RAPID + TCT, a North America-based additive manufacturing (AM) and industrial 3D printing event, will bring the global AM community to Boston, April 13-16, 2026.
“As additive manufacturing has moved beyond experimentation and into full-scale production, RAPID + TCT is responding with a strategically restructured conference featuring highly specialized, industry-specific tracks,” says Brett Conner, chief manufacturing officer at SME.
The expanded program is built to address the real-world challenges manufacturers face—certification, economic viability, scale, and the integration of digital and physical workflows.
This year’s conference programming spans nine focused tracks: Aerospace, Defense, Consumer Products, Energy, Healthcare, Transportation, Material Development, Process Development.
New for 2026 is the ninth track, Essential AM, which reflects a transformation in how additive manufacturing knowledge is shared and applied. This track spotlights the critical elements required to support and optimize the use of these technologies that translate across sectors.
Ubiquity of AI
The impact of AI across the additive manufacturing workflow will be reflected throughout the 2026 conference program. Featured sessions include:
- Siemens is presenting on “Geometric Deep Learning,” showing how physics-based data can drive real-time predictions of post-process sintering for parts made by binder jetting AM — using AI to unlock production opportunities for binder jetting AM through reduction in development and qualification cycles and increased product yield.
- Synera will showcase “Agentic AI,” which shifts teams from fixed, rule-based design steps to smarter, connected, automated workflows—linking engineering tools and systems with engineers’ expertise, without requiring coding skills.
- Infinitform will demonstrate how it AI-powered design platform accelerates aerospace component development by automating design optimization and manufacturability analysis.
From Prototype to Production at Scale
The program also highlights how AM is being deployed at production scale, with speakers sharing lessons learned from real-world applications:
- General Motors will present insights from 10,000-plus automotive AM applications, offering a blueprint for scaling from pilot projects to the assembly line.
- Stratasys will discuss enterprise-wide AM deployment at Delta Air Lines, highlighting AM’s role in operational efficiency.
- MELD will detail aluminum 7075 additive friction stir deposition for defense forging applications.
Human Impact of AM
RAPID + TCT 2026 also highlights the growing role of AM in sustainability and human-centered innovation:
- Western University and ReEarthMater will show how we can engineer waste streams into printable feedstocks, closing the loop on manufacturing waste.
- Boston Children’s Hospital will share how they are leveraging digital twins and 3D printing to develop custom pediatric surgical simulators.
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center will offer a retrospective on 25 years of medical 3D printing in the military
Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.
