Barcelona, new European capital of additive manufacturing

Barcelona has established itself as the European capital of additive manufacturing with the celebration of the Global AM Hubs Summit, a historic event that has brought together the main players in the sector in the DFactory BarcelonaThe summit, which will run until September 18, has brought together 26 3D printing hubs and organizations from 16 countries, including industrial powers such as Germany, France and Sweden.

The main objective of this meeting is to consolidate a collaborative ecosystem that promotes the adoption of 3D printing technologiesAs a result of this vision, it has been officially launched (Add)liance, a new European alliance of 3D printing hubs designed to establish a stable and lasting framework for cooperation.

The State delegate in the CZFB, Pere Navarro, highlighted the importance of this milestone: “We are witnessing a historic milestone because we are witnessing the creation of the first European alliance of additive manufacturing hubs, and the celebration of the first edition of the benchmark event that brings together this entire sector. And this is happening at DFactory Barcelona, as the leading ecosystem in Europe for all Industry 4.0 technologies, in a collaborative environment, because the future is not about competition but about collaboration.”

A total of 26 3D printing hubs and organizations from Austria, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Andorra, Bulgaria, Greece, Finland, Belgium, Ireland, Switzerland, Turkey and Norway, are meeting in Barcelona to promote the adoption of these technologies.

The event has had an extensive program that includes conferences, round tables and an exhibition area with the latest developments in the sector. A total of 48 industry leaders and experts They participated in the sessions, addressing key topics and showcasing the potential of additive technologies through live demonstrations. Attendees also had the opportunity to learn about success stories and innovative solutions firsthand.

For her part, the general director of CZFB, Blanca Sorigué, highlighted the city's role in this process. "This event is a magnificent opportunity to present our District 4.0, which emerges from the CZFB's strategic vision to lead the transformation of the industry. And this is happening in Barcelona because it has a series of ingredients—connectivity, specialized talent, a solid technological and innovative ecosystem—that make it the ideal location to become the world capital of Industry 4.0," stated Sorigué.

The summit also included a exhibition area at DFactory Barcelona, where leading companies showcased their solutions, materials, and software. The event will culminate with technology visits to the HP Additive Manufacturing Solutions Center of Excellence in Sant Cugat del Vallés and the CIM Technology Center at the UPC, thus strengthening the link between industry and cutting-edge research centers.