October 2021
Note from the Editor
This issue of the AMUG newsletter covers news from the AMUG team. In the November edition, sponsor and media partner news and insights will return.
President’s report
My AMUG Friends,
I would like to say everything is on course for a normal year, but I don’t think normal is normal anymore. We managed to pull off an event earlier this year that was doubted by many people. But that wasn’t enough for us. We are continuing to make more exciting changes that will increase the strength and improve the future of our organization.
A big change that we implemented is the revamp of our registration system, which went live on October 15. This was undertaken for many reasons, and in a spite of a disrupted year, we have still executed extensive testing to get the system up and running. The magnitude of the change was sizeable, so we look forward to you enjoying these improvements as you register for the 2022 AMUG Conference. Please share your comments and suggestions on the registration process; our whole team appreciates your feedback. Ok, most of the feedback is appreciated (LOL).
You may have seen some of the other improvements and advancements represented in our promotional materials. Other items will be announced as communications from our committees. I recommend watching for our social media posts, webpage updates, and future newsletters to stay on top of all that is being done.
All of these changes are just pieces of the pie in our efforts to make AMUG 2022 unforgettable! We look forward to seeing you in just over five months when we can all dig into the feast of information, food, and good conversations!
Sincerely,
Carl Dekker
President
president@amug.com
Carl Dekker
President
Conference registration
Registration for the 2022 AMUG Conference opened on October 15.
On our registration page, individuals can secure a spot as a conference attendee (which will make them AMUG members), and companies can sign up as sponsors and exhibitors. The early-bird rate for attendees is $995.
International members and supporters, the US is easing its coronavirus travel restrictions, reopening to passengers from the UK, EU, and other nations. We hope that this continues so that you can join us in Chicago. Keep informed on the status of international travel via government websites before and after you register for AMUG 2022.
Scholarship applications are LIVE!
Scholarship applications for the 2022 AMUG Conference are being accepted through February 7, 2022.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students and educators to receive fully expenses-covered access to the AMUG Conference in Chicago, where the scholarship recipients are immersed in the AM community. It’s an invaluable opportunity to learn, grow, and network within the additive community.
For ALL the details about these awards and links to apply, please visit the scholarships page.
Also, please support the AMUG Scholarship Committee by helping to get the word out. Scholarship flyers are available to distribute; please feel free to share Guy E. Bourdeau (students) and Randy Stevens (educator) notices.
AMUG – The next generation
It has been my good fortune to be a member of AMUG for 30 years and a pleasure to serve in positions as a volunteer and on the AMUG Board of Directors. I have made life-long friends and contacts that have been invaluable to my personal and professional growth. Now it is my turn to ask the next generation to carry the torch as AMUG moves forward.
The opportunity to serve on the AMUG Board is available to all AMUG members. It is as simple as filling out an application for a position, or you can nominate someone that you think would be a good candidate. Most Officer and Director positions have 2-year terms, but the terms are staggered so that half of the positions are elected each year. This gives us the advantage of experience blended with new, fresh perspectives. You can see all the AMUG Board positions and the individuals that are currently serving on our website by clicking here.
Over the five months before we meet again at our next conference, you will be seeing more articles and information in our newsletters on the open positions and on submitting an application.
Mark Abshire
Member – Nominating Committee
Mark Abshire
Nominating Committee Member
2022 conference agenda
Development of the 2022 AMUG Conference agenda is underway! As it comes together, we have a few items that we want to make you aware of. In addition to the AMUG tracks and sponsor sessions, we will have several pre-conference programs for you to get more out of attending the AMUG Conference.
Pre-Conference Courses
We are once again pleased to announce that ASTM will offer its AM Quality Assurance Certificate Course. This two-day course will run on the Saturday and Sunday before the AMUG Conference, April 2 and 3. The course will provide the attendee with an understanding of the routes to releasing products requiring quality assurance and control, provide guidance for what is key to control output, and demonstrate compliance to requirements. After successful completion of the course and passing the exam, participants will receive the ASTM AM Quality Assurance Certificate.
Off-site Tours
We are also excited to announce that we are planning several off-site tours for our members to attend before the conference begins. Stay tuned for more details.
AMUG Conference: Call for speakers is now open
The AMUG Conference agenda is broken into two sections, AMUG tracks and Diamond/Platinum Sponsor tracks. This call for speakers is specifically for the AMUG tracks where the focus will be on providing training and educational talks, hands-on workshops, and panel discussions.
Sessions within these AMUG tracks are intended to be led by users of AM technology. If you are an OEM, please consider giving one of your users the opportunity to share their knowledge and expertise. Commercial presentations and sales pitches will be rejected.
When responding to the Call for Speakers, we ask interested presenters to contact the Track Leader Committee Chair, Ed Graham, at trackleader@amug.com. Based on your topic, Ed will put you in contact with the appropriate track leader, who will continue to work with you to ensure your proposed session will be valuable to the AMUG members.
The tracks for the 2022 program are:
- Aerospace/Transportation/Defense/Military
- AM Metal Technologies
- AM Technologies Non-Metal
- Casting Metal
- Education and Training
- Materials
- Medical and Dental
- Scanning & Metrology
- Software
We are expecting to fill up the speaking slots very quickly, so don’t delay!
Sponsor and exhibitor opportunities
Dear AMUG Family,
It’s been an interesting two years in my time as AMUG Vice President, which is true for everyone within the AM industry.
I was so proud of all the members, volunteers, sponsors, and AMUG Officers/Directors that attended this year’s conference. They made AMUG 2021 a great success, which made the effort of making it happen worthwhile. Now it’s time to get thing moving for AMUG 2022, and I’m looking forward to working with you all to make this conference even better.
Sponsor & exhibitor registration was delayed a few weeks (but is now open) because of the move to new registration software that should make life easier for everyone involved.
To discover all that sponsorships offer, you can download the latest prospectus. That document and this page present the opportunities and benefits of being a conference exhibitor.
Please feel free to contact me directly using the email below, and if you need to discuss anything in more detail, we can arrange a conference call.
I look forward, with great excitement, to working with you on the lead-up to AMUG 2022 as well as seeing you all person in Chicago.
Stay safe and well.
Best wishes,
Andrew Allshorn
AMUG Vice President
vicepresident@amug.com
Andrew Allshorn
Vice President
Hotel reservations
If you are planning to attend AMUG 2022, make sure that you have a place to stay—make your hotel reservations well in advance. The reservation portal for the Hilton Chicago is now open. The room rate is $154/night when booking into the AMUG block. But note that reservations require a minimum of three nights.