美国芝加哥国际模具制造及添加剂技术展览会（Formnext Chicago）是美国举行唯一的国际模具制造及添加剂技术展览会，作为北美首屈一指的模具制造及加工、快速成型制造，增材技术的专业展览会，Formnext Chicago展也翻译为国际精密成型及增材制造展览会，该展从2019年开始，两年一届，在芝加哥麦考密克广场展览中心举行。Formnext被誉为下一代智能工业AM生产的国际交汇点。
Formnext Chicago展会在美国举办，专门讨论增材制造和工业3D打印的各个方面。Formnext Chicago将成为北美下一代工业生产的聚集地。
Formnext起源于德国法兰克福，每年举办一次，但已发展到包括世界各地的博览会和Formnext论坛。Formnext即将在北美推出的产品包括2023年在奥斯汀举行的Formnext论坛、由Formnext加速的IMTS 2024增材制造业和2025年在芝加哥举行的Formnext。
Formnext Chicago展由tct设计的国际展会平台展示全球尖端的增材制造以及来自工业工具、生产解决方案、设计和产品开发、质量管理和计量以及材料和部件领域的创新公司。对于来自世界各地的参展商，formnext是展示工业生产的新发展和解决方案的绝佳机会。参展企业期待：您的公司可以利用尖端生产技术在竞争中获得优势；洞察和联系人，将帮助您以更高效的方式实现产品创意；您需要的最新专业知识，以继续缩短产品上市时间。
观众类别：模具采购，汽车产业，航空航天，船舶制造，仪器设备工程技术，通用工程技术，家用电器及技术，电子电气行业，IT产业，通讯行业，包装技术，消费品，玩具产业，体育和休闲，自行车，家具，美容消费品，医疗/牙科/化工产业，生物科技，建筑服务业，钟表及手表业，珠宝，照明，光学产业，绿化建设，机床，国防军工，个性化定制，文化创意及数码娱乐等。
展品范围(Show Products):
模具制造及加工 ；增材制造、3D打印及技术 ；量具及夹具制造 ；快速制造，手板制作及快速成型 ；模具加工机械及工具；模具自动化系统及自动化工程；刀具，切削工具及配件 ；模具材料（钢材，铜材，合金，粉末等） ；模具配件（热流道，标准件，传感器等） ； 表面处理技术 ；模具检测及质量控制；测试用生产设备和系统；模具设计软件，模具生产管理软件；模具人才培训及资格认证 ；(R&D)模具研究和开发；模具厂房设备 ；模具非生产材料，工具工装；模具生产工程，工业设计，表面处理 。
展会报告(Show Reports):
Formnext is known as the international meeting point for the next generation of intelligent industrial AM production.
The new show creates one event in the United States dedicated to all aspects for additive manufacturing and industrial 3D printing. Formnext Chicago will be the North American gathering place for the next generation of industrial production.
Formnext originated and is held annually in Frankfurt, Germany, but has grown to include expos and Formnext Forums throughout the world. Upcoming Formnext offerings in North America include Formnext Forum Austin in 2023, IMTS 2024 Additive Manufacturing Sector accelerated by Formnext and Formnext Chicago in 2025.
A Green Stream of Critical Materials
For the grand finale of the IMTS+ Original Series “Manufacturing Explorers,” brought to you by Mazak, my son Max and I explore what might be the key to EV growth: the synthesis of Lithium-ion cathode battery materials via a sustainable process in domestic facilities.
Recycling steel, aluminum and other materials from junked cars is a long-established business. In fact, almost 69% of all steel is recycled in North America each year1. Because of their batteries, EVs require a new recycling supply chain. The good news is that battery elements don’t burn up their usefulness like hydrocarbon fuels. After an EV battery has exceeded its life (generally about a decade), the elements can be reclaimed. The better news is that a company called 6K Energy has created a sustainable process to produce new battery components, leveraging both domestic and recycled feedstock.
Max and I visited this pioneering company’s Battery Center of Excellence in North Andover, Massachusetts, a Boston suburb. 6K created the UniMelt® system, a production-scale microwave plasma process that produces critical materials. In the episode, we dive deep into the process, learning how 6K creates plasma gas for advanced material production. Then we get a close look at 6K’s production-scale system, which stands two stories tall. The UniMelt process injects feedstock and gases at the top of a stainless-steel vessel, the feedstock flows through the precisely controlled, ultra-high temperate 6,000-degree plasma gas, and high-value materials come out at the bottom of the vessel.
The UniMelt process takes just two seconds. In comparison, other processes take hours or days, require a large footprint, and consume large amounts of water and energy.
6K also has its own materials testing facilities on site. To validate the energy capacity of materials produced by the UniMelt system, Max gets to build a “coin cell” (CR-type) battery used to power portable electronic devices. As an interesting note, I was excited to learn that 6K also uses the UniMelt process to produce spherical metal powders and alloys for 3D printing.
In addition to a technical tour, we get to meet with Rob Davis, 6K Energy’s chief operating officer, and Mary Cronin, 6K’s senior vice president of government affairs. Rob reveals the company’s plans to build a full-scale production facility in Jackson, Tenn. The plant will be 160,000 sq. ft. and produce about 12-1/2 tons of cathode material, which is enough for about 100,000 cars. Mary notes that because UniMelt enables a sustainable, diverse, reliable, and domestic supply chain for EV battery components, 6K Energy received funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
In three seasons of Manufacturing Explorers, we have traveled from coast to coast and into the heartland. The series started with exploring the core manufacturing technologies and facilities where I spent 25 years of my life, then our show pivoted to sustainable technologies that interest Max. Throughout each show, we’ve hoped to engage audiences. On a personal note, the IMTS family wishes Max the best of luck as he pursues his dream career as a renewable energy industry consultant.
