Throughout its 35-year history, RAPID + TCT’s mission has remained the same: to keep driving the additive manufacturing (AM) industry forward.
The event has always been, and continues to be, at the forefront of AM innovation, with the most cutting-edge technologies and biggest power players sharing unmatched insights and real-life applications on North America’s main stage for AM. If the AM had its own Super Bowl, RAPID + TCT would be it.
TCT recently sat down with the CEOs from the two organizations that come together to produce the largest AM and industrial 3D printing event in North America: Bob Willig from SME and Duncan Wood from the TCT Group.
Here, the long-time partners talk about the dynamic evolution of RAPID + TCT from a half-day clinic in 1987 to North’s America’s most important AM and industrial 3D printing event, along with some exciting news about the future.
TCT: RAPID + TCT has grown to be North America’s largest AM and industrial 3D printing event. Can you describe that evolution?
Bob Willig, Executive Director and CEO, SME: RAPID + TCT has evolved as the industry has evolved. From the very early days of stereolithography, morphing into early prototype developments, RAPID was there. To developing next-generation material processing, handling and forming, RAPID was there. To defining next-generation near-net shape parts and secondary post-processing, RAPID was there. To the development of all these next-generation manufacturers and suppliers, use cases, ROI developments and entrepreneurial start-ups, RAPID is always there!
You hear from so many people about the recollection of something that occurred at RAPID, something that they saw for the first time. I think the beauty of the event over the last three decades is that it’s organically grown to represent what's happened in a specific set of technologies; you can chart the development of the technologies alongside the development of the event.
RAPID + TCT has been the scene of many industry firsts and “you had to be there” moments. From the early days of stereolithography and major mergers like that of Stratasys with Objet to known brands like HP making its debut in the AM market, RAPID + TCT is the manifestation of an ecosystem of technology discoveries and advancements that have occurred over the last three-plus decades.
Duncan Wood, CEO, TCT Group: The first time I went to RAPID was in 2000. It was obviously a lot smaller, but even back then, it was the de facto North American event. You saw the technology of the day, you met the experts of the day, and the whole thing was predicated on learning and sharing information. It hasn't changed in that mission. It's obviously a lot bigger, there are more exhibitors, there's more innovative technology, there's more conference streams. These are the attractions of an industry leading event; these are the reasons people leave their offices.
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People come to learn about the fundamentals of additive manufacturing. They learn about use cases, they learn about application strategies, they learn about the technical side of applying additive manufacturing. If you want to get your head around how to implement this technology into your business, or maybe you’ve figured that out and now you need to decide what equipment you are going to invest in, then RAPID + TCT has everything you are going to need.
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TCT: So, with all that said, you have exciting news to share about the future of RAPID + TCT. Tell me what’s ahead for the event.
Willig: Of course, SME has created a strategic roadmap for the continued growth of RAPID + TCT, and we’re sending a clear message to the industry that we’re listening to the marketplace and building a path for the future of the technology.
The industry is back out in person at events, stronger than we’ve seen since the beginning of the pandemic. We know exhibitors and attendees are planning farther out. We typically announce RAPID + TCT dates roughly one year before, however, we’re working toward announcing dates sooner as this provides our diverse stakeholder groups the opportunity to plan and participate in future RAPID + TCT events. In addition, we’re excited to announce a new city in our rotation and want to give everyone as much advance notice as possible.
As everyone knows, for 2024, the event returns to California for the first time in almost a decade, opening a new frontier of possibilities at the heart of the U.S. manufacturing output. Home to the likes of Boeing, Tesla, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, a plethora of medical device companies and at the heart of the entertainment industry California is a powerhouse in all manufacturing senses. Over 400 exhibitors will be there on the show floor in addition to the highest-quality technical conference the event has ever seen, as well as special features, such as an executive keynote series and a Hollywood Showcase. We will celebrate California’s adoption of AM technologies for the special effects industry.
Wood: It's going to be an exciting year. There’s not been a major additive manufacturing event on the West Coast since 2015. I believe there's pent-up demand for RAPID + TCT in California. Think about how many people have new jobs or started new careers who want to learn about this technology. We're excited to bring the premier AM event to Los Angeles.
We have a world-class conference program with over 160 presentations alongside the show floor — for those in California who haven’t got to Chicago and Detroit in recent years — this is a fantastic opportunity to hear from the likes of Google, Boeing, Rivian, the U.S. Air Force and Zimmer Biomet. A truly inspirational line-up.
TCT: You’ve also got a slew of exciting announcements for 2025 too I understand. What can you reveal?
Willig: In 2025, the event will return to Detroit, the home of SME and North America’s automotive legacy. Detroit has produced the largest audience in the events history (2019), and a strong rebound in 2022, post-covid, and 2025 in Detroit sees something completely new.
