Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies feature the selective addition of material, commonly in a layer-wise fashion, governed by volumetric digital process instructions to produce three dimensional structures. These manufacturing technologies are capable of processing metal, polymer, composite, and ceramic materials. Compared to other manufacturing technologies, AM presents several benefits, including lightweight structures (lattices, triply periodic minimal surfaces, and other organic shapes), consolidation of parts, limiting necessity for tooling, and lead time reduction. These benefits present potential to augment manufacturing productivity, yield, and cost. For these reasons, AM has been considered for a variety of aviation, automotive, marine, energy, space, and defense applications. AM has also challenged the way in which manufacturing technologies are selectively utilized. AM has shown substantial merit to support rapid testing and evaluation of novel design concepts. The merits of AM for product development have been realized for the manufacturing of test equipment, jigs, fixtures, as well as test parts. AM also offers the ability to impact product life cycle cost as a repair technology. The session will feature a variety of key topics which detail the current state of AM technologies, recent innovations, and future trends.

Key topics to be covered include:

• AM design methods and tools
• AM materials development – Testing, characterization, and modeling of metal, polymer, composite, ceramic, and graded materials
• AM process development – novel AM technologies, advanced process controls, AM hardware and software advancements, hybrid AM technologies, post-processing (heat treatment, finishing, joining, coating), and modeling
• Product qualification and certification
• Monitoring and inspection technologies – process health monitoring, in-situ process monitoring, and ex-situ inspection (NDE)

Coatings and corrosion technologies continue to evolve with the development of new materials and processes. Adding to these challenges are the effects of new environments and the need to understand the effects of these environments to complex systems. The onset of new additively manufactured materials enhances these challenges. The need to fully understand the effects of corrosion and the needs for advancements in coating technologies has been around for years and will continue to develop.

Key topics to be covered include:

• Corrosion Prevention and Control Strategies
• Environmental effects (e.g. corrosion fatigue and environmentally assisted cracking)
• Corrosion modeling
• Coating development and testing

Composites are the materials of the future for numerous industries, offering exceptional strength, lightweight properties, and versatility in applications ranging from aerospace and automotive to construction and renewable energy. This session will provide a comprehensive exploration into the latest developments, emerging trends, and cutting-edge advancements in composites manufacturing and materials.

Key topics to be covered include:

• Advanced Composite Manufacturing Techniques
• Novel Composite Materials and Nanocomposites
• Composite Applications in Aerospace, Automotive, Energy, and more
• Advances in Composite Testing, Characterization, and Simulation
• Sustainability and Recycling of Composite Materials

The power of digital manufacturing is advancing innovation and optimization enabling organizations to create virtual imitations of physical assets, processes, and systems, revolutionizing the way we design, produce, monitor, and optimize complex operations. This session will provide a platform to explore how today’s manufacturing digital transformation and digital twins are bridging the gap between virtual and physical realities.

Key topics to be covered include:

• Digital Transformation in Manufacturing: Strategies, Challenges, and Success Stories
• Digital Twins: Concepts, Real-world case studies, Qualification and Certification
• Advanced Simulation and Modeling for Digital Twins
• Leveraging Industry 4.0 technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT)
• Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Analytics, and VR/AR/MR capabilities

The broader range of high-value systems and transportation destinations, and inherent challenges therein, necessitates the development of new materials and processes, which can combine robust reliability and operability while matching or exceeding the capabilities of heritage aerospace materials solutions. These approaches are cross-cutting and affect all components of crewed and un-crewed spacecraft architectures, ranging from advanced superalloy compositions to gradient materials systems, to computational materials science-driven solutions to process and materials development. Determine how emerging materials and processes can relate to pressing needs across an array of mission destinations to solve pressing issues facing the global community.

Key topics to be covered include:

• Emerging Materials Trends
• Application of Computational Materials Science
• High-Entropy Alloys; Green Materials & Processes
• Re-usability in Design

Join us for an extraordinary exploration into the fascinating realm of in-space manufacturing at our groundbreaking conference. In recent years, space exploration has taken remarkable strides, and in-space manufacturing has emerged as a pivotal technology that promises to redefine the possibilities of space missions. In-space manufacturing represents a paradigm shift in how we approach space exploration. Instead of relying solely on launching pre-built structures and equipment from Earth, we now have the capability to manufacture complex components and structures in space itself, leveraging available resources and reducing dependence on Earth's logistics.

Key topics to be covered include:

• In-space 3D printing: Unleashing the Power of Additive Manufacturing
• In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU): Mining the Moon, Mars, and Beyond
• Space Infrastructure Construction/Manufacturing
• Satellite and Spacecraft Manufacturing
• Robotics and Automation: Enabling Manufacturing in Zero-Gravity Environments
• Other Considerations: Space Science and Environmental Effects; Standards R&D

This topic covers new manufacturing concepts, processes & innovations that are either cross-cutting in nature or genuinely novel and not within the established topics. The Manufacturing Innovation technical sessions will offer more collaboration discussion & networking to identify where potential collaborations can be created. A panel is also being planned for identifying & sharing common manufacturing challenges, that need genuine innovation to resolve them.

This session will provide a platform for exploration of the latest advancements in semiconductor manufacturing technology. Semiconductor manufacturing plays a pivotal role in the production of integrated circuits, microprocessors, memory devices, and other electronic components that power our modern world. What are the research and development activities needed to accelerate innovation in semiconductor technology?

Key topics to be covered include:

• Designing, prototyping, and piloting semiconductor technology
• Advanced Semiconductor Materials and Devices
• Emerging Technologies for Semiconductor Manufacturing
• Process Innovations for Yield Enhancement and Defect Reduction
• Advanced Packaging and Interconnect Technologies
• Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment and Automation
• Workforce Development, Supply Chains, and Environmental Sustainability

Smart materials are designed to modify their physical properties in response to external stimuli. When the proper external stimulus is applied (for example heat), the smart material will respond in a predetermined way by changing specific properties (for example shape). External stimulus may include mechanical stress, temperate, electrical energy, radiation, etc. And designed responses may include changes to electrical, chemical, thermal, mechanical, or magnetic properties.

A few examples of smart materials include:

Shape memory materials / Piezoelectric materials / Magnetostrictive materials / Chromoactive materials / Photoactive materials

Key topics to be covered include:

• Sensors or actuators which are either embedded within or inherent to the design of a structural material element
• Control capabilities which permit the behavior of the material to respond to an external stimulus according to a prescribed functional relationship or control algorithm
• Integrated smart material systems comprising actuators, sensors, and a control system
• Potential applications in industrial, military, commercial, medical, automotive, and aerospace fields
• Technologies encompassed by smart materials - including electrorheological fluids, fibrous materials, ceramics, photonics, microsensors, signal processing, piezoelectrics, dielectric elastomers, biomimetics, shape memory alloys, neural networks, nanotechnology, conducting and chiral polymers, liquid crystals, microactuators, biotechnology and information processing

Advances in welding and joining technologies play a vital role in manufacturing, construction, and a wide range of industries, enabling the fabrication of complex structures, enhancing product performance, and ensuring structural integrity. This session will provide a platform for sharing discoveries that are reshaping the way we fabricate, connect, and assemble structures in this rapidly evolving domain.

Key topics to be covered include:

• Novel welding techniques and processes
• Welding and joining for lightweight materials and dissimilar materials
• Hybrid manufacturing/welding approaches combining additive, joining, and subtractive techniques
• Automation and robotics in welding and joining Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and quality assurance in welding and joining