Results of 3D Print Expo 2016: how Moscow turned into the capital of 3D printing

On November 17-18, Sokolniki ECC hosted the IV international exhibition, 3D Print Expo 2016, where one presented the latest additive technology achievements.

amount of attendees and participants has increased twice compared with the previous year, which testifies of growing interest to 3D printing and its application in various areas.

Presentation of the best equipment.

The exhibition involved more than 50 manufacturers and distributors of consumable materials, printers and scanners, as well as presented stands with unique developments in the additive technology industry.

Event was remembered for industry novelties: in particular, unique Drake 3D scanner. Progressive equipment digitizes and reproduces objects of various sizes with maximum accuracy.

of the main exhibitors was the large innovative Russian-made 3D printer called Magnum 3D. This equipment has heated 1400х1200 operation desk, fully enclosed body and allows to set up to six extruders and additional details.

Shining 3D brought to the event: Einstart FDM printer, new DLP/SLA printer, Autoscan DSX and iScan scanners (functional dental 3D scanners), as well as Einscan 3D scanner models.

attendees’ attention was drawn by construction 3D printer made by EcoForm 3D, quality 3D printers for education and production from Moscow technology factory, as well as cross functional X-RAY photopolymer from i-Coatings.

The following companies presented their products at the exhibition: UnionTech, Ostec, Hover 3D, SIUSystem, Digispace, MyDent24, BQ, 3DQuality, 3Dtool, IGo3D, NPF Elektroprivod LLC, FDplast, UniPET, i-Coatings, ESUN & 3DPrintech, Filamentarno!, Print Product, and others.

Participation in 3D Print Expo 2016 has already become a tradition for many of these companies.

Capacity crowd at industry conference

The first conference day included a round table called “Experience and application of additive technologies in industries” led by Evgeniy Molchanov, nuclear cluster project manager at Skolkovo. Experts discussed three important issues:

• Main event of this year in the additive technology industry.
• Market consolidation or technological limitations?
• New startups on the market in 2016.
• The best industry representatives spoke within the conference:

- Dr. Lionel T Dean (Future Factories Studio) told about generative design and how to build a strategy of its implementation;

- Anton Bolshakov (Ostec Corporate Group) revealed key elements of the concept of “Industry 4.0”;

- Roman Gorbatov (Additive Technologies Laboratory, Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics of Public Health Ministry of the Russian Federation) revealed prospects of additive technologies application in medicine.

Bizzotto, Anna Chen-Iun-Tai and Dieter Ghysbrecht told about new 3D technology opportunities, opening for human species.

Within two days, around 20 speakers from different countries spoke at the conference.

Avenue of startups, workshops and varied show program

year, 3D Print Expo had a separate zone for startups. The fair of ideas involved more than ten prospective companies that were able to present their projects on the main event stage during Startup Pitch. Startup presentations were attended by leading industry investors, so each participant obtained an expert opinion regarding their own ideas.

two days, lecturers conducted training sessions on working in popular 3D modeling programs and teach attendees to print ready-made items on their own using Magnum 3D printers, as well as to create three-dimensional object models using optical scanner.

This year, organizers decided to make an eye-catching show. Attendees were impressed by:

• Show of Superheroes cosplay contest, involving cosplayers in costumes with 3D printed details.
• A huge map provided by Magnum with big 3D printed replicas of famous sightseeing attractions of the planet. Attendees should have put seven sculptures in their places on the map. At the end of the exhibition, three winners were announced and received these unique replicas.
• Concert using 3D printed acoustic and electric guitars. Blues classic, electronics, surreal jazz, authors’ sets.
• Art gallery, presenting 3D model of Moscow City business center (3D Pechatnik), shoes and handbags in ancient Greece style (3DminiLAB), designer’s dresses (Irina Tosheva and Nikola Kungulovski) and many other 3D printed masterpieces.

The main activity of the show program was drawing of Zenit 3D printer in a quiz style. Artem Sobolev from Krasnodar gave a maximum amount of answers to questions related with 3D printing among all participants, thus he left the exhibition with a new 3D printer.

Traditionally, 3D Print Expo included a high-profile award ceremony of the best 3D printing and scanning industry representatives – 3D Print Awards. Find details about top companies here: https://3d-expo.ru/en/awards

Smile-Expo, event organizer, expresses gratitude to a brilliant sponsor, MZ3D.RU, and to all participants and attendees of the exhibition.

year, the event appeared to be even more large-scale. And it means that the interest to additive technologies is growing and 3D Print Expo 2017 will be even more diversified.