The Balkan conference Additive Days presented innovative applications of 3D printing

The annual 3D printing conference and exhibition Additive Days 2020, organized by the Bulgarian company B2N, took place from 20 to 23 February this year in the “John Atanasov” forum in Sofia Tech Park. Under the motto “Beyond the hype”, the large-scale international event brought together industry professionals, visitors and lectors from countries all over the world, including Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Serbia, Albania, Switzerland, etc.

Among the highlights in the event programme was a lecture dedicated to the applications of 3D printing in the automotive industry. It was presented by the Dutch expert in the field Jesper Ronde. The main topics of Additive Days 2020 also covered applications of 3D printing in medicine, 3D printing in architecture, educational approaches in this area and other interesting themes.

During the 3D printing days a number of thematic workshops were held, among which were “Reverse engineering for beginners” and “Digital jewelry for beginners”. There were also special children 3D printing workshops, focused on applications of the technology in architecture, 3D design, 3D printing in education, vacuum forming, 3D printing machines, etc.

Conference aim and scope

Additive Days 2020 included a total of 4 thematic modules and the conference part was held on 21 and 22 February. Within the conference leading speakers from around the world introduced the audience to various aspects of 3D printing – from applications in medicine to future trends and benefits for sustainable development. Among the prominent experts who took part in the conference was Alkaios Bournias Varotsis – a leading expert in 3D printing development. He participated in the forum with a panel on current trends in additive manufacturing.

“The purpose of the event was to present the best and the latest novelties in the world of 3D technologies, to give equal access to innovation to all the interested individuals and to pave the way for technology in our market. The conference was aimed both at the business and the scientific and educational backgrounds in order to create collaborative environments and to allow the mass audience answer all the questions related to the applications and benefits of technology”, the organizers from B2N commented.

Major topics of interest

Besides the special workshops, which allowed all the interested visitors to get a feel of the 3D printing technology, Additive Days 2020 also presented innovative projects in the field from all over the world.

The topics of discussion included: 3D printing in surgery, successful applications of 3D printing in the medicine, the automotive industry and the food sector, an overview of 3D printing in Bulgaria. “How to invent the future NOW?”, “Successful 3D printing business models” and “Global trends in additive manufacturing” were also among the numerous presentations, included in the forum programme.

Albanian experts in the field of additive manufacturing presented the country’s experience in this industry and showed how small enterprises could benefit from 3D technologies. Their presentation also focused on the educational approach to 3D technology in Albania.

Other discussion topics were: simplifying the process of 3D printing across the cloud, large-scale 3D printing (concrete and polymers), parametric design for 3D printing in architecture, 3D printers in response to human needs, 3D scanning applications, etc.