-up Launchpad webpage.

The 2026 AMUGexpo hosted the second annual Start-up Launchpad. Apply today to be selected as a 2027 Launchpad company.

SPONSOR NEWS

AMT PostProamtechnologies.com

Designing AM Parts with Post-Processing in Mind

A successful print does not always mean a successfully finished part. When vapor smoothing is part of the workflow, decisions made before printing can determine how well the final component can be processed.

So, when designing for end-use applications, there’s another question worth asking: Can you smooth it?

Small design choices can make a big difference. Consistent wall thickness supports a uniform finish, while fine details require sufficient definition to remain intact. Holes, channels, and internal surfaces can be smoothed, but vapor needs a clear path to reach them. Enclosed cavities are trickier, as they can trap residual powder and restrict vapor access.

Designing for post-processing also means considering how the part will be positioned inside the chamber. Some manufacturers 3D print dedicated hooks for this purpose. For moving or interlocking features, sufficient clearance should also be built into the design to prevent surfaces from fusing.

Printing and post-processing need to be treated as a single process, with material, geometry, surface requirements, and end use considered from the start.

Put your design to the test with AMT’s free vapor smoothing benchmark.

Designing with post-processing in mind helps ensure complex AM geometries can be finished effectively and consistently.

GoEngineergoengineer.com

Engineered for Accuracy. Built for the Real World.

When accurate measurements matter, 3D scanning can help bridge the gap between physical parts and digital workflows. Portable 3D scanners are increasingly being used across engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams to capture real-world geometry for tasks such as reverse engineering, inspection, product development, and documentation.

Creaform’s handheld scanning technologies are designed to acquire high-resolution 3D data in a wide range of environments, from manufacturing floors and maintenance facilities to research labs and design offices. Their systems can be used to digitize complex shapes, compare manufactured parts to CAD models, and create digital records of existing components.

For engineers evaluating 3D scanning solutions, understanding factors such as accuracy, portability, workflow integration, and application fit is critical. The Creaform portfolio has recently grown and now includes technologies suited to a variety of measurement and inspection requirements.

Learn what’s available now.

HandySCAN EVO in action.

Stratasysstratasys.com

AM in the Automotive Industry

Automotive manufacturers are using AM to accelerate product development, reduce tooling lead times, support low-volume production, and produce replacement parts on demand. This blog explores the key applications, benefits, challenges, materials, and technologies shaping automotive 3D printing, along with real-world examples of how manufacturers are putting AM into practice.

Read the blog.

MEDIA SPONSOR NEWS

3D ADEPT3dadept.com

Additive Talks, Season 6, Episode 2 is Live

What it really takes to deploy AM in healthcare

Dr. Luca Borro (Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital), Rajan Patel (Kallisio), and Dr. Geert De Naeyer (AZORG Hospital) joined the latest Additive Talks session. De Naeyer was accompanied by our mystery guest, Wesly Jacobs, founder of PrintPlace.

As these panelists come from diverse backgrounds, we expected different takes on the topic of what it really takes to deploy AM in healthcare. And we got them across two specific areas: where the real bottleneck lies and what “scaling” means.

From hospitals struggling to treat patient‑specific devices as a sustainable model to regulatory ambiguity that forces clinicians and suppliers to build compliance frameworks almost from scratch, each expert exposed a different fault line. Healthcare specialists like Geert De Naeyer noted that technical problems are often solved quickly through collaboration, while regulation introduces the true complexity.

Others challenged the definition of “scale,” arguing it’s less about mass production and more about solving the long tail of unique clinical needs across multiple sites. This unresolved tension is exactly why the full recording is worth watching.

Watch the recording here.

3Dnatives3dnatives.com

TU Graz 3D Prints Ceramic Cubes to Cool Rooms
by Nearly 7 °C, No Electricity Needed

In the wake of a brutally hot summer, researchers at TU Graz’s Institute of Architecture and Media are turning to a low-tech physical principle to beat the heat without drawing a single watt of power. The key is evaporative cooling, the same natural process where evaporating water absorbs heat from its surroundings.

