All those we won’t be seeing at Formnext
3DP War Journal #72
Tomorrow marks the start of Formnext - the biggest event in the global AM industry. And it’s not just another edition - this year Formnext is celebrating its 10th anniversary!
The trade show will last four days (18–21 November) and, as always, will take place at Mesago Messe in Frankfurt am Main. More than 500 companies and organizations will be exhibiting, and the organizers have announced an extensive program: three thematic stages, numerous special showcases, Formnext Awards, and new formats - including guided tours, live demonstrations, and interactive attractions.
This year’s partner country is Spain.
The program will cover both technologies and applications - from desktop printing to robotic serial production - highlighting the growing importance of AM in industrial manufacturing.
I’ll be spending the entire week in Frankfurt, and you’ll be able to find me at the Bambu Lab booth, where I serve as PR Manager and CSM for Central Europe.
As you probably know, we’ll also be showcasing some new products - especially that one whose teaser dropped at the end of last week and which is truly a masterpiece of engineering.
Apart from that, I encourage everyone to meet and chat - not only those interested in Bambu Lab solutions. For example, if you’ve read Jan Homola’s recent post about Chinese 3D printers, we can talk about what I think of it, why such articles appear, and… how things really are.
But okay, back to the show. As you’ve probably seen on other media, many companies will be presenting their latest products and device premieres. It’s going to be fun, festive, and friendly.
But as usual, I decided to take a slightly different angle. Who won’t be at the show…?
I looked into this, and according to the Formnext 2024 Exhibition Guide, last year’s exhibitor list included 769 entries. This year, there are only 516. At the same time, the number of year-over-year absences is 305!
Of course, these numbers include media partners, associations, special zones (e.g. Career Area, Industry Stage), and also parent companies with many sub-entries (meaning the actual number of unique exhibiting companies may be somewhat lower). Still, the industry is clearly shrinking - and the absence of around 300 companies compared to the previous edition is quite surprising.
Due to Substack’s limitations, I won’t be able to list them all, but a few missing names will surely surprise you (as they surprised me).
Those who surprisingly will make it
Let’s start with three companies that, surprisingly, will be present at Formnext despite recent reports about their market demise.
Desktop Metal, which has been the main (albeit negative) protagonist of recent months, will appear under the name Desktop Metal - an ARC Impact Acquisition Corporation. The company will have a modest booth in Hall 12.0 (ground floor), near Meltio, Nikon, and BLT. But modest or not, last year Desktop Metal wasn’t present at all (at least I didn’t see them).
BCN3D, which also declared bankruptcy this year, will appear in a revived form as BCN3D - Additive Manufacturing Trust SL. Their booth will also be small, located in Hall 11 (ground floor), close to the café.
Finally, KIMYA, which collapsed exactly a year ago at Formnext, will return under Airtech’s wing and will be present with a solid booth in the heart of Hall 12.1 (first floor).
Those who won’t make it
Let’s begin with the obvious - Nexa3D and Forward AM won’t be present because they no longer exist. Their remains can be found within Stratasys’s portfolio, as the company acquired them earlier this year. In fact, Nexa3D was absent last year as well - their booth space was just an empty patch of carpet; the company supposedly pulled out shortly before the event. As for Forward AM, the bankruptcy news arrived on the third day of the show itself.
A truly surprising absence is Nano Dimension and Markforged. Both exhibited last year. This year, however, they won’t be present. Perhaps it’s just an organizational pause needed to sort things out after yet another internal shake-up?
This time, UltiMaker and MakerBot will also be definitively absent. Last year, the companies were represented at distributors’ booths - 3Demensionals and IGO3D. This year they won’t be present at all (though UltiMaker is hosting a reseller meeting on Tuesday at some Frankfurt hotel).
We also won’t see several other well-known FDM 3D printer brands - Portugal’s Rat Rig, Italy’s ROBOZE, China’s TierTime, the Netherlands’ Leapfrog, and Turkey’s LOOP 3D. Popular filament manufacturers will be missing as well - Poland’s Fiberlogy and Germany’s Fiberthree.
Among resin 3D printer companies, Photocentric, Asiga, Rapid Shape, and Supernova will be absent (the latter claimed publicly not long ago that everything was great and getting even better - but apparently not great enough to show up at Formnext).
Another big surprise is the absence of nTOP - a leading software developer - and the lesser-known but equally innovative 1000 Kelvin.
Finally, among metal and advanced-materials 3D printer manufacturers, we won’t see Additive Industries, Equispheres, or Norsk Titanium.
As I mentioned, the list is much longer - and my apologies to everyone who won’t be attending and whom I haven’t mentioned…
But enough of that - let’s enjoy meeting everyone who will be there!
