Formnext 2025, the leading international exhibition for additive manufacturing (AM), will return to Frankfurt from 18–21 November with a renewed focus on commercially viable AM applications across industrial sectors.
Organized by Mesago Messe Frankfurt, the event aims to support the industrialization of AM by showcasing how innovative production methods are being successfully implemented in industries such as mechanical and plant engineering. Formnext’s honorary sponsor, the Additive Manufacturing Working Group of the VDMA, will again feature prominently, contributing practical use cases that demonstrate how AM can address challenges like resource efficiency, functional integration, and advanced component design.
New stage programs and extended call for speakers
This year’s event will expand its popular stage program across three platforms, including the Application Stage and Industry Stage, with a newly extended call for speakers open until 31 July. These stages will present practical case studies, encourage cross-sector dialogue, and address broader topics including sustainability, digitalization, and AI in AM.
“With the increasing industrialization of Additive Manufacturing, commercially successful applications are growing in number and in relevance,” said Christoph Stüker, Vice President Formnext at Mesago Messe Frankfurt. “Sharing these use cases is essential to establish AM in other sectors and develop new solutions for specific challenges.”
Raising visibility for AM’s economic potential
Formnext and the VDMA are continuing their partnership to improve industry awareness around AM’s commercial viability. In line with this, the VDMA will host a Show Case Area under the theme “Profitable Industrial Solutions,” highlighting how AM technologies are being leveraged for tangible business outcomes.
“Expert networks such as the VDMA and high-profile platforms such as Formnext must work together efficiently,” added Dr. Markus Heering, Managing Director of the VDMA AM Association. “Only then can we create the momentum needed for broader industrial adoption.”
Throughout the year, Formnext also runs additional initiatives to foster knowledge exchange, networking, and insight-sharing within the global AM community.
Formnext 2024 set the stage with production-ready 3D printers and integrated workflows
Formnext 2025 builds on the momentum of last year’s event, which featured a surge of industrial AM hardware and software announcements aimed at production-scale deployment. In 2024, companies like EOS, Nexa3D, and 3D Systems introduced next-generation machines designed to optimize throughput, part quality, and automation.
Notable innovations were introduced, like HP’s 3D Build Optimizer software, an automated tool aimed at reducing build costs and improving part quality through intelligent nesting and packing algorithms, boosting printer utilization by over 20 % while stabilizing output consistency.
Materialise unveiled critical updates to its Magics software, including support for automated scripting workflows and new orientation comparison tools targeted at lowering build time, minimizing support usage, and enhancing surface quality across LPBF metal prints. And Roboze debuted its SlizeR slicing platform, which uses optimized print parameters and predictive trajectories to improve repeatability, part quality, and production efficiency while reducing setup times and manual intervention
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Featured image shows a stainless steel clamp set on a model of an exposure drum of the XStream thermal exposure system from Krause Biagosch. Image via Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH.
