October 2018
Editor’s Note
We are now transitioning from our 2018 conference supporters to those for 2019. In our November edition of the AMUG Newsletter, sponsor and media partner articles will resume.
Until then, enjoy this abbreviated, AMUG-content-only newsletter.
President’s Report
Now that registration is open, I want to congratulate the team for the hard work leading to a very successful launch. We didn’t just open registration, we built an entirely new backend and interface from the ground up. Our old registration software just wasn’t up to the task of delivering as membership grows. So we started over to build the systems that provide new benefits to our sponsors, exhibitors and members.
So what did it involve? It was a complete rewrite of our registration process. The migration process was extensive, and according to the software vendor, it usually takes more than six weeks to get it up and running. But that doesn’t take into account that the AMUG team and all our volunteers are extraordinary. They put all their efforts into this, and we were able to complete the migration in only two weeks. Of course, as with anything new, there were a few hiccups, and we did need to delay the opening of registration by a couple of days. But everyone has been very flexible with us. That says a lot about our members, sponsors and exhibitors.
So how is it going? How did AMUG do? Registration is running smoothly, thankfully, because interest is at an all-time high. In the first eight days, we saw a huge response from our sponsors and exhibitors. We now have 19 of 21 Platinum Sponsorships, 19 of 20 Diamonds Sponsorships and 53 of 80 exhibitor spots already spoken for! Member registrations were equally vigorous.
Sponsor and exhibitor support is vital to support our mission of delivering a one-of-a-kind experience for our members. We have the industry support, now all that we need is for you to join us to absorb and share information that only a user-to-user event can deliver.
Paul Bates
President
Training Lab
As mentioned in the September newsletter, we have added something new to the AMUG Conference program, the Training Lab.
This will be a venue enabling our sponsors to provide in-depth, hands-on training on their systems. The education you will receive in these sessions may be exactly what you need to overcome current limitations, overcome challenging situations or plan for avoidable complications.
We are looking forward to deep dives into the hardware, software and combinations of the two. This will be an amazing opportunity for our Diamond Sponsors to really engage users and help them make the equipment do what might not have been believed to possible. The interactions in these sessions could be the catalyst of an in-depth conversation in the networking activities. We are really excited to bring this type of advanced forum to the users.
We can’t wait to show you the impact of the Training Lab.
Innovators Award
AMUG has announced the recipient of its 2019 Innovators Award, Gideon Levy. Gideon, consultant for Technology Turn Around, has decades of achievements in AM development, research and education. He is also a long-time AMUG member, and he is one that freely shares his insights, experiences and opinions.
Gideon will be presented with the Innovators Award following the Innovators Showcase at the 2019 conference. 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.
Professor Gideon Levy will be presented the Innovators Award at the 2019 AMUG Conference.
Conference Accommodations
For those that have completed their AMUG Conference registrations, or those that are confident that they will be attending, we invite you to make your hotel reservation at the Hilton Chicago. If you make a reservation and are tentative on attending the conference, please jot a note in your February calendar to notify Tom Sorovetz, (eventmanager@amug.com) should you find that you will be canceling your hotel reservation. This simple act allows Tom to reallocate that room to another conference attendee instead of it being moved to the hotel’s general availability ledgers and disappearing from our room block.
This year there is a three-night minimum stay, which has been put in place to help maximize the total number of room nights at the hotel. The goal is to have all of the attendees’ rooms at the Hilton Chicago for the duration (Sun. – Fri.) of the conference. The discounted rate and three-night minimum apply to all conference days as well as the three days prior to and three days after the AMUG Conference. So for $149/night, you can come early or stay late to enjoy everything the Windy City has to offer.
On a side note, when you book your room online, you will only see the rooms at the conference rate of $149.00 plus tax. If you would like a larger room or suite, please contact the hotel directly for room rates and availability. And when you do, please mention or note the AMUG Conference so that your room will be considered as part of our room block.
Sponsorship
It has been a very exciting to see all of the interest by our sponsors in the 2019 event. The registration process began just a few weeks ago, and the response has been amazing. With almost all the available space registered, we are ecstatic to be so far ahead versus previous years. As the last spaces fill up, we will be redirecting our focus to execution; helping to make sure everyone’s preparations come together smoothly.
With the launch of the new Training Lab, there has been a lot of sponsor excitement, but we understand that there will be a lot of questions to be answered. We will be working with all that want to participate to make this a successful inaugural feature of the conference. Please do not hesitate to let us know your thoughts and questions (contact our vice presidents at vicepresident@amug.com).
As we implement the changes planned for this year, we will be opening opportunities for more user engagement. This is where ‘for users by users’ will be even more evident. We will be looking forward to engaging more of the members to make this and every year better. If you would like to play a role in making it better, please let us know that you interested in helping before, during or after the conference by emailing secretary@amug.com.
AMUG Restructuring
To offer members more options in the way they choose to support the efforts of AMUG, the board has adopted an altered organization structure. The key change is that we have expanded the number and type of positions that are available to those that want to be a part of the team.
We now have four of paths to volunteer your services:
- Senior Management (vice presidents and deputy vice presidents)
- Reports to AMUG Officers
- Junior Management (managers and associates)
- Reports to Senior Management
- Committee Member
- Standing committees and ad-hoc committees
- Volunteers
- Assist before, during and after the conference.
Which path should you choose? It all depends on how much time you can donate and what roles you may like to fill in the future. For example, don’t have a ton of time to spare, want to get to know the inner workings to see what the team is all about, and have a thought of becoming president one day—a Junior Management position may be just the thing for you.
For more information, please contact us at secretary@amug.com. Additional details will be coming after we modify the AMUG Bylaws and Policies.
Why Attend?
Unique among events, a prime differentiator of the AMUG Conference is the openness of attendees and their willingness to share. For those that have never attended, it is hard to describe this uniqueness, so we will rely on the words of those that joined us in 2018.
Drew Wallburg, senior mechanical engineer at Cummings Aerospace, said, “…the best conference experience I’ve ever had. It was a fantastic immersion into an environment where everyone is open and speaks the same language. I cannot wait to come back to AMUG next year. Of all of the conferences I’ve been to, I’ve never gotten as much out of them in five days as I have in the day and a half I’ve been at AMUG.”
Michael Petch, editor-in-chief of 3D Printing Industry, reported, “Unlike any event I have attended before, AMUG has a remarkable openness, sharing of best practices and genuine willingness to advance the industry as a whole. Every part of the AMUG experience is intended to facilitate this exchange of information, from the seating plans at lunch to ensuring attendees have no real reason to leave the hotel.”
“…immersion into an environment where everyone is open and speaks the same language.”
