What to Expect at Formnext 2024

Formnext 2024 will soon be upon us. Opening its doors in Frankfurt on Tuesday, November 19th and running through Friday, November 22nd, the leading additive manufacturing trade fair in Europe is expected to be full of discussions, exhibitors, awards and much more. And the event is once again highly anticipated throughout the AM value chain. But what exactly can we expect this year?

In contrast to previous years, one of the recurring themes we have seen coming from Messago Messe Frankfurt GmbH, the main organizers of the conference, is stability. While other editions have stressed the strong growth of the additive manufacturing market, this year has taken a slightly calmer tone. More specifically, that steadiness is good for both for the market and for the event.

While numbers prior to the event are completely in line with what we saw in the 2023 edition, where 32,851 visitors showed an 11.1% increase from 2022 and 859 exhibitors were present, Messago Messe is stressing the importance of holding steady in a tumultuous environment for AM in general. That being said, there has also been clear growth, for example 61% of exhibitors who have registered hail from outside of Germany with leading nations including the USA, China, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain, an increase of 1% from last year. The number of total exhibitors also seems to be higher, currently standing at about 909.

In any case, it seems that the organizers are ready and satisfied with the numbers already this year. “The strong registration figures for Formnext reflect the relevance of additive manufacturing for the whole of the industrial sector,” explains Sascha F. Wenzler, Vice President for Formnext at event organizer Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH. “AM is a technology that makes it possible to take on current challenges and tap into new economic potential. At the same time, Formnext also shows how dynamic the global AM industry is and how it paves the way to the industrial future with numerous innovations and applications every year.” Sascha Wenzler has also been joined in his position by Christoph Stüker, who up until now was a deputy Vice President for Formnext. Now let’s take a look at what is in store for attendees at the 2024 edition.

Solutions on Display at Formnext

Formnext said it best in a recent press release, “The world of AM has made something of a tradition of saving its most important innovations for Formnext, which enables visitors to experience the latest technologies up close and interact directly with experts and exhibitors.” And this is expected to continue this year.

Already we have heard about different solutions and innovations that will be present at Formnext 2024. For example, Solukon, a leading post-processing solution provider, has announced its new metal powder removal solution, the SFM-AT1500-S. This is the largest metal depowdering system from the company, making it ideal for heavy-duty requirements and dimensions.

Another launch comes from nLIGHT who will be showing its Corona™ AFX-2000, two-kilowatt laser with proprietary beam shaping technology designed for high productivity in LPBF processes, at the event. Those interested in learning more will be able to go to the booth or to nLIGHT’s multi-day Powered by Beam Shaping seminar series. Here, the company will be showing use cases across several markets with speakers from 3D Systems, Aconity3D, AMCM, DMG Mori USA, EOS and Nikon SLM Solutions.

But of course that’s not all. EOS, Lithoz, Caracol, Renishaw and ADDIMETAL have all announced solution releases at Formnext 2024. At the same time, companies are also taking the opportunity to showcase initiatives, new chapters, capabilities and material and software platforms. For example, Elegoo will be launching new inclusivity initiatives, highlighting especially female designers and creators. Meanwhile, Mimaki Europe will be showcasing its color 3D printing capabilities at the show

And this is not even comprehensive. Every day we are learning more from exhibitors who will be showing exciting innovations at the show. If you want to learn more about which exhibitors will be there, be sure to check out the full list HERE.

The Stages Continue While the Awards Have Diversified

Last year, one of the new features at Formnext was an increased focus on education with even more panels and conferences organized into three unique stages. These are back this year! The key topics of focus will be application, industry and technology and include discussions on AI, medical and dental, robotics and automation, among a lot more. You can find the full schedule in the agenda HERE.

The Service Provider Market is also returning after a successful debut in 2023. Here, companies will be able to learn how to reap the benefits of AM without in-house production. The start-up area will also be back.

Speaking of startups, there has been one notable change for Formnext 2024. We told you about it a few weeks ago, but rather than just having the annual startup challenge, there will now be six distinct awards to be given at the show. These include the Start-up Award, Rookie Award, Sustainability Award, Design Award, (R)Evolution Award and AMbassador award. The finalists have already been announced on Formnext’s website and voting is open and will continue until the end of the show.

The event will definitely be not one to miss, but whether you will be in Frankfurt in person or watching from home, be sure to follow along with 3Dnatives. In our dedicated feature, we will tell you everything you need to know through exclusive videos and articles, a live feed and of course photos on the show floor. We can’t wait to see you there on November 19th!

Will you be attending Formnext 2024 this year? Let us know in a comment below or on our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages! Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly newsletter here, the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox! You can also find all our videos on our YouTube channel.

*All Photo Credits: Mesago / Mathias Kutt