I invite all of you to meet in person at the Bambu Lab booth in Hall 12.1 (second level, booth D11, at the opposite end of the hall). I’ll be there all week, so just look out for the handsome guy dressed all in black and wearing a hat!
See you all there!
#7. Czechia warned of Chinese 3D printer espionage
Last week, Jan Homola asked me whether I’d have the guts to publish this message in my weekly event recap. You know… supposedly because I have a conflict of interest, blah, blah, blah… Well, so here you go...
Czechia’s National Cyber and Information Security Agency (NÚKIB) and the Confederation of Industry have issued a security warning against Chinese-made 3D printers. They state these devices, often cloud-connected or managed from abroad, pose a significant risk of sensitive data theft. Data on prints, designs, and manufacturing processes could be sent to servers in China, enabling industrial espionage. With 3D printing’s growing use in defense, energy, and healthcare, such leaks threaten corporate security and competitiveness. Authorities recommend scrutinizing device origins and securing data flows to prevent information from leaving a company’s infrastructure.
As I mentioned - if you want, I’ll be happy to meet on Formnext and share my opinion on the matter. As well as on certain Czechs in general. Who transform from makers into politicians 🤮
READ MORE: www.lupa.cz
#6. Hamburg’s 3D Spark secured strategic investment
The Hamburg-based startup 3D Spark has closed a new funding round, attracting experienced industry figures as angel investors and advisors. The company develops an AI-powered platform that helps manufacturers select suitable production methods, calculate costs, lead times, and CO2 emissions, focusing on additive manufacturing. Following a €2 million seed round, this community investment aims primarily to expand its network. New backers include former executives from Siemens, SLM Solutions, and Airbus.
READ MORE: www.3druck.com
#5. Fabric8Labs secured $50M to scale electrochemical 3D printing
San Diego-based Fabric8Labs has raised $50 million in a funding round led by NEA and Intel Capital. The company will use the investment to significantly expand its US production capacity for advanced metal components. Its proprietary Electrochemical Additive Manufacturing (ECAM) technology builds parts atom-by-atom at room temperature, enabling high-resolution results without energy-intensive processes. The technology targets demanding applications in thermal management for AI data centers, antennas for satellite communications, and power electronics for electric vehicles, promising enhanced performance and supply chain resiliency.
READ MORE: www.voxelmatters.com
#4. Dyndrite-EOS-nLIGHT partnership boosts metal 3D printing speed
A strategic partnership between Dyndrite, EOS, and nLIGHT is set to revolutionize metal additive manufacturing. The integration of Dyndrite’s LPBF Pro software with EOS’s open printer architecture and nLIGHT’s advanced AFX lasers grants users unprecedented control over print parameters. This allows for the optimization of laser toolpaths and exposure strategies. The collaboration has already demonstrated a doubling of printing speed for customer Ursa Major while maintaining part quality and reducing waste, marking a significant leap in productivity for industrial LPBF processes.
READ MORE: www.3dprintingjournal.com
#3. Dyndrite launched NXG Slice Viewer for 12-laser metal 3D printing
Dyndrite has launched its NXG Slice Viewer, a new tool within its Dyndrite LPBF Pro software, specifically designed for Nikon SLM Solutions’ NXG XII 600 and NXG 600E metal 3D printers. This advanced visualization and debug environment provides a fully time-simulated view of all 12 lasers simultaneously. It allows users to analyze and optimize toolpaths, laser timing, and custom optic allocation strategies to maximize machine productivity and prevent issues.
READ MORE: www.dyndrite.com
#2. Bambu Lab to launch revolutionary H2C 3D printer at Formnext
Bambu Lab will officially launch its new H2C 3D printer at Formnext on November 18, 2025. Its key innovation is the “Vortek” wireless hotend swapping system, designed to eliminate filament waste in multi-material printing. Instead of purging the nozzle, the printer automatically replaces the entire hotend. Using induction heating and wireless data transfer, it enables rapid swaps in under eight seconds. Positioned as a premium solution, the H2C is aimed at professionals seeking faster, cleaner multi-material production.
READ MORE: www.voxelmatters.com
#1. Carbon secured $60M funding, eyes IPO in 12-24 months
Carbon has raised $60 million in a new funding round from long-term investors like adidas and Sequoia Capital. The company, known for its Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) 3D printing technology, is now cash-flow breakeven. This bridge financing will support it until it becomes cash-flow positive. In an exclusive interview, co-founder Phil DeSimone revealed Carbon expects to IPO within the next 12 to 24 months. The success of this established player is seen as a crucial positive signal for restoring investor confidence in the additive manufacturing sector.
READ MORE: www.3dprint.com