VUT Science Park hosts Additive Manufacturing showcase

Anne Naidu

VUT is proud to announce that the 17th Annual International RAPDASA Conference will be hosted at the VUT Science & Technology Park in Sebokeng from 2 to 4 November 2016, on behalf of the Rapid Product and Development Association of South Africa.

The conference aims to showcase the achievements and impact made in the field of Additive Manufacturing under the theme: “Building on the Foundations – Consolidating impact into products to enhance quality of life for all South Africans”.

The theme is aimed at supporting and encouraging the development of the Additive Manufacturing Industry, better known as “3D Printing”. This industry has matured from a prototyping technology base into a fully-fledged manufacturing technology output. Additive Manufactured (AM) technologies are currently used in a wide variety of manufacturing sectors such as the aerospace industry, medical, bio-medical, dentistry, Research and Development, automotive and many more. Throughout the years, AM has demonstrated its value. It is of a disruptive nature and is considered a technology that can be used to improve the quality of life for all human beings.

This year’s conference will focus on how Additive Manufacturing can impact all South Africans by transferring ideas into business.

The 2016 RAPDASA Conference comes at a time when VUT is celebrating 50 years of academic excellence and brings together academics, researchers, engineers, designers, managers, scientists and senior technical personnel from design, development and manufacturing related companies from all over the world.

Renowned international specialists in the field of Additive Manufacturing and 3D printing have been selected as keynote speakers. They will share the world’s most innovative and up-to-date technologies with us.

The general public, industry, inventors, universities and funding agencies will be invited to interact with each other and will enjoy a tour through the Advanced Manufacturing Precinct at the VUT Science Park, demonstrating its capacity and available services.