America Makes to co-locate Spring Technical Review & Exchange with RAPID + TCT 2025
October 24, 2024
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and America Makes have announced plans to co-locate America Makes’ Spring Technical Review and Exchange (TRX) with the Rapid + TCT 2025 event, taking place April 8-10, 2025, in Detroit, Michigan.
“America Makes is excited and proud that our partnership with SME allows us the opportunity to host our TRX event alongside RAPID + TCT 2025,” said John Wilczynski, Executive Director, America Makes. “AM is not only vital for revolutionising traditional manufacturing but also essential for strengthening US global manufacturing competitiveness and safeguarding national security. Together, we must drive its adoption to secure a stronger future.”
Founded in 2012 as the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) national manufacturing innovation institute for AM as the first of Manufacturing USA’s national network of institutes, America Makes has been an active participant of RAPID + TCT since 2013.
“I’m delighted America Makes’ TRX will be hosted alongside this premier AM event,” added Steve Prahalis, chief operating officer at SME. “Not only will TRX give key stakeholders an opportunity to be part of the experience, this strategic partnership will also showcase the ability of both organisations to collaborate and convene the AM ecosystem under one roof. The vibrant AM community will continue to expand through the exchange of ideas and exposure to unique, industry-wide applications of this transformational technology.”
America Makes’ presence and support at Rapid +TCT and the co-location of SAE International’s World Congress Experience (WCX) and SME’s AeroDef Manufacturing event is hoped to provide attendees with a comprehensive view of Additive Manufacturing’s use cases in aerospace, defence ground & sea systems, mobility and consumer goods.
The Detroit location also means that the events will take place amid Michigan’s expansive defence industry. Per the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, this sector is responsible for $30 billion in economic activity, with more than 166,000 jobs and nearly 4,000 Michigan businesses serving the defence, aerospace and homeland security industries