SME has a long history of collaboration; RAPID + TCT itself is a brilliant collaboration, and 2025 will see two significant co-locations sit alongside the event. Both events enable us to impact a wider audience with the transformational possibilities of AM, and consequently the potential for our exhibitors is supercharged.
First, we’re partnering with the Society of Automotive Engineers to co-locate with its World Congress Experience event, WCX, which welcomes over 6,000 automotive and mobility professionals.
The mobility industry is transforming into a multi-billion-dollar industry. WCX is North America’s largest technical mobility event, providing an unmatched opportunity to see all the moving parts in today’s mobility industry — and the ground-breaking innovations that are shaping the next phase.
The second big announcement for 2025 features the exciting co-location of SME’s AeroDef Manufacturing event alongside RAPID + TCT. AeroDef is the premier aerospace manufacturing and defense manufacturing event with a conference and exhibitor pavilion bringing in a whole new audience of aerospace and defense customers, which is, of course, a key audience for RAPID + TCT.
Since its inception in 2011, AeroDef’s mission has always been to foster innovation across the extended enterprise to reduce costs, expedite production times and maintain manufacturing competitiveness. It was created in partnership, and with direction from the leading OEMs and government agencies in the U.S., so with this co-location, we can showcase AM to this fast-moving sector.
Wood: I think it’s important that we signpost to the industry what our plans are. 2025 is a busy year and signposting these exciting co-locations will drive increased audiences from some of the biggest user groups in AM, which means our exhibitors can be certain that RAPID + TCT will deliver a superb ROI for them and help them make the right choice for their marketing budgets. We’ve also got something to announce later this year that will be hugely exciting to the medical users of AM, so watch this space!
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TCT: You’ve announced that in 2026 RAPID + TCT heads to Boston for the first time. Why did you select Boston?
Wood: This has been in the works for a long time. In fact, it’s been one of the most requested cities from our exhibitors for many years. Boston and the surrounding area have a rich heritage in AM, in research, in technology development and in use cases. There’s a real buzz in the air.
Our partners and exhibitors look to the city and surrounding areas historic and emerging manufacturing sectors, medical technology community, leading educational institutions, and government investment as fresh playing fields for creating AM awareness and increasing that AM adoption. The need for new markets and new audience is essential.
It’s simple. To increase adoption of AM, which is our joint mission, then you need to go to places you haven’t been before. It’s exciting and offers us the ability to regenerate a new and exciting event with new attendees every year as we move to new cities.
TCT: Collaborations and partnerships are clearly at the core of SME and indeed at the heart of RAPID + TCT. Can you talk about that?
Willig: Collaborations define SME. You only need to look at our FABTECH event, which SME and the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International launched in 1981, to see how partnerships, founded on a common goal of making an industry better, can have a profound impact.
The event started as two organizations that chose to put their egos aside and work for the betterment of the industry. Since then, FABTECH has grown with five partners into one of the top trade shows in the country. The RAPID + TCT collaboration is rooted in the same mindset and thought process.
TCT: So, for our readers who may be new to the event, how did this partnership came to fruition?
Wood: Back in 2016, TCT was looking at the U.S. market. We’d finished working with International CES on its 3D Printing Conference and wanted to continue to help further adoption of these technologies in the U.S., however, what we found was that the market didn't need more events, it needed people to collaborate, to work on developing an event that could be bigger and better, and deliver more for the industry, as well as continue to drive it forward.
That’s when it became obvious that we could really do something special together. We could have stayed in our own lanes and ended up competing against each other. The right thing though - for the industry, for the market, for our clients - was to work together, so RAPID + TCT was born.
I think this story is still hugely pertinent in today's market because the same situation still exists really. We’re a niche technology with huge potential, so we should always do right by the market — don’t confuse it, don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be.
SME has always been collaborative. We’ve always been collaborative. And we've both always been like that because we believe that's the best way to serve the industries we operate in.
Willig: RAPID + TCT takes an open- armed approach to collaboration and has actively pursued it with industry partners like America Makes, AMUG, ARMI, ASTM, RSNA, SAE and Women in 3D Printing to ensure that the industry continues to grow from the strong foundations they’ve collectively planted. This openness largely stems from SME’s key position as a mission-driven non-profit organization.
Our focus is to expand the opportunity for individuals to be engaged in the additive manufacturing space, to advance the adoption of AM and to educate those who want to become a part of it in any way. We can collaborate with other partners in this industry because, at the end of the day, the measure of our success is the speed at which this industry grows and prevails for more people to get engaged in and be part of it.
