The AGMA 3D Printing Committee completed its fifth annual guided tour of the RAPID + TCT show floor April 8–10 in Detroit, offering members a curated look at some of the most exciting innovations in additive manufacturing. With over 400 exhibitors on display, narrowing the field to just fifteen standout companies was no small task. Nonetheless, the 2025 tour successfully highlighted a diverse mix of material suppliers, machine manufacturers, industry vendors, and breakthrough technologies shaping the future of manufacturing. This year’s tour featured a strong AGMA connection, showcasing companies and individuals with past and present ties to our organization. Several AGMA member companies were included, such as Nidec, Seco/Vacuum, and ANCA—each providing insights into how additive technologies are being integrated into gear manufacturing processes. We also reconnected with Igor Ortiz and Piera Alvarez from Etxetar, who were exhibiting at the show. Igor previously presented at AGMA’s Emerging Technology webinar in February, where he discussed how their team used directed energy deposition (DED) to repair gear teeth on a ring gear—an innovative application of additive technology in gear repair. At RAPID, attendees had the opportunity to view actual DED samples from that project and gain a deeper understanding of the process. A notable stop on the tour was the University of Waterloo’s booth. AGMA previously visited their Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing (MSAM) Lab on campus in 2024, and it was exciting to catch up on the latest research and developments emerging from their program. This is one of the largest additive labs in North America. Their work continues to push the boundaries of metal additive manufacturing, with promising implications for gear and power transmission applications. We also included a few major industry players. Nikon updated us on the latest offerings from their additive work. They have a lab in California for companies to conduct secure research. Colibrium Additive (formerly GE Additive) displayed a hob printed from tool steel that reached 70 Rockwell hardness. This represented only the second instance we’ve seen of a 3D-printed hob, marking another step forward in tool manufacturing via additive methods. We met some promising new entrants as well. Freemelt develops advanced 3D printers using electron beam powder bed fusion (E-PBF) and is working on complex tungsten geometries for defense applications. Fictiv is reimagining supply chain logistics by pre-qualifying manufacturers and building comprehensive sourcing solutions for their customers. ToffeeX stood out for its physics-driven generative design software, particularly its unique approach to managing thermal properties. We hope to learn more about their capabilities and potentially invite them for a future webinar.
One stop, Pantheon Design—a polymer machine maker out of Vancouver—showed some savvy. The CEO, also an engineer, redesigned the gearbox for a personal electric skateboard to contain herringbone gears, printed in 45 minutes on their machine, to reduce friction and noise. He has clocked more than 3,000 miles on the hills of San Francisco with no wear in sight. They are printing and testing a variety of products; they had an e-bike on hand, pushing the limits of their technology. The tour also included several innovative material suppliers. The materials landscape grows more competitive each year. We visited 6K, Globus Metal Powders, and spoke with Metal Powder Works, who will be our invited guest at next week’s committee meeting. Each company brings a distinct approach to material development: Metal Powder Works mechanically mills powders without heat and focuses on softer metals, while 6K applies a proprietary 6,000-degree process to create highly spherical particles. Overall, the 2025 RAPID + TCT tour provided AGMA members with invaluable exposure to the rapidly evolving world of 3D printing, reinforcing the importance of staying connected to the emerging technologies that may shape the future of the gear industry. The committee is sponsoring a 3D presentation from Dodge discussing their use of 3D printing for prototyping at the upcoming AGMA Strategic Networking & Leadership Event, June 4–6 in Greenville, SC.
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2025-06-23