Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) , a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization supporting industrial additive manufacturing users through education and collaboration, has confirmed Ronen Hadar, Senior Director and Head of Additive Design & Manufacturing at The LEGO Group, as a keynote speaker for its 2026 AMUG Conference in Reno, Nevada, scheduled for March 15–19, 2026. Hadar will address attendees on Thursday, March 19, presenting “Additive Manufacturing at Scale in Consumer Goods: The Case of The LEGO Group.” His talk will detail how the Danish toy manufacturer—known for its high-volume, low-cost plastic brick production—is integrating additive manufacturing into its industrial processes to deliver new design flexibility and consumer value.
Hadar will outline the company’s multi-year development program to adapt additive manufacturing for mass production, balancing speed, precision, and material consistency. This work led to LEGO’s first retail set featuring a 3D printed element, expanding on earlier limited-edition releases that tested printed parts with select customers. By co-developing specialized production technologies and investing in digital systems and employee training, the Danish firm aims to achieve cost-efficient scalability while maintaining its longstanding quality standards. His presentation will also address challenges in bringing advanced manufacturing into an industry where tolerances and repeatability define product identity.
Alex Roschli, AMUG’s Director of Education and Conference, said the company’s approach illustrates how additive manufacturing can bridge creativity and engineering. “Additive manufacturing is reshaping the manufacturing landscape, and The LEGO Group is a great example of how these innovations can inspire both play and learning,” Roschli noted. “With Ronen Hadar’s keynote, our conference attendees will receive creative stimulus to push the technology further.” His remarks align with AMUG’s mission to connect users advancing additive manufacturing through practical experience and technical knowledge sharing.
Over more than fifteen years, Hadar has guided LEGO’s exploration of 3D printing—from early prototyping experiments to recent large-scale manufacturing trials. His work links technology development with sustainability goals, design innovation, and organizational culture. Holding a PhD in design and product development focused on manufacturing for the future, he has served in roles spanning technology scouting, innovation management, and product development leadership. His experience reflects the manufacturer’s emphasis on combining research-driven engineering with pragmatic production outcomes.
Hadar’s keynote joins a week-long conference program that includes a panel with AMUG’s Diamond Sponsors on Monday, March 16, a keynote presentation on Tuesday, March 17, and the Innovators Showcase on Wednesday, March 18. Each morning presentation will set the tone for nearly 150 sessions, including technical talks, workshops, and hands-on training. Conference programming covers topics from additive process fundamentals to industrial-scale applications and business strategy. Details and registration for the 2026 event are available at www.amug.com.
From LEGO’s additive breakthrough to AMUG’s expanded 2026 program
LEGO’s move toward additive manufacturing gained public visibility in 2025 with the release of the Icons Holiday Express Train (10361), its first retail set to include a 3D printed element. The miniature locomotive, developed by the company’s Additive Design and Manufacturing team in Billund, Denmark, represented nearly a decade of research into adapting 3D printing for industrial-scale production. Senior Director Ronen Hadar described the breakthrough as comparable to the company’s adoption of injection moulding in the late 1940s. Engineers created in-house systems based on EOS P 500 polymer 3D printers, refining parameters for material behaviour, colour consistency, and surface finish. Although injection moulding remains the core of LEGO’s production, 3D printing is expanding design possibilities by enabling geometries previously impossible with traditional tooling. The company’s long-term goal is to make 3D printed elements indistinguishable from moulded parts in quality and function.
For its part, the 2026 AMUG Conference will build on the group’s educational legacy while introducing several new features shaped by member feedback. Registration opened earlier this year for the five-day event at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, marking a move from Chicago and signalling a refreshed approach to technical training. The program includes 14 topical tracks organized by application and vertical market, alongside new Training Labs and expanded hands-on workshops hosted by industry sponsors. Returning features include the AMUGexpo, the Innovators Showcase, and the New Member Welcome, which introduces first-time participants to the community. According to AMUG President Shannon VanDeren, these updates are designed to combine the conference’s established strengths with a stronger emphasis on practical learning and collaboration across the additive manufacturing ecosystem.
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Featured photo shows Ronen Hadar, Senior Director and Head of Additive Design & Manufacturing at The LEGO Group. Photo via AMUG.
