Longtime strategic partners expand collaboration offerings to benefit additive manufacturing community

(SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Oct. 17, 2024) ― SME, the nonprofit association committed to accelerating the widespread adoption of manufacturing technologies and developing North America’s talent and capabilities, and America Makes, the nation’s leading public-private partnership for additive manufacturing (AM) technology and education, are strengthening their longtime partnership to provide additional value to AM stakeholders. By colocating America Makes' Spring Technical Review and Exchange (TRX) with RAPID + TCT 2025 — the largest AM and industrial 3D-printing event in North America, produced in partnership with Rapid News Group — key leaders will gather in one central location to drive the exploration and advancement of next-generation AM. The events will be held April 8-10 in Detroit.

“America Makes is excited and proud that our partnership with SME allows us the opportunity to host our TRX event alongside RAPID + TCT 2025,” said John Wilczynski, executive director, America Makes. “AM is not only vital for revolutionizing traditional manufacturing but also essential for strengthening U.S. global manufacturing competitiveness and safeguarding national security. Together, we must drive its adoption to secure a stronger future.”

Founded in 2012 as the Department of Defense’s (DoD) national manufacturing innovation institute for AM, and the first of Manufacturing USA’s national network of institutes, America Makes has been an active participant of RAPID + TCT since 2013.

“I’m delighted America Makes’ TRX will be hosted alongside this premier AM event. Not only will TRX give key stakeholders an opportunity to be part of the experience, this strategic partnership will also showcase the ability of both organizations to collaborate and convene the AM ecosystem under one roof,” said Steve Prahalis, chief operating officer at SME. “The vibrant AM community will continue to expand through the exchange of ideas and exposure to unique, industry-wide applications of this transformational technology.”

America Makes’ continued presence and support at RAPID + TCT, along with the colocation of SAE International’s World Congress Experience (WCX) and SME’s AeroDef Manufacturing event, ensures all participants are well-informed and educated on AM’s successful use cases in aerospace, defense ground and sea systems, mobility and consumer goods.

As the DoD continues to prioritize AM technologies across the defense industry, these colocated events will capitalize on different audience sectors. This includes Michigan’s expansive defense industry responsible for $30B in economic activity for the state, with more than 166,000 jobs and nearly 4,000 Michigan businesses serving the defense, aerospace and homeland security industries (Michigan Economic Development Corp., Oct. 2024).

About SME

Established in 1932 as a nonprofit organization, SME represents the entire North American manufacturing industry, including manufacturers, academia, professionals, students and the communities in which they operate. We believe manufacturing holds the key to economic growth and prosperity, and champion the industry's potential as a diverse, thriving and valued ecosystem. SME accelerates new technology adoption and builds North America’s talent and capabilities to advance manufacturing and drive competitiveness, resiliency and national security. SME designs new ways to understand and solve problems, and our solutions advance the next wave of growth in manufacturing. Learn more at SME.org.

About America Makes

America Makes is the nation’s leading public-private partnership for additive manufacturing (AM) technology and education. America Makes members from industry, academia, government, and workforce and economic development organizations work together to accelerate the adoption of AM and the nation’s global manufacturing competitiveness. Founded in 2012 as the Department of Defense’s national manufacturing innovation institute for AM and the first of the Manufacturing USA network, America Makes is based in Youngstown, Ohio, and managed by the not-for-profit National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM). Visit americamakes.us to learn more.