The Worldwide Convention on Superior Manufacturing (ICAM) started as a workshop almost a decade in the past. Within the final 5 years, it has grown right into a full convention programme and one of many key gatherings for the additive manufacturing trade.
This yr, it’s set to function a whole lot of displays and welcome greater than a thousand individuals, with the organisers eager to offer content material and networking alternatives for engineers and decision-makers alike.
On the eve of the 2025 occasion, the ASTM Worldwide crew [ASTM] sits down with TCT to debate the speedy development of ICAM, the occasion’s core motivations, and what attendees can count on from this yr’s programme.
TCT: ICAM returns between October 6-10. How do you replicate on the expansion of this occasion over the previous few years and what would you place its success right down to?
ASTM: ICAM’s development has been pushed by the imaginative and prescient, planning, and the exhausting work of the occasion employees, in addition to efficacy of the occasion’s Scientific Organizing Committee. What began in 2016 as a centered workshop on matters like structural integrity, fatigue, and fracture of AM components has developed into the world’s largest technical convention devoted to standards-driven AM. In 2020, ICAM grew to become a full-scale convention, and as we speak it convenes greater than 1,100 individuals, 800 displays, and 26 symposia.
The success comes down to at least one factor: neighborhood. ICAM is constructed on collaboration between the main technical determination makers from trade, academia, and authorities, all working collectively to unravel the sensible challenges of qualifying AM for manufacturing. Not like commerce reveals, ICAM is just not about promoting merchandise. It’s about exchanging information, advancing requirements, and constructing belief in manufacturing applied sciences. That’s why it has turn into the discussion board of document: deeply technical, standards-driven, and world in scope.
TCT: How would you assess the mission and motivation of ICAM?
ASTM: The mission is to speed up the accountable adoption of superior manufacturing by constructing belief. Which means advancing requirements, creating qualification and certification frameworks, and sharing cutting-edge analysis in an atmosphere the place stakeholders can align. The motivation is pragmatic: transferring from promising prototypes to licensed, production-ready techniques that meet aerospace, protection, medical, and industrial calls for at scale.
TCT: The occasion kicks off this yr with a collection of brief certificates programs. What are you able to inform us about this providing?
ASTM: Forward of the principle program, ICAM will host certificates programs led by ASTM consultants and companions. These are designed for engineers, managers, and policymakers who need structured, credentialed coaching in areas like additive manufacturing processes, requirements, qualification, and certification pathways. The know-how is barely nearly as good as its practitioners. Regardless of how superior the {hardware} and software program turns into—and even how superior AI turns into—we have to push to develop the worldwide workforce to have the ability to deploy these manufacturing processes.
TCT: From Monday by way of to the tip of the week, we enter a cycle of keynotes, symposia and panel discussions. What might be among the many topics mentioned within the panel classes this yr?
ASTM: The panels handle a number of the most urgent points dealing with superior manufacturing as we speak:
- The Home At all times Certifies: Constructing Belief in Additive Manufacturing by way of Qualification & Certification
- Restore, Substitute, Reimagining: Superior Manufacturing for Army Operations
- Tipping Factors in Adoption: Aerospace Finish Person Views
- Going Past Additive Manufacturing: How Can Convergent Superior Manufacturing Applied sciences Assist Additive ManufacturingGrowth?
Collectively, they spotlight ICAM’s function as each technical discussion board and an industrial bridge—wanting not simply at additive manufacturing itself, but in addition how convergent applied sciences and finish customers form its path to adoption.
TCT: And what facets of additive manufacturing might be coated within the symposia?
ASTM: With 26 symposia, the agenda spans the total additive manufacturing worth chain: powders, polymers, metals, composites, development, chilly spray, monitoring, qualification, sustainability, and provide chain resilience. Periods dive deep into fatigue and fracture, in-situ monitoring, digital workflows, and regulatory compliance. For instance:
- “Acoustic NDT of Additive Manufacturing Medical Units” by Daniel Rodríguez Sanmartín of Theta Applied sciences
- “Additive Manufacturing in Military Floor Automobiles” by Tad Steinberg at Siemens Vitality
- “Waste Warmth Restoration Warmth Exchanger for Subsequent-Gen Propulsion” by Brian Fisher on the RTX Expertise Analysis Heart
- “Additively Constructed Seismic Protecting Bridge System” by Islam Mantawy at Rowan College
If it impacts how AM strikes from analysis to certified manufacturing, it’s on this system. Past additive, ICAM 2025 additionally displays ASTM’s increasing function in superior manufacturing ecosystems.
A number of symposia deal with convergent applied sciences reminiscent of robotics, AI, cybersecurity, digital twins, and superior course of monitoring—highlighting how these disciplines speed up AM adoption. Talks embody constructing an built-in digital thread with generative AI, advancing digital twin “manufacturing reminiscence,” and strengthening cybersecurity compliance for Trade 4.0. Collectively, these classes present how AM is more and more interconnected with broader superior manufacturing improvements that can outline the following decade of manufacturing.
TCT: There might be 5 keynote breakfast classes throughout the week – what can we count on from this yr’s keynote presenters?
ASTM: The keynotes set the tone every day, linking technical advances to broader trade and coverage priorities. Attendees can count on views on aerospace and protection, scaling manufacturing, provide chain dynamics, and vitality. For the keynotes, we’re proud to host a number of the main minds within the trade, together with: Thomas Pomorski, of Ursa Main; Vladimir Navrotsky, of Siemens Vitality; Jason Bridges, of Lockheed Martin; Steve McKee, previously of the Workplace of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Protection for Materiel Readiness; and Louise Slade, of DEEP Manufacturing.
TCT: It’s a complete agenda with lots on supply, however what are you most wanting ahead to this yr?
ASTM: The spotlight is all the time the collaboration: the possibility to see know-how builders, determination makers, and finish customers sitting aspect by aspect to align on qualification and adoption. One notably thrilling piece of this system are the panels on aerospace adoption and convergent applied sciences, which present how ICAM is increasing its lens in keeping with ASTM’s new function main the Advancing Standardization for Essential & Rising Applied sciences (ASCET) Heart of Excellence.
TCT: We’re just some weeks out from the occasion, however there’s nonetheless time for individuals to register. Who ought to attend and why?
ASTM: ICAM is for anybody critical about industrializing superior manufacturing:
- Engineers and researchers driving new processes and supplies
- High quality and certification professionals centered on manufacturing readiness
- Executives shaping AM adoption methods
- Policymakers and regulators framing workforce and compliance pathways
What makes ICAM distinctive is steadiness. It’s technical sufficient for engineers, but in addition sensible sufficient for decision-makers. If you wish to be a part of the conversations shaping standardized practices, qualification, and rising know-how ecosystems for the following decade, ICAM is the place to be.
