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Additive Manufacturing is gaining importance in the defense sector, with decentralized manufacturing, spare-parts supply and rapid access to critical components moving increasingly into focus. As potential use cases expand, standards for qualification, certification and interoperability are becoming essential to broader adoption.
The AM Innovation and Standards Summit, taking place on 16 November 2026 as part of Formnext, will bring together representatives from industry, defence, government and standards development organizations to address these challenges under the theme “Aligning together – Enabling Use Cases by Applying Civilian and Military Standards.” The Summit is organized by the U.S. Commercial Service, ASTM International, ISO and America Makes, in partnership with Mesago Formnext.
A key focus is the collaboration between military and civilian standards development organizations (SDOs). Dr. Holger Ziegler of NATO will discuss opportunities for closer collaboration with civilian SDOs, while other sessions will examine digital process qualification for AM in the space sector and applications across aerospace and defense. The program also brings together high-level representatives from organizations including the European Space Agency (ESA), Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin.
Breakout sessions and two panel discussions will address topics including AM software and the relationship between innovation and the shop floor in metal AM. The Summit thus connects concrete industrial use cases with the broader question of how standards can help bridge the gap between technological development and qualified production.
Join the AM community at Formnext on 16 November to exchange perspectives, explore real-world applications and help advance the role of standards in the next phase of Additive Manufacturing.
Further information and registration
AM Innovation and Standards Summit
Monday, 16 November 2026
10:00 am–5:00 pm, followed by networking
Venue: Congress Center Messe Frankfurt, Illusion Room
