International Additive Manufacturing Award Announced

The Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT; McLean, VA) and Verein Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken (VDW; a member of the German Machine Tool Builders’ Association) announced last week at The International Manufacturing Technology Show 2014 (IMTS; Chicago, IL) a partnership to present the International Additive Manufacturing Award annually, beginning in 2015.

The award will recognize innovations in additive manufacturing for industrial applications. This includes developments in the design of systems or major components, advances in processes or materials, new applications, data generation or measurement.

Those in the industry, such as system producers, users, component suppliers, and data modelers, and international academia will be invited to apply. The inaugural winner will be announced at an award dinner at The MFG Meeting, Manufacturing for Growth, taking place March 4-7, 2015 in Orlando, FL.

In 2016, the award will be presented at the METAV, the international fair for manufacturing technology and automation, in February in Düsseldorf, Germany. The applications will be evaluated by a high-ranking international jury comprised of representatives from industry, academia, the health sector, the media, and trade associations.

AMT and VDW founded the International Additive Manufacturing Award program recognizing that the United States and Germany are the key markets/regions for additive technology in terms of suppliers, users and academia. Both partners have the understanding required to encourage the international community to participate in this initiative and support the exchange of views and knowledge.

AMT president Douglas K. Woods said, “It is clear that the advances in additive manufacturing will change forever the landscape of manufacturing, from the innovators of the technology to the users and consumers. Our collaboration with the VDW will spotlight some of the most innovative and impactful players driving this dynamic industry.”

VDW executive director Wilfried Schäfer added, “Additive manufacturing has now, following a lengthy phase of development, matured sufficiently to establish itself more firmly as a technology for industrial-scale applications. In conjunction with AMT, the VDW aims to support all interested companies from the relevant sector in technical and market-related issues. With the International Award, moreover, we want to turn the international spotlight on the pioneers and high-performers in the sector, and give them the recognition they deserve. The idea is that the premier players from academia, the business and industrial communities, from the political environment and from societal stakeholders in this multifaceted scene, shall get together regularly at the award ceremonies, so as to put in place a stable international network.”

The winner will receive a $20,000 cash prize and a media package valued at $80,000 to promote the winning development.

www.AMTonline.org

www.VDW.de

www.IMTS.com