Industry leaders from aerospace, defense, healthcare and advanced manufacturing to headline morning panels April 14-16

Boston (Mar. 23, 2026) — RAPID + TCT 2026, North America's largest additive manufacturing and industrial 3D printing event, will bring its highly anticipated Executive Perspectives Keynote Series to the SME Main Stage during its Boston debut, April 13-16, 2026 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

Now in its third year, the Executive Perspective Series will kick off Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of RAPID + TCT 2026 with an 8:30 a.m. panel discussion on the SME Main Stage.

"SME has always been about bringing the additive manufacturing community together to learn from the people driving the industry forward," said Steve Prahalis, chief operating officer at SME. "The Executive Perspectives Series at RAPID + TCT gives attendees a front-row seat to candid conversations with leaders who are scaling these technologies, navigating real challenges and shaping what the next era of manufacturing looks like."

This year's Executive Perspective Series includes:

Scaling AM for Aerospace and Defense — Tuesday, April 14 at 8:30 a.m. The series opens with a discussion on AM across aerospace and defense applications. Leaders will examine qualification, certification, materials development and supply chain resilience, along with the role of government and industry collaboration in accelerating deployment.
Panelists include:
? Foster Ferguson, Senior Director, Aerospace & Defense, Stratasys
? Arun Jeldi, DPT, Chief Executive Officer, Velo3D
? Karsten Heuser, PhD, Vice President, Additive Manufacturing, Siemens
? BG Beth A. Behn, Commanding General, U.S. Army TACOM AMC
Moderator:
? Brett Conner, PhD, Chief Manufacturing Officer, SME

Life-Saver: How AM Is Transforming Point-of-Care — Wednesday, April 15 at 8:30 a.m. This executive-level healthcare panel explores how additive manufacturing is revolutionizing care delivery within hospitals and clinical environments. From patient-specific implants and anatomical models to on-demand surgical tools, leaders will discuss regulatory pathways, reliability and the growing integration of AM at the point of care.
Panelists include:
? Jeffrey Graves, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer, 3D Systems
? Brigitte de Vet-Veithen, Chief Executive Officer, Materialise
? Alex Moñino, Senior Vice President & General Manager, HP
? Jason Rolland, Chief Technology Officer, Carbon
Moderator:
• Laura Griffiths, Head of Content, TCT Group

From MIT to Mainstream: The Next Era of Manufacturing — Thursday, April 16 at 8:30 a.m. The closing Executive Perspectives session will explore how research breakthroughs transition from laboratory innovation to full industrial adoption. Leaders from academia and industry will discuss scaling technologies, workforce development and the broader implications of distributed and digital manufacturing models.
Panelists include:
? Prof. Neil Gershenfeld, Director, Center for Bits and Atoms, MIT
? Maxim Lobovsky, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Formlabs

RAPID + TCT 2026 will feature more than 450 exhibitors, 160 conference sessions and 200+ speakers from around the world. In addition to the Executive Perspectives Series, attendees can explore three new curated showcases spotlighting aerospace and defense innovation, healthcare applications and startups.

To learn more or register, visit rapid3devent.com.

About RAPID + TCT 2026
For 36 years, SME and RAPID have defined the crucial role of additive manufacturing and empowered the establishment of an industry that continues to conceive, test, improve and manufacture new products at a faster, more cost-efficient pace. In 2017, the two industry leaders in 3D-technology events, SME and owner of the TCT Group, Rapid News Publications Ltd, partnered to produce the annual RAPID + TCT event. For users and suppliers alike, the event is the premier destination for those who provide technology and those who need to understand, explore and adopt 3D printing, additive manufacturing, 3D scanning, CAD/CAE metrology and inspection technologies. Visit https://www.rapid3devent.com/.

About The TCT Group
The TCT Group has been a leading authority in additive manufacturing, 3D printing, design, and engineering technology for more than 30 years. A rich mix of live events and an all-encompassing media portfolio enables TCT to deliver business-critical intelligence, connecting the additive community across Europe, North America, and Asia.

About SME
Established in 1932 as a nonprofit organization, SME represents the entire North American manufacturing industry, including manufacturers, academia, professionals, students, and the communities in which they operate. We believe manufacturing holds the key to economic growth and prosperity, and champions the industry's potential as a diverse, thriving, and valued ecosystem. SME accelerates new technology adoption and builds North America's talent and capabilities to advance manufacturing and drive competitiveness, resiliency, and national security. SME designs new ways to understand and solve problems, and our solutions advance the next wave of growth in manufacturing. Learn more at SME.org.