This collaboration effort isn’t possible without the people behind it. Whether that’s industry partners, trusted event advisors or RAPID + TCT’s dedicated community of volunteers, there’s a collective of passionate AM advocates behind every conference paper chosen and strategically selected locations that gives the event its unique position in the marketplace.
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TCT: How does SME’s position as a mission- driven non-profit help shape the event?
Willig: Going back to SME's roots of 90-plus years ago, we were founded as a membership association, and that really hasn't changed how we look toward our members and volunteers to really help us shape and guide the event. Whether it's through reviewing technical content from hundreds of conference submissions to our exhibitor advisory council, which is helping us shape a better experience for exhibitors, to selecting the correct demographics and audience for the event to helping us with our trends, we've always relied heavily on members and volunteers.
SME isn’t afraid to let its community have influence. In fact, we welcome it and feel it’s a two-way street. While SME wants to work with partners to rise the AM tide, we also ensure that SME continues to respond to what the market needs in a tangible way.
Wood: The communities maintain your relevancy in the marketplace because they’re the marketplace. Whether they're representing large enterprise companies or small independent supplier manufacturers, you get a cross section of what matters to all of them.
The reality is, when you have a cross section of volunteers representing all the industry, you're able to build a better product and experience, and the SME army of volunteers, all experts, are unrivalled in my experience in their willingness to get behind the event, its mission and drive the industry forward. That passion and dedication, whether it be in conference paper reviewing, track hosting or working on student initiatives, is quite amazing to witness.
TCT: The RAPID + TCT community extends much further than one week in a convention center every spring. Tell me more about that.
Willig: SME’s efforts around AM are year-round. For instance, through SME’s Voices AMplified series and awards programs, SME is dedicated to sharing the stories and achievements of people in the industry, and listening to them at events like the AM Summit, which convenes leading thinkers and doers to explore where AM could go next and how SME can help take it there. Tooling U-SME, the workforce development arm of SME, has built robust AM learning resources to upskill and new skill talent, helping accelerate AM adoption supporting thousands of manufacturers and educational institutions each year.
The SME Education Foundation supports high school career and technical education programs to build the next generation of AM skills development. It’s also inspiring the next generation of engineers and manufacturers by co-sponsoring (with Stratasys) the SkillsUSA Additive Manufacturing Competition; its hands- on Bright Minds program, which attracts close to 1,000 students to RAPID + TCT each year; and robust scholarship programs focused on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
TCT: How are these student programs helping manufacturers?
Willig: There was a time in the events industry, and at RAPID + TCT, where your average exhibitor would say, “I really am here just for the business-to- business opportunity.” There’s great importance of these initiatives to not only students, but industry too. Suddenly those students coming and talking to them has developed into a major highlight. Dedicated individuals from HR are trying to create an impression for this future talent so that one day they're working at these organizations.
Wood: It's not all about the commercial side of things. It's about having an impact on the industry. A line underneath all of this is that SME has always been critically committed to additive manufacturing and advancing it, whether it was that smaller event in 2000, to this year and looking forward to 2025 and 2026, you know you're going to get the right experts in room, the right companies in the room — that's an enduring legacy. To be around as an event for that long, and still be hugely relevant to the industry it represents, isn’t something that should be ignored.
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TCT: Let’s talk about the wider impact of RAPID + TCT.
Willig: The impact of RAPID + TCT can be found in the many initiatives that have stemmed from its community. One of the most significant is the ASTM Committee F42 on Additive Manufacturing Technologies, which emerged from a group of thought leaders who understood and championed the need to develop standards to support the adoption of AM technologies. Additive manufacturing is SME’s deepest and richest portfolio.
While RAPID + TCT is evolving into an all-year-round experience, the springboard was the initial small community that created a clinic, a workshop and so on. With that, they created working groups. Right now, we have our Additive Healthcare Advisory Group, a Direct Digital Manufacturing Advisory Group and other groups, essentially to help create programming all year round.
TCT: Any last thoughts on the future of RAPID + TCT?
Willig: AM has strong roots planted in North America. Technology was founded here, and it continues to be a powerhouse with the largest install base of industrial 3D printers in the world. American firms like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, SpaceX, Northrop Grumman, Ford and General Motors are already using the technology in key industries, and that will only continue to grow as efforts to reshore manufacturing and disrupt supply chains require new, innovative processes. RAPID + TCT will be at the center, and it’ll continue to go where there’s a thirst for additive technologies to ensure this industry grows with it. RAPID + TCT is the Super Bowl of AM, and cities are clamouring for the show to arrive.
We truly believe that once a year in North America, in the city where we're holding RAPID + TCT, there’s an opportunity to display the entire depth and breadth of this wonderful industry and community. And we do that proudly and collaboratively.
This interview was first published inside TCT North America Volume 10 Issue 2.
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