AM Meet-up 2026: From Technology to Collective Industrial Capability

How do we turn additive manufacturing into reliable industrial production – and build the capability to manufacture critical components when traditional supply chains fall short?

On 16–17 September, industry, defence, researchers and technology providers gathered in Karlstad, Sweden, for AM Meet-up 2026. Two days of knowledge sharing, industrial examples and new connections, with a common focus: industrialising additive manufacturing (AM).

From technology to real-world applications

A successful print is only the beginning. To make AM a reliable part of industrial production, repeatability, quality assurance, material knowledge and competitive costs are essential.

Speakers from Seco Tools, Ivaldi and WAAMLABZ shared perspectives on industrial applications, digital inventories and the importance of transferring not only design files, but also the knowledge needed to manufacture and qualify components.

The defence perspective highlighted the growing need for local manufacturing capabilities, while research from RISE demonstrated how regional AM production could shorten lead times and strengthen resilience when global supply chains are disrupted.

A concrete example came from SSAB, where a critical labyrinth sealing component has been recreated using additive manufacturing in collaboration with RISE through On Demand 2033. The next step is to evaluate the component for use in SSAB’s production facility in Borlänge.

Connections that create opportunities

Beyond the presentations, the exhibition and conversations between participants played a central role.

In the participant evaluation, 20 of 23 respondents highlighted networking and new contacts as a particularly valuable part of the event. Almost all reported new contacts, ideas or potential collaborations, or said it was still too early to assess the outcome.

Participants also called for more concrete industrial applications, more end users and additional opportunities for in-depth discussions.

The message is clear: industrialising AM requires more than technological development. It takes collaboration between those who understand industrial needs and those who can contribute the materials, technology, knowledge and production capabilities.

AM Meet-up 2026 brought these perspectives together – and the conversations continue.