Are you familiar with the “cherry rule”? It states that, when you learn the meaning of a word, you will likely hear that word being used shortly thereafter. Very likely, it is no coincidence; it is just that you would not have noticed it if you had not learned what it meant. So, I might not have noticed a LinkedIn post on Interacción 3D, the first 3D print show in Argentina, if I had not planned on visiting Argentina and South America next year.
Fatalist as I am, I was a little disappointed when I discovered that the show is not taking place early next year, when I intend to go there, but now, on November 7th and 8th; however, knowing about it, and learning that it has already come to its 3rd edition, enabled me to rapidly catch myself up on local 3D printing companies that I could plan to visit.
The show has been organised by I3D (I3D Revista), the first Spanish language 3D printing mag, since 2014. It is also supported by the Festival of Visual Arts of San Martin Cultural Center in Buenos Aires, by the Embassy of Spain, and the Network of Cultural Centers of Spain in Buenos Aires. In just a short time, it has managed to become an independent national event, which will be held in the Cordoba Cultural Center in May 2015. As Mariano Pedernera, one of the show’s organisers, explained to me, “In just a little time, it became a specialized event for the industry, companies, brands and consumers, achieving a reputation for quality and high value.”
Structured to be much more than just a trade show, the goal of Interaction 3D is to bring together the major players in the entire ecosystem of 3D printing. From engineers and product designers, to brands and manufacturers, the show explores how 3D printing is used, inviting prospective clients to interact directly with companies in showrooms and hear a number of high profile speakers, including my friend Guido Palazzo, who confirmed he will be one of the keynote speakers as a 3D printing materials expert.
“Regardless of the business, Interaction 3D offers incredible opportunities for sales and the opportunity to work and be part of the global community of 3D printing, building inter-industry relationships that strengthen businesses as they grow,” Mariano explained, adding that the show also wants to be a moment for evaluation and understanding of the industry. “From an industrial large-scale event, to Maker-type events, it analyzes how 3D printing is prospering, and more importantly, what scenes are bound to grow,” he said.
Just browsing the Interacción 3D website it appears quite clear that many high profile companies, both national and international, are going to be present. The show follows along many other similar national and international events that have been going on over the past three years as yet another confirmation that this is truly a globally distributed industry.