Show preview: TCT Live 2012

It is an ideal forum for everyone involved in the concept, design, specification and manufacturing process to learn about the latest developments in additive manufacturing, 3D printing and other cutting-edge product development software and technology. For anyone whose role involves accelerating time to market, reducing cost and improving efficiency, TCT Live promises to deliver a valuable return on time invested visiting the show. The exclusive focus on product development, additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies gives TCT Live huge value in terms of learning about new technologies and how to adopt them into business. Whatever the level of knowledge of the individual visitor, TCT Live will further their product development skills. Designers, prototype specialists, technical directors, development engineers, product managers, design directors, chief engineers, sub-contractors and consultants all attend TCT Live searching for the latest technologies to help them reduce time to market. On the showfloor, TCT Live will play host to over 200 exhibiting companies aiming to showcase the most innovative and dynamic technologies available on the market. With a focus on live machine demonstrations, technologies on display include additive manufacturing, 3D printing, inspection, metrology, material suppliers, prototyping specialists, software and CAD/CAM/PLM. Alongside the exhibition is the Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Conference, featuring some of the leading industrial and academic experts in this sector. Once viewed as a niche area of product development and manufacturing, the AM and 3D printing sector has escalated significantly in the last 12 months, with global awareness of the processes increasing at an unprecedented rate. With the prolific number of headlines though, there comes an inevitable amount of hype and this is where the TCT Live AM & 3DP Conference comes into its own. Anyone who registers to attend this free annual conference will be confronted with the truth about additive manufacturing and 3D printing – what it can do, and, indeed, what it is doing in the real world within industry and the creative sectors. Throughout the two days, the conference programme will explore the impact and applications of both AM and 3DP. Providing diversity and valuable, practical information, this line-up has been designed to appeal to a wide audience, whether they have been introduced to the technologies previously or are being introduced to them for the first time. Presentations will cover a number of specific business applications of AM and 3DP as well some of the latest developments across the industry. Featuring an impressive array of speakers, TCT Live 2012 is a good event for networking with industrial and creative users of additive technologies. The speaker roll-call includes Todd Grimm, T.A. Grimm & Associates; Phill Dickens, Professor of Manufacturing Technology at Loughborough University; Paul Doe, lead engineer at Prodrive BMW Mini Team; Sean Horning, Project Engineer, Burton Snowboards; Stuart Burns, Technical Director, Rotite Technologies; Anthony Reeves, lead engineer, GlaxoSmithKline; and Dan Johns, process and technologies engineer, Bloodhound SSC; plus many more. This year also sees the introduction of a dedicated jewellery session looking at how additive manufacturing and 3D printing processes are being utilised in this innovative sector. This session gives jewellery designers, manufacturers and silversmiths the ideal opportunity to hear how their peers are already reaping the benefits and enhancing their designs. This year will also provide attendees with clear insight into the latest additive manufacturing developments with gold. Within this conference session speakers include Joerg Fischer-Buehner, Legor Group SpA; Mark Bloomfield, Electrobloom; Luke Orford, Grant Macdonald; Silvia Weidenbach, Weidenbach; and Lena Thorsson from Cookson Precious Metals. TCT Live also offers a huge range of free live educational seminars. Spanning the two days the TCT Technology Tracks include: Inspection, Digitising and Metrology in Product Development and Additive Manufacturing — with case studies and interactive demonstrations this seminar takes visitors through the full spectrum of equipment available; Additive Technology Introduction Session — presented by industry 'guru' Graham Tromans, this back-to-basics seminar gives newcomers to the industry an overview of additive manufacturing technologies and explains how businesses can take advantage to advance their product development and manufacturing processes; Digital Manufacturing and Materials for Dentistry — looks at the impressive advances in technology suitable for dentistry as more and more laboratories recognise the advantages of incorporating cutting-edge techniques into their process; Software in Product Development and Additive Manufacturing — ideal for visitors wishing to maximise the potential of their product development software, with an in-depth look at some of the leading CAD/CAM/PLM software currently available in the marketplace; and Technical Briefings in Metals and Non-Metals, ideal for anyone looking to source and purchase 3D Printing or additive manufacturing machinery.