Hot on the heels of its MMX 2022 and 10-year anniversary events, America Makes, the country’s top public-private partnership for additive manufacturing technology and education, is announcing its Fall 2022 Technical Review & Exchange (TRX) event. Together with the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation and Integration Center (AMIIC), Youngstown, Ohio-based America Makes will host the technically focused event at The University of Alabama in Huntsville from October 18-19.
“It’s an honor to co-host this event in Huntsville, along with our sister company America Makes. The role that the Huntsville community plays in the national additive manufacturing dialogue is critical. North Alabama has a stake in the commodities we design, deliver, and sustain from Redstone Arsenal that are fundamental to our national security,” said John Schmitt, Executive Director of AMIIC. “Participating in forums and discussions like TRX is essential to truly advance and build a workforce to meet the technical challenges ahead.”
The AMIIC is a 501(c)3 non-profit private-public partnership set up to drive adoption of innovative manufacturing technologies, and help grow Northern Alabama’s future workforce through development and education, advocacy, promoting awareness, and accelerating technology innovation through projects. That’s why it’s a good partner for America Makes, which is managed by the not-for-profit National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) and was founded in 2012 as the Department of Defense’s national manufacturing innovation institute for additive manufacturing.
The two-day TRX event will give attendees the chance to share content at an in-depth level, and learn about current projects that are helping to advance AM. There will be a variety of expert presenters from the industry, including Denise Harris, Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Acting Director for Industrial Manufacturing Technology; Mark Benedict, AFRL; John Vickers, NASA Principal Technologist in Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, and more. Attendees will also have access to impacts, results, and updates of the America Makes project portfolio.
John Wilczynski, Executive Director of America Makes. Photograph courtesy of Sarah Saunders, 3DPrint.com
“TRX will allow America Makes to highlight 17 projects in our portfolio. It’s an opportunity for technical experts to learn more about the important work in process at the Institute while allowing them to interact with the principal investigators who lead the research,” said John Wilczynski, Executive Director of America Makes. “This dynamic interaction ensures the membership get value out of the investments being made in the technology. AMIIC is an important partner for the Institute, and we look forward to bringing the AM ecosystem to the Huntsville region.”
Huntsville is considered a center for defense manufacturing in the state of Alabama, so due to the event location, several high-level government officials are expected to attend the Fall 2022 TRX. In addition to a panel discussion on “Army Challenges of Adopting Additive Manufacturing,” moderated by Brandon Ribic, Technology Director, America Makes, there will also be some very interesting presentations on military applications in advanced and additive manufacturing, including:
- Advanced Manufacturing of Mach Nozzle Materials
- Hybrid AM Oil Coolers (HAMOC)- Hybrid FCOC Approach and Demonstration
- Advanced Additive Manufacturing of Rocket Engine Components
- Development of Graded Alloy Transitions for High-Mach Systems
The presentation format of TRX will be more conversational and flexible, so attendees feel encouraged to ask questions and interact more organically with the presenters. The goal is to develop a deeper understanding of the institute’s current research, so all TRX speakers prepare their presentations to be able to deliver this higher level of audience engagement. You can see the agenda here so you know what to expect.
In addition to all the presentations, keynote speakers, and panel discussions, the event will also feature two receptions and multiple networking breaks. Fall TRX 2022 is sponsored by General Lattice, with media partners The TCT Group and Digital Engineering. Members and non-members of America Makes are welcome to attend, and the deadline for registration is Wednesday, October 12th.