Over the past several years, the Women in 3D Printing Chapters in Canada have grown from one to eight.
There are now chapters located in: Windsor, Waterloo, Montreal, New Brunswick, Quebec, Toronto, Halifax, and Vancouver. I am the Regional Manager for Canada, based in Winnipeg.
The women leading the chapters in Canada are mostly Master’s students, PhD students in Mechanical Engineering, Research Chairs of the Faculty of Engineering, Mechanical, Automotive & Materials Engineering. Most of the women leading the Chapters in Canada are working at universities across the country.
Dr. Jill Urbanic is the Women in 3D Printing Ambassador for Windsor. She has worked very hard on a collaboration effort between the University of Windsor Faculty of Engineering and CAMufacturing Solutions Inc., to develop AM 360° Overview.
AM 360° Overview provides a foundational understanding of additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing. It covers the principles, processes, and materials used in AM, highlighting its applications across industries such as aerospace, healthcare, and automotive. Participants will explore design considerations, benefits, limitations, and the future potential of AM technologies.
Dr. Urbanic is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical, Automotive, and Materials Engineering at the University of Windsor, and the co-founder of CAMufacturing Solutions Inc., the creator of advanced manufacturing toolpath programming and visualization software products used in over 40 countries on 6 continents.
Her research focuses on advanced process design and manufacturing technologies. She is the recipient of both research and teaching awards, and has made several advances in the area of additive manufacturing and hybrid process planning.
With the strong presence of women in 3D Printing in Canada, and the increasingly difficult process of traveling to the United States, the Women in 3D Printing Ambassadors in Canada are investigating holding their own Women in 3D Printing Happy Hours / Meetups at a larger conference in Canada, rather than traveling to the US for events such as RAPID+TCT.
One such event in Canada where we may see a Canada Women in 3D Printing appear is during HI-AM.
The HI-AM conference takes place at the University of Waterloo. This is a key academic event in Canada, dedicated exclusively to sharing advancements in research and development in the field of additive manufacturing (AM). This conference provides a valuable platform for researchers, industry professionals, and academics to engage with the latest innovations and trends in the field.
The potential for a uniquely Canadian Women in 3D Printing gathering — such as one co-located with the HI-AM Conference — offers a meaningful opportunity to exchange ideas and create new connections without the barriers of cross-border travel. A shift toward homegrown events shows the confidence of the Canadian AM ecosystem.
Similar moves may soon take shape in other countries as well. As international travel becomes more complex, particularly to the US, we may see a global trend toward regionally organized Women in 3D Printing events.
These localized gatherings could provide more accessible platforms for professional development and networking, while still contributing to the movement’s global mission of promoting diversity, innovation, and leadership in additive manufacturing.
