Digital Manufacturing, Digital Conferencing

When the manufacturing is digital, why shouldn’t some of the events be, too?

With fears about transmission of coronavirus compounded by international travel and the prospects of close contact with thousands of people, many events around the world have been postponed or cancelled. Many others, of course, are proceeding as planned, though they may see a dip in attendance.

But those aren’t the only options.

One major 3D printing event has turned to a fourth option: digitizing.

Additive World 2020

Additive Industries has just announced that the eighth edition of its Additive World conference, slated for early April, has gone digital. The company explains:

“The growing Corona virus is limiting more and more people to travel and participate in international events. In order to facilitate everyone that would like to attend the 8th edition of the Additive World Conference to do so, we have decided to move the conference to the digital space. You therefore don’t have to book a flight, nor hotel, just stay at your desk or at home in your lazy chair and sit back and relax to view the presentations online. This way you don’t have to miss the conference while still adhering to the company policies and regulations and stay safe!”

There’s one other major implication of taking the conference to the ‘net: pricing. The announcement continues:

“Because of the virtual nature of this 8th Additive World Conference, we will be able to make it free. As you know, it is not a commercial set-up and our normal entrance fee is only to cover the location and catering cost and since in a virtual conference you bring your own desk, chair and drinks, we can host it for free.”

Digital Events

3D printing is part of the larger movement of Industry 4.0, in particular regarding digital manufacturing.

In this arena, manufacturing is localized and on-demand. Much of the work is done digitally, with increased automation as compared to traditional methods. So it makes sense that some of the networking and idea exchange will digitize, as well.

Digital events — virtual conferences, webinars, and the like — are picking up in frequency. At the end of 2018, I moderated a panel as part of Dassault Systèmes’ Online Manufacturing Summit’s Future of Manufacturing track, for example.

Such events offer the flexibility of attending without concern for airfare, lodging — or potential viral transmission.

With coronavirus continuing to impact attendance and scheduling of events, Additive World is onto something brilliant here: continuing on digitally.

This makes a great deal of sense for the popular event, and particularly during the ongoing viral scare. Notably, Additive World has been able to sustain its high-caliber agenda of speakers, ensuring that while face-to-face networking might take a hit, the quality of content presented will remain top-notch. There’s great value to thinking flexibly — digitally — when faced with unexpected circumstances.

Other event organizers might do well to take note of this strategy when considering how to proceed.

Via Additive World