Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG), a nonprofit organization focused on advancing the uses and applications of additive manufacturing technologies, has announced the winners of its 2026 Technical Competition, which recognizes excellence in additive manufacturing applications and finishing techniques. REM Surface Engineering, a company focused on surface engineering and finishing, took top honors in Finishing & Post Processing, while B9Creations, a 3D printer manufacturer, won Advanced Concepts. AMUG members also selected REM Surface Engineering’s submission as the Members’ Choice winner. The competition took place during the AMUG Conference, held March 15–19, 2026, in Reno, Nevada.
Corey Wardrop, chair of the Technical Competition Committee, said this year’s event included several changes. “There were a lot of firsts this year. The categories were modified. The venue was new, as was the Technical Competition space, and many of the entrants were first-time competitors or even first-time AMUG attendees.” Wardrop added, “We’ve come to expect exceptional creativity and expertise in the competition, but equally impressive is the courage and initiative shown by the competitors.” Twelve AMUG DINOs, recognized for tenure and contributions to the organization, served on the judging panel and reviewed all 20 entries.
Joshua Boykin, Ph.D., senior research chemist at REM Surface Engineering, won Finishing & Post Processing with “Breaking the Powder Barrier: Selective Chemical Declogging Enables Truly Free AM Design.” The project presented a production-ready chemical process that selectively removes stubborn, sintered powder from fully enclosed internal passages in metal powder bed fusion components without degrading critical thin-wall geometries. Validated through high-resolution X-ray CT analysis, the work demonstrated near-complete powder removal, preservation of structural integrity, and restoration of functional flow paths in complex TPMS-based heat exchanger architectures. AMUG said the approach addressed one of additive manufacturing’s persistent post-processing limitations and established a scalable pathway for broader adoption across aerospace and industrial sectors. Judges described it as “a great way to evolve the technology and open new applications with a quicker workflow,” “an amazing solution to a problem currently creating a massive roadblock for the adoption of powder metal additive manufacturing,” and a method that would “help reduce scrapped parts and promote new designs that would be too difficult to process using traditional depowdering processes.”
Ethan Hartmann, solutions engineer at B9Creations, won Advanced Concepts with “Additive-Enabled Miniature Silicone Component Manufacturing via Sacrificial Tooling.” His submission demonstrated a workflow for producing true platinum-cure silicone components at the microscale using high-resolution DLP printing and silicone-safe soluble tooling. According to AMUG, the process enabled complex internal geometries and fine features measuring a few hundred microns, capabilities not achievable through traditional molding methods. Hartmann’s work combined commercially available materials with developed print parameters, sacrificial mold design, and silicone processing techniques to achieve consistent mold filling, dimensional control, and repeatable part quality. Judges called it an “innovative approach for being able to make silicone parts for miniature-scale applications,” adding, “Very unique and niche application. Well done” and “Delicate work.”
Second place in Advanced Concepts went to Halil Tekinalp of Oak Ridge National Laboratory for “Multiplexing Extrusion System (MExS): Multi-material AM System for Tailored Hybrid Composites,” followed by Jason Jones of Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies in third for “Seeing Beneath the Surface: Accelerating AM Adoption through In-situ Volumetric Inspection.” Finishing & Post Processing produced a tie for second place. Aaron Sherman of HellermannTyton was recognized for “Pip-Boy 3000 Mk V—Prop Replica from the Fallout TV Series,” and Joe Olguin of Sandia National Laboratories was honored for “Adapting an As-printed LPBF Design for Ultra-Thin Sectioning.” Wardrop said judges had difficulty isolating favorites, reflected in very close scorecard rankings. Boykin and Hartmann, or designated representatives, will receive complimentary admission to the 2027 AMUG Conference, where they will present their projects from the main stage and provide an update after one year.
3D Printing Industry is inviting speakers for its 2026 Additive Manufacturing Applications (AMA) series, covering Energy, Healthcare, Automotive and Mobility, Aerospace, Space and Defense, and Software. Each online event focuses on real production deployments, qualification, and supply chain integration. Practitioners interested in contributing can complete the call for speakers form here.
To stay up to date with the latest 3D printing news, don’t forget to subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter or follow us on LinkedIn.
Explore the full Future of 3D Printing and Executive Survey series from 3D Printing Industry, featuring perspectives from CEOs, engineers, and industry leaders on the industrialization of additive manufacturing, 3D printing industry trends 2026, qualification, supply chains, and additive manufacturing industry analysis.
Featured photo shows Joshua Boykin of REM Surface Engineering. Photo via AMUG.
