AMUG 2026 puts the spotlight on the people and partnerships driving additive manufacturing forward. According to AMUG’s pre-conference overview, this year’s agenda reflects cross-industry collaboration, hands-on learning, and tangible business impact.
One of the keynotes will feature Ronen Hadar, who leads additive manufacturing at The LEGO Group. His talk will offer insight into how a major global brand uses additive technologies. Another anticipated session on Tuesday will feature Steve Fournier of General Atomics and Scott Sawyer, Director of Aerospace and Defense programs at Divergent, who will explain how a connection they made at AMUG turned into a partnership between aerospace and automotive in their joint keynote titled “From Hypercars to Defense Drones: How Two Major Industry Innovators Started Their Partnership Journey at AMUG.” The keynote highlights one of AMUG’s biggest strengths, bringing together users from different industries who might not otherwise cross paths. Fournier and Sawyer plan to explore a larger question that resonates across the industry: how effective is knowledge transfer at conferences, and what does it actually translate to in terms of growth, differentiated capabilities, and revenue?
AMUG recently confirmed this session as its second official keynote for 2026, pointing to how central this collaboration story is to the conference theme. Both General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Divergent have independently been recognized as power users of additive manufacturing, one in defense aerospace and the other in automotive hypercars. The partnership itself traces back to a 2022 AMUG connection following a keynote by Divergent founder Kevin Czinger. Now, Fournier and Sawyer will outline what changed once those parallel expertise tracks intersected, offering a concrete example of how industry conversations can evolve into measurable industrial outcomes, including new capabilities, hardware development, and business transformation.
Another key moment will be during the Innovators Showcase on Wednesday, March 18, when Max Lobovsky, co-founder and CEO of Formlabs, receives the 2026 Innovators Award. Lobovsky has been a key figure in expanding access to professional-grade desktop stereolithography systems, helping bring industrial-quality 3D printing into a wider range of businesses, labs, and classrooms. On stage, he’ll discuss the company’s growth and what’s next for affordable, professional 3D printing.
2025 DINO Award recipients (from left): Patrick Gannon, Brennon White, Dallas Martin, Amy Alexander, Ryan Kircher, and Dan Braley. Image courtesy of AMUG.
Beyond the keynotes and awards, the technical sessions show where the industry is going. One topic is multi-sensor in situ monitoring for part qualification, which many see as key to speeding up certification in aerospace and defense. Another session looks at how AI is being used for reverse engineering and qualification, helping companies validate designs faster and move through approval processes more efficiently. The program will also cover automotive production, including how manufacturers are scaling up 3D printed heat exchangers for hypercars.
Healthcare will also be part of the program, including a discussion on whether bioprinting could play a bigger role in medical manufacturing. At the same time, sessions on America Makes projects will share practical lessons from working on some of the defense industry’s toughest additive challenges.
AMUG also continues to focus on hands-on learning. Workshops that combine silicone molds, casting, and 3D printing show how additive manufacturing can work alongside traditional manufacturing. For many attendees, these sessions offer practical ideas they can take back home and apply right away.
Meanwhile, the Start-up Launchpad program highlights early-stage companies working on new additive technologies and applications. It gives them space to present their ideas and connect directly with experienced users and industry leaders.
Overall, the AMUG 2026 program reflects an industry that is growing and becoming more practical. Topics like certification, AI, production scale, and cross-industry collaboration are all on the schedule. But at its core, the event is still about people coming together to share their experiences.
As AMUG 2026 approaches, the program reflects how the conference has evolved over the years. What began as a gathering of early adopters has grown into a working forum for experienced users focused on qualification, scale, and real production results. This year’s agenda suggests that additive manufacturing is entering a more disciplined phase, one defined by collaboration, measurable outcomes, and practical implementation.
AMUG 2026 runs March 15–19, and 3DPrint.com’s Managing Editor Sarah Saunders will be onsite to follow the conversations and developments firsthand.