First 'I AM Tech - Africa Forum and Exhibition' to lead the way into a 3D future

The inaugural Innovative Additive Manufacturing Technology - Africa Forum & Exhibition, to be held at the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) in Sandton on 30 October 2019, provides African companies who are willing to innovatively rethink their operations with the ideal opportunity to experience the endless opportunities 3D printing provides their business.

Formally known as Additive Manufacturing, 3D printing is undoubtedly the future and I AM Tech - Africa is the forum where leading experts in this field will share how 3D technology will impact industries and help companies prepare for the future.

With billions of people globally homeless at the moment, 3D prototypes have seen fully-fledged homes printed in less than 24 hours in the United States, as an indication of possible solutions 3D printing can provide for some of the world’s biggest problems.

The University of Pretoria (UP) recently pioneered the world’s first middle ear transplant, using 3D-printed middle ear bones, which may be the answer to conductive hearing loss, a middle ear problem caused by congenital birth defects, infection, trauma or metabolic diseases.

This year, the first I AM Tech – Africa Forum will also be an official side event of the Southern Africa Europe CEO Dialogue, a pre-eminent platform for investment between some of Southern Africa and Europe’s leading companies and business leaders, taking place at the Maslow Hotel in Sandton on October 29 and 30.

The I AM Tech – Africa Forum & Exhibition will become an annual event showcasing the latest innovative additive manufacturing and technological advances impacting business today and into the future.

It will be attended by high-level business executives and Heads of Manufacturing, Procurement, Maintenance, Information Technology, and Research & Development interested in adopting innovative 3D-Printing technologies. Various individual technology enthusiasts, industry associations, universities, and other institutions within the additive manufacturing value chain will also be in attendance.

Some of the confirmed speakers who will participate at the I AM Tech – Africa forum include Dr Andre van der Merwe (President of the Rapid Product Development Association of South Africa), Dr Deon de Beer (Chair in Innovation and Commercialisation of Additive Manufacturing at CUT), Dr Markus Thill (President of African Region – Bosch), David Bullock (Rapid 3D), Malika Khodja (MD of TiziriTech and Representative for Women in 3D-Printing in Africa), Jared de Waal (Business Director at Solid Edge Technologies), Dr Gerrie Booysen (Director at the Centre of Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing at CUT), Beeuwen Gerryts (Department of Science & Technology), Heinrich van der Merwe (Operations Manager at VUT’s Southern Gauteng Science and Technology Park), David Sekgororwana (Senior Industry Development Manager at IDC) and Dr Lerato Tshabalala (CSIR Aeroswift).

“The I AM Tech – Africa Forum and Exhibition will introduce a path towards adopting 3D-Printing technologies that will save time and money, ultimately increasing competitiveness” says I AM Tech - Africa founder Nico de Kock.

The one-day forum consists of four plenary sessions followed by an exhibition and networking reception.

The full programme for the I AM Tech – Africa Forum & Exhibition is as follows:

IDC, SANDTON, 30 OCTOBER

9am - 11am
SESSION 1

• Welcome Address
  
• South Africa's focus on Industry 4.0 and Additive Manufacturing Strategy
  
• Companies commercial readiness for Industry 4.0 and global competitiveness
  
• Additive Manufacturing in South Africa: Current landscape and future outlook
  
• The Additive Manufacturing Value Chain
  
• Panel Discussion

11.30am - 1.15pm
SESSION 2

• Benefits from industrial adoption of Additive Manufacturing
  
• International cases from various industries
  
• South African cases from various industries
  
• Question & Answer Session

2pm - 3.30pm
SESSION 3

• An overview of Additive Manufacturing capabilities in South Africa
  
• Commercial readiness: Does Additive Manufacturing make financial sense?
  
• What leading companies are already doing related to AM
  
• Panel discussion

4pm - 5.30pm
SESSION 4

• Where to start – Lowering the barrier to entry: Adopting 3D-Printing into your Business
  
• The Institute of 3D-Printing
  
• Support Programmes for the industry
  
• Financing your industrial 3D-Printer
  
• Question & Answer Session
  
• Closing Remarks - South Africa has a great Additive Manufacturing story to tell!

5.30pm - 9pm
EXHIBITION & NETWORKING EVENT

Download the I AM Tech - Africa Forum and Exhibition brochure here.

Individual and group bookings can be done by visiting www.iamtech.africa or contacting 012 683 8881 for more information.