The team 3D printed 23-centimeter cubes from a custom ceramic clay mixture, then fired them at low temperatures to maximize porosity. Thanks to capillary action, water spreads evenly throughout the porous structure, creating a massive surface area for continuous evaporation. In a controlled test in a hot campus attic, a single ceramic cube lowered the surrounding air temperature by nearly 7 °C.

Learn more about the project here.

3D-printed ceramic cube for evaporative cooling. (Photo credit: TU Graz.)

VoxelMattersvoxelmatters.com

VoxelMatters Ceramic AM Focus 2026 eBook

In this edition of our AM Focus eBook, we are firing up the kilns (or sintering ovens) and turning to ceramic AM. The technology segment, which comprises both traditional ceramic (e.g., clay) and technical ceramic 3D printing, has varied applications, ranging from decorative architecture and installations to medical implants and aerospace structures. This diversity is reflected in our eBook, which looks not only (and predominantly) at the state of technical ceramics, but also at cutting-edge work in 3D-printed traditional ceramics.

To begin our Ceramic AM eBook, we present an excerpt (and update) from VoxelMatters’ Ceramic AM Report, which showcases and explains the notable growth in ceramics AM services. Next, we zoom in on Studio RAP, a Dutch-based specialist in 3D-printed ceramic tiles and façades, whose work marks an evolution of the country’s centuries-old ceramics tradition.

Turning back to technical ceramics, we present an interview with Frank Reinauer, Senior Director Division Implants at KLS Martin, about how the company has come to be producing hundreds of patient-specific ceramic implants using Lithoz technology. And finally, we take a look at recent stories and innovations in the ceramic AM segment, including new standards efforts and case studies that illustrate the technology’s maturation.

VoxelMatters’ Ceramic AM eBook can be viewed or downloaded by clicking here.

New Ceramic AM eBook is now available.

Metal AM magazinemetal-am.com

The Latest Issue of Metal Additive Manufacturing Magazine is Out Now!

Inside the Summer 2026 issue, readers will find industry news and technical insight from across the global metal AM sector, including:

  • DEEP Manufacturing and large-format metal AM
  • 6K Additive’s titanium scrap-to-powder production
  • Pelagus: Metal AM for maritime spare parts
  • SAE AMS AM standards for flight-critical applications
  • Incodema3D and HK Technologies’ VacuSift powder handling system

From powder production to production-scale applications, this issue offers a clear snapshot of where metal AM is moving next.

Read the full issue free online.

Out now: Summer edition of Metal AM magazine.

3D Printing Industry3dprintingindustry.com

Speaking Opportunities at 3DPI’s October AMA Events

As the industry enters a quieter summer news cycle before the year-end push, 3D Printing Industry is preparing for the next events in our Additive Manufacturing Advantage (AMA) series.

AMA: Automotive & Mobility returns on October 1, followed by AMA: Software on October 22. Both events are online and will bring together end users, technology developers, and industry specialists to examine how AM is being applied in practice.

A limited number of speaking opportunities remain for experts with relevant technical insights or real-world case studies. If you would like to participate in either event, please complete this short form.

Register now for AMA: Automotive & Mobility 2026.

3DPrint.com3dprint.com

Talking About the Need for Speed at MMX 2026

On the first day of the recent MMX 2026, the annual Members Meeting and Exchange held by America Makes in Youngstown, Ohio, we were asked for our thoughts on the event’s initial theme. The answer was “speed,” and that we need more of it.

Many of the speakers throughout MMX called back to the opening keynote by Matthew Sermon, Executive Director, DRPM Submarines, DoW. He stated that while the progress in the additive industry has been real, “it’s not near fast enough.”

Driven by the non-profit National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), America Makes is one of nearly 20 Manufacturing USA Institutes, which were designed to accelerate advanced manufacturing in the U.S. Since last year’s MMX, the Institute has welcomed around 80 new members, released 11 project calls, and is, as Executive Director John Wilczynski said, “actively prioritizing how we align to national strategies,” like the National Defense Authorization Act.

Read the whole story here.

MMX 2026: a call for speed.

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