The show was necessarily scaled-down compared to the peak 2019 edition, with fewer exhibitors (600 compared to over 750) and smaller booths occupying two and a half halls instead of four. In the current global situation, in-person presence at a show should be considered something of a privilege and that’s how the AM industry – or fAMily, as Formnext organizers have come to call it – lived this edition. Eliminating the physical, in-person element to focus 100% on the digital aspects is counter-productive and impossible. The best part of 3D printing is that it’s digital but also very much physical. Instead, the show floor became a place to do real business and see (and touch) real 3D printing and 3D printed products in person. That was largely not the case this year, with many high-profile news announcements made digitally, before and during the show. Formnext has always provided the global stage for some of the most high-profile launches, with many new and disruptive products debuting on the show floor. In spite of a rising fourth wave of virus infection in Germany and many parts of Europe, the organizers and the over 600 exhibitors at Formnext 2021 put on a show of resilience, strength, and a generally positive outlook on the future Īt the same time, the digital and virtual spaces will continue to have a relevant role. This terrible disease is not going to let up easily and the world will likely have to deal with its effects through the next decade, but in this Formnext 2021 review we can show how AM has proven it is capable of offering a resilient solution to dealing with the pandemic rather than be a victim of its effects.
The global COVID pandemic, a dramatic crisis that crippled and destroyed entire businesses (not to speak of the terrible human toll) has been dealt with by the AM community just like any other challenge.