AMTIF Fifth International Forum on Additive Manufacturing Technology Opens Today in Suzhou, Co-Hosted by Seven Major Universities
From August 2–4, 2026, the Fifth International Summit on Additive Manufacturing Technology (AMTIF) will be held at the Chunshenhu Resort Hotel in Suzhou. The forum is co-organized by more than ten leading Chinese universities, including Xi'an Jiaotong University, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Beihang University, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, China University of Mining and Technology, Zhejiang University, Nanjing Tech University, Guizhou University, Beijing Technology and Business University, Shanghai University, and Hangzhou Dianzi University, with the Yangtze River Delta Steel Industry Development Association and the State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems at Zhejiang University serving as joint organizers. Registration fees are RMB 1,200 per person for host and co-organizing institutions, RMB 1,500 for other institutions, and RMB 1,000 for students.
The forum features seven parallel sub-forums covering arc additive manufacturing, laser additive manufacturing, solid-state additive manufacturing (friction stir, cold spray, ultrasonic), biomedical additive manufacturing, ceramic and casting additive manufacturing, electron beam additive manufacturing, and concrete additive manufacturing, along with a dedicated session on novel materials and process innovation. Concurrent events include the 3rd National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Design Competition, the 2026 National Selection of Outstanding Undergraduate Theses and Outstanding Graduate Dissertations in Additive Manufacturing, a paper competition, and poster presentations. MDPI will also exhibit with several of its materials science journals. The main keynote presentations will be delivered on August 3, followed by sub-forum technical presentations on August 4, and site visits and networking on August 5.
This year's AMTIF is held against the backdrop of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, which designates additive manufacturing as a key pillar of new quality productive forces. It is the largest and most comprehensive annual academic and industrial exchange event in China's additive manufacturing sector. Judging by the lineup of universities and the agenda, China's additive manufacturing is transitioning from a university-led research focus to deep industry-academia-research integration, with collaborative innovation across materials, processes, and applications as the core theme of the forum.
Value for powder buyers: (1) The seven sub-forums cover a wide range of additive processes—arc, laser, electron beam, and solid-state—corresponding to demand for various powder categories such as titanium alloys, nickel-based superalloys, copper alloys, and aluminum alloys. Monitoring the materials innovation directions presented at each sub-forum can help you plan your product portfolio ahead of time. (2) The National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Design Competition and the Outstanding Thesis Selection serve as windows into next-generation high-value applications—the powder materials and grades used in winning projects are often leading indicators of demand growth over the next 2–3 years. (3) MDPI's participation brings an international academic perspective, helping you identify which novel alloy powders (e.g., high-entropy alloys, refractory alloys) are transitioning from the lab to industrial-scale adoption.
2026-08-02
Weekly Report #2631: BLT's $1B Powder Facility Begins Trial Production in August + FDA Approves First In-Hospital 3D-Printed Implants; MIIT Launches National Campaign to Advance Additive Manufacturing R&D
BLT's 1-billion-yuan powder production base is set to begin trial production in August, with an annual capacity reaching 3,000 to 4,000 tons. The FDA has for the first time approved in-hospital 3D-printed titanium alloy implants, signaling a shift toward decentralized medical powder markets. Meanwhile, China's MIIT, along with seven other ministries, has launched a national 'open competition' initiative to accelerate AM breakthroughs, as six new national additive manufacturing standards take effect on the same day. Domestic AM powders are now entering a phase of systematic competition at the kiloton scale.
2026-08-01
