IN(3D)USTRY From Needs to Solutions

by Maria Ustarroz     Posted on July 20, 2016

The first edition of IN(3D)USTRY From Needs to Solutions, has underlined the fact that the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution, starring additive manufacturing and the digitalisation of production processes, is already well underway. The event served to showcase the current applications and future challenges of this technology in fields such as architecture, the automotive industry, health and consumer products, and to facilitate business contacts between companies and end users.

The event, co-organized by Fab City Research Lab, featured more than one hundred prestigious
speakers from a very representative spectrum of the
economic and social ecosystem that has flourished around
the use of 3D printing. The huge potential of the maker
community – the end user – had its own space in the Maker
Pro Area where more than 60 projects were on show: open source projects, Fab Academy Projects, the Made@EU exhibition, etc. While
the trade show area featured the leading manufacturers of
3D printers such as HP, Renishaw, Hofman and Arburg,
amongst others.

Check out all the Maker Pro projects, talks and exhibitors

Several business deals were closed at the event which
underlines the fact that this new trade fair formula, focusing
on 3D applications for industrial sectors, adds even more
value to this market. Many of the exhibitors have already said
they intend to take part in the next edition of the event on
20-22 June 2017 at Fira de Barcelona’s Montjuïc Exhibition
Centre. Of the trade professionals who visited IN(3D)USTRY
From Needs to Solutions, 40% were in senior management
and 60% were purchasing influencers, which further
underlines the importance of the event to the sector.

The director of IN(3D)USTRY From Needs to Solutions,
Miquel Serrano, expressed his satisfaction at the fact that
“over the course of these last three days, Barcelona has
been an international hub of ideas, challenges and
solutions in advanced additive manufacturing’” given
that “at its first edition the event has managed to
highlight the fact that this new manufacturing method is
already a fact of life and that Barcelona has all the
elements necessary to drive forward this new industrial
revolution”’.

The presentations, which attracted big audience numbers
among visitors to the show, coincided in declaring that we
are on the threshold of a new economic model which will
also see the widespread use of open collaboration
programmes.



One of the most remarcable panels was the Architecture & Habitat Panel on June 22nd. Some of the leading personalities in the field discussed about the opportunities of digital technologies. This panel was curated by IAAC Academic Director Areti Markopoulou and joined experts like Nils Fischer (Senior Associate / CODE Computational Design Research Group - Zaha Hadid Architects), Robert Stuart-Smith (Founding director - Robert Stuart-Smith Design), Ferran Figuerola (CEO - Cricursa), José Daniel García (Technology Transfer Director - Acciona), Enrico Dini (Founder - D-Shape) and Dave Pigram (Director - supermanouvre). During the event, there were also panels about other topics as Healthcare, Retail & Consumer Goods and Automotive & Aeronautics.

The vice-president and general manager of HP 3D Printing,
Ramón Pastor, said in his presentation that “3D printing is
transforming industrial production models, heralding a
new Industrial Revolution”, which has led his company to
commit to this technology with the manufacture of its Jet
Fusion system which was given its European launch at the
show. In this respect, Google scientist Vinton Cerf, regarded
as one of the fathers of the internet, highlighted
“collaboration” as one of the keys to this industrial
revolution. “Communities are strengthened through
open-source coding”, he contended.

The event also demonstrated how additive manufacturing is
already revolutionising many industrial sectors. Other
renowned speakers, such as architect Xavier de Kestelier, a
partner at Norman Foster’s practice, asserted that “thanks
to 3D printing we will be able to build on the moon within
around 20 years”, while IKEA designer Mikael Axelsson
envisages “huge opportunities in 3D technology for
designing, customising and repairing products and giving
them a new life”.

The director of Technology Transfer at Acciona, José Daniel García, noted that ‘with additive
manufacturing, if you can design it, you can print it.’
At its first edition, the event enjoyed the support of
Barcelona City Council through Barcelona Activa, the Catalan
Government through the Secretariat for Governance of
Information and Communication Technologies, the
Directorate General for Industry, ACCIÓ and the Zona Franca
Consortium.

Check out In3dustry photo gallery