Events

Successful 3D Week

From 9 to 13 September the focus was on 3D printing

The first themed week dedicated to additive manufacturing in the area of technology and medicine took place at Lübeck Campus. After the welcoming address by Dr. Frank Schröder-Oeynhausen (Head of the Technical Centre of Lübeck (TZL)) and Prof. Dr. Thorsten Buzug (Director of the Institute of Medical Engineering at the University of Lübeck), the themed week was officially opened by the Mayor of Lübeck Jan Lindenau and Johannes Hartwig (Department Head at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport, Employment, Technology and Tourism of Schleswig-Holstein). The mayor praised the initiative. Increasing digitalisation will bring innovative 3D printing technology closer to Lübeck and into the realm of medium-sized companies.

Big opportunities

On Wednesday the focus was on such companies, as 3D printing offers particularly big opportunities to SMEs, allowing individualised products to also be manufactured in small quantities. But what exactly can 3D printing offer a company? What manufacturing processes exist and what is the current state of the technology? At the SME symposium, experts drew on practical examples to inform companies about the use of 3D printing in their business. Particular topics of focus included the opportunities and risks of metallic 3D printing, the use of plastic 3D printing for SMEs, as well as current possible areas of application.

The illustrious speakers and renowned exhibitors included representatives from Siemens, SLM, Dräger, iGo3D, Materialise, DMRC, Fehrmann Alloys, Rolf Lenk, Schaeffler, Mark3D, 3YOURMIND and EOS. The FabLab Lübeck and TZL Academy also had stands at the event to provide information on their activities and workshops for companies.

Printing artificial organs

The international conference Additive Manufacturing Meets Medicine (AMMM) took place on Thursday and Friday. 3D printing is of particular importance in medicine. The topics ranged from new processes for manufacturing prosthetic devices and implants, and the printing of computed tomography data for preparing operations, to the creation of skin and cell tissue, and printing artificial organs. The AMMM conference brought engineers, scientists and technicians together with doctors and companies to discuss the latest achievements and developments in 3D printing for the medical field. With 80 contributions from 14 countries, the first AMMM was already the largest discussion forum on 3D printing.

The 3D Week was complemented by practical training courses on topics relating to additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies. Uses and approval for individualised medical products, regulatory requirements, and a compact course were all part of the programme.

The 3D Week was organised by Infinite Science GmbH under the guidance of the University of Lübeck and the Technological Centre of Lübeck (TZL).