On July 10, the Additive Manufacturing Advantage: Aerospace, Space & Defence (#AMAA2025) virtual summit will bring together global leaders to demonstrate how AM technologies can meet urgent mission demands, harden supply chains, and reduce production lead times in an increasingly contested geopolitical landscape.

The one-day event features experts from NASA, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the UK Ministry of Defence, Northrop Grumman, Safran, HP, Lincoln Electric, and others. Sessions will cover propulsion systems, satellite hardware, UAVs, in-situ manufacturing, and AI-enabled advanced manufacturing, all against the backdrop of increased defense investment and growing pressure to domesticize critical manufacturing.

Program Highlights: Mission-Critical AM

NASA’s Paul Gradl will headline with “Pushing the Envelope: NASA’s Frontline Applications of Metal Additive Manufacturing”, exploring how the agency uses AM for rocket engines and launch-critical structures.

Mark Douglass of Lincoln Electric will deliver insights on the deployment of Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing.

Richard Hamber of the UK Ministry of Defence will discuss “Accelerating the Adoption of AM” within national defense logistics.

Simon McCaldin of Authentise presents how AI-generated technical data packages are transforming supply chain insertion, making AM faster, safer, and certifiable.

Matthias Schmidt-Lehr, Managing Partner at AMPOWER, delivers a data-rich overview: “Additive Manufacturing in Aerospace in Numbers.”

Gino Balistreri (HP) and Robert Miller (The Eye Above) will reveal breakthroughs in AM-enhanced UAV design, reducing weight while increasing flight time and payload capability.

Ryan Watkins from NASA JPL will present on “Crushable Lattices for Space Exploration”, a novel approach to structural energy absorption in extraterrestrial missions.

Dan Braley (Precision Additive) joins a panel with Len Pannett, Bill Alderman, and others on supply chain sovereignty, exploring AM’s role in strategic stockpiles and resilient logistics.

David Barnhart of Arkisys will present with a provocative session: “Additive as the Bridge Between Earth-Based and Space-Based Manufacturing.”

Industry ROI and Readiness

Speakers from Safran, Northrop Grumman, and NIWC Pacific will unpack how leading firms are moving beyond prototyping to production, driving real return on investment through AM. Sessions will spotlight:

Weight savings of up to 30% using design-for-AM techniques.

Near-complete elimination of multi-part assemblies.

Field-deployable AM systems capable of reducing spare part logistics by weeks.

Progress toward Standards in Metal Additive Manufacturing.

New Thinking, New Standards

Attendees will also explore emerging frontiers:

Communicating AM value to procurement stakeholders (Alison Wyrick Mendoza, Outlook Lab)

Barriers to polymer AM scale-up (Leif Tiltins, AON3D)

AM developments in Nadcap aerospace accreditation (Richard Freeman, PRI)

Strategic insights from Wohlers Associates / ASTM  (Scott Sevcik)

Registration: Final Spots Available

Additive Manufacturing Advantage: Aerospace, Space & Defense is free to attend for qualified professionals. To register and view the full program, visit:

https://www.airmeet.com/e/17dc5980-4537-11f0-adee-6bf103f2628d

AMAA is hosted by 3D Printing Industry