The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) has revealed the identity of its keynote speaker and this year’s Innovators Showcase honoree ahead of its annual conference.
At the event, Dr Jonathan Morris, Director of the Mayo Clinic’s 3D Printing Anatomic Modeling Lab, will draw upon his own experiences to deliver a keynote speech on point-of-care production. EOS founder Dr Hans Langer, meanwhile, is set to be honored during the show’s Innovators Showcase, in which he’ll share his thoughts on some of the milestones achieved along his journey to 3D printing success.
Both industry insiders are scheduled to deliver their insights via AMUG’s 2021 conference, which is slated to take place in-person in Orlando, from May 2-6.
“The journeys of both men are fascinating. But more importantly, those in attendance will walk away with valuable insights that assist in advancing additive manufacturing excellence,” said Carl Dekker, President of AMUG. “Having conquered challenging situations, their stories provide insightful guidance for professional development.”
AMUG’s Innovators Showcase
Each year, as part of its prestigious Innovators Showcase, AMUG honors someone that has cultivated the creative ideas which have advanced the 3D printing industry. Past winners include 3D Systems’ Co-founder Chuck Hull, Stratasys Co-founder Scott Crump and SLS inventor Carl Deckard, and this year it’s Langer’s turn to receive the prized gong.
As CEO and chairman of the EOS GROUP, Langer oversees the strategies of multiple subsidiaries under the company’s umbrella, but it wasn’t always that way. Back in 1989, Langer founded EOS as an upstart with a PhD in laser technology from Ludwig-Maximilians University, and a vision for turning CAD data into 3D objects at scale.
Since then, Langer has expanded EOS into one of the world’s leading 3D printing OEMs, making his voice one of the most authoritative in the industry. Speaking last year, Dekker complimented Langer’s wider contribution to additive manufacturing, and said that he would be “an excellent addition” to the award’s list of winners.
“Hans’ journey in additive manufacturing is an interesting tale that begins with him capitalizing on an opportunity created by the possibilities that others had rejected,” said Dekker. “He built on that to bring the world new solutions in SLA, polymer laser sintering and direct-metal laser sintering, and develop an ecosystem of companies supplying end-to-end solutions to industry.”
At the Innovators Showcase on May 5, Langer is set to receive his award as an honored guest during a relaxed interview, where he will answer questions and offer guidance based on his experiences. Sadly, due to COVID-19, Langer will only appear via video link for this year’s show with host Todd Grimm on-stage, but viewers will still be treated to insights from the man behind EOS’ innovation.
Clinical 3D printing insight
Alongside Langer’s insights, AMUG conference attendees will also get the opportunity to learn more about the 3D printing-led research being conducted at the Mayo Clinic. In his speech entitled: “The Rise of Point of Care Manufacturing: 16 years of AM at the Mayo Clinic,” Morris is expected to explore how the lab has managed to integrate 3D printing into its preoperative planning via customized surgical guides.
Morris is a Board-Certified Radiologist, and in his current work, he focuses on the minimally-invasive thermal ablation of tumors. As an expert in the field, Morris is also active in several other research areas, including the R&D of VR/AR for medical education and intraoperative guidance, as well as capital equipment training.
Past AMUG speakers include BMW’s Dr Ing Dominik Rietzel, Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL’s) Lonnie Love and Caterpillar’s Stacey DelVecchio, putting Morris in esteemed company when it comes to delivering the keynote address. Overall, AMUG anticipates hosting over 100 presentations, workshops, and training sessions at its show, with topics ranging from the basics to business operations.
AMUG’s 2021 Conference
Originally slated to take place from March 14-18 2021, AMUG opted to reschedule and relocate its conference to Orlando in December last year due to COVID-19. At the time, the group emphasized that its plans were subject to change, but following its recent scholarship announcements and speaker reveals, the event now appears to be going ahead.
Usually the AMUG conference is one of the highlights of the 3D printing calendar, bringing together high-profile speakers, awards ceremonies and training opportunities for attendees. Given that the 2020 edition was postponed due to the pandemic, this year’s show will now feature the same program of exhibitors that were promised in AMUG’s original format.
Interestingly, unlike most other industry events, AMUG remains scheduled to go-ahead in an in-person format at Florida’s Hilton Orlando hotel. According to the show’s organizers, the facility’s 249,000 sq. ft of floor space is sufficient to accommodate social distancing, while it has also taken the necessary safety steps to make the exhibition a success.
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Featured image shows Dr Jonathan Morris and Dr Hans Langer, who will both speak at AMUG 2021. Photo via AMUG.
