AAMC2026 – 6th Aerospace Additive Manufacturing Conference, October in Shanghai
The 6th Aerospace Additive Manufacturing Conference (AAMC2026) will take place on October 22–23, 2026, in Shanghai, China. Under the theme 'From Verification to Mass Production – Enabling Large-Scale Applications', the event will feature 800+ attendees, 50+ speakers, 50+ exhibitors, and 50+ collaboration projects. Co-hosted by leading organizations including China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), AECC Commercial Aircraft Engine Co., Ltd., and the Shanghai Additive Manufacturing Association, the conference covers six key tracks: commercial space and rocket AM, low-altitude economy and eVTOL AM, space manufacturing and in-orbit/deep-space AM, AI+digital twin and end-to-end intelligent manufacturing, advanced laser manufacturing technologies and applications, and cross-industry integration of AM. The exhibition spans the full AM supply chain—from 3D printing services, high-end equipment, and metal powders to laser systems, software, and inspection solutions. Special activities include industry needs releases, cooperation signing ceremonies, best paper awards, project pitches, and matchmaking sessions. Registration fees: RMB 3,800 for industry participants; RMB 2,500 for research institutes and universities; free for eligible entities from CASC, AVIC, COMAC, AECC, and others. Members of the Shanghai Additive Manufacturing Association receive a RMB 500 discount, with group purchase offers available.
2026-07-06
Qianfan Constellation Completes a 20-Satellite Single-Launch Mission, Raising In-Orbit Units to 238
On July 5 at 21:43 CST, Shanghai Yuanxin Satellite Co. successfully launched the Qianfan networking satellites via a Long March 8A rocket from the Hainan International Commercial Space Launch Center, deploying 20 satellites in a single launch—doubling the previous stacking record of 10. This brought the total number of Qianfan satellites in orbit to 238. Just one day earlier, on July 4, a 13th batch of 18 satellites was launched from Taiyuan via a Long March 6A rocket. During MWC26 Shanghai, Yuanxin Satellite’s CEO revealed that the Qianfan constellation will complete its first-phase deployment of 324 satellites by the end of 2026, officially starting global commercial services. The constellation will evolve beyond communications into a comprehensive strategic space infrastructure integrating communication, navigation, remote sensing, computing, intelligence, and security. Based on the current fleet of 238 satellites, the first-phase deployment is approximately 37% complete.
2026-07-06
Weekly #2627: Powder Recycling Enters Industrial Validation, Velo3D Shifts to Capacity Services, Copper Powder AI Liquid Cooling Becomes Essential, Tungsten Supply Chain Old Alliance Shifts
This week, the powder industry saw three transformation trends: technical routes, business models, and downstream applications. Powder recycling moved from concept to industrial validation. WorldPM2026 in Montreal concluded with Pometon TER-EIGA achieving industrial-grade conversion of waste powder to high-purity spherical powder; Continuum M247 recycled nickel-based powder outperformed virgin stainless steel in powder bed performance. Valland's waste aluminum-to-LPBF-grade powder reduced carbon footprint by 73%; SDU explored direct printing of scrap metal without chemical cleaning. Recycling technology now has systematic data support. Equipment manufacturers are transitioning to capacity service providers. Velo3D launched a 288,000 sq ft superfactory in California with 40+ large metal printers, tripling capacity, driven by $21.3M in defense contracts, with Q1 revenue of $13.8M (+48% YoY). The shift from selling equipment to selling capacity is accelerating. Downstream applications expanded from defense to AI and semiconductors. Huagong Tech's copper powder LPBF micro-channel heat sinks have become essential for AI chips, with batch deliveries in Suzhou; domestic PDR spherical tantalum powder with purity ≥99.95% broke the monopoly of the US, Japan, and Germany. The powder market is shifting from single-driver defense/aerospace to dual-drivers of AI computing and semiconductor self-sufficiency.
2026-07-05
