Additive manufacturing protects Rapid.Tech 3D presents Aerospace and Defence at industry level

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Certified aircraft components, space propulsion systems and military strategies will be the focus of the Aerospace & Defence Forum in Erfurt on May 6 and 7.

When it comes to safety, reliability and regulatory excellence, the aerospace industry has always set standards, according to Messe Erfurt. The role that additive manufacturing (AM) now plays in this highly regulated environment will be demonstrated by the Aerospace & Defence Forum at the Rapid.Tech 3D trade fair in Erfurt. The focus will be on certified aircraft components, sustainable cabin concepts, new space propulsion systems and military strategies for the decentralized production of relevant components. Stephan Eelman, Strategy Leader Europe at Boeing Global, is responsible for the forum.

Additive manufacturing takes on defence challenges

It is emphasised that the clear structure of the specialist congress with topic-specific forums enables participants to deal specifically with selected fields of application. "Especially in the defence sector, the direct exchange between industry, research and users is crucial," says Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Seidel, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the trade fair. We are very pleased that representatives from three European armed forces are contributing their perspectives on additive manufacturing and discussing current developments together with industry partners. The program is consistently geared towards industrial applications, regulatory requirements and strategic issues in security-critical areas. As highly regulated industries, aerospace and defence have great opportunities to develop safe, robust and operational systems from the challenging requirements, which now require special attention in times like these.

High-level presentations and discussions

On May 6, the two presentations by the Active Militaries will take place in the afternoon, followed by the Defence Panel Discussion at the end of the day. The speakers will be Samu Rautio (Finnish Armed Forces), Miguel Haro Rodriguez (Belgian Armed Forces), Dr. Sascha Hartig and Fernando Lasagni (Novaindef). This round is moderated by Christian Seidel: "The Finnish armed forces want to better understand the potential of additive manufacturing and make the best possible use of it!" The dialog with all participants helps to gain a deeper understanding of their application, developments, implementations and the roles of the various players. Events such as Rapid.Tech 3D offer an excellent opportunity for this, says Lieutenant Commander Dr. Samu Rautio. 

Lieutenant Commander Dr. Sascha Hartig, who is responsible for AM topics in the German Navy, adds: "Additive manufacturing is crucial for the military in an international context because it enables the production of critical components close to where they are needed and can optimise existing supply chains, thereby minimising supply chain risks." European and international needs are discussed at events such as this trade fair in order to overcome silo thinking and learn from shared experiences. In this way, the development of 3D printing options can be specifically aligned with European defence strategies.