SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — AeroDef Manufacturing 2025, which is billed as “the most comprehensive event focused on advancing the aerospace and defense industries,” is proving that there’s strength in numbers.
The show, which is produced by SME, a nonprofit association of manufacturing professionals, will be held in Detroit’s Huntington Place April 8-10, 2025. It will co-locate with three other major industry events: SME and the Rapid New Group’s RAPID + TCT, North America’s premier event for additive manufacturing (AM) and industrial 3D printing; SAE’s trademark mobility event ― the World Congress Experience (WCX), which emphasizes innovation in advanced mobility; and America Makes’ Spring Technical Review and Exchange (TRX), the nation’s leading public-private partnership for AM technology and education.
The three-day event — whose origins were in aerospace but has expanded to encompass land, air, sea and space — is a mix of technology exhibits and educational sessions from manufacturing industry experts and aerospace and defense leaders.
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How did the decision to co-locate come about?
“RAPID + TCT has traditionally moved around the U.S. to make sure we’re reaching the sectors and communities that are already leveraging or have growing potential to utilize additive manufacturing (AM),” said Steve Prahalis, Chief Operating Officer at SME. “We made the decision in 2024 to announce a three-year North American Tour, and once we committed to Detroit for 2025, it was a natural fit for us to partner with SAE International to collocate RAPID + TCT with its WCX (World Congress Experience), because the volume of AM applications in the mobility space continues to increase.
“That is only amplified by having America Makes bring their Spring Technical Review & Exchange to Detroit as well. Michigan is also a growing hub for defense and aerospace manufacturing, and that led us to also co-locate our AeroDef Manufacturing event and conference with RAPID + TCT.”
This brings together an additional audience of more than 4,000 manufacturing enthusiasts, he said. “We believe connecting these audiences will lead to new opportunities and stronger relationships across North American manufacturing. These strategic partnerships demonstrate our investment in growing the AM ecosystem by gathering a community of attendees, conference delegates, exhibitors and sponsors in several key manufacturing sectors, from mobility, to aerospace and defense, to healthcare, to consumer goods.”
Opportunities for cross-pollination will exist throughout the show. “Attendees at any of the events will have access to all the exhibit spaces,” Prahalis said. “Our AeroDef Manufacturing event will have its own exhibitors showcasing their products and services directly on the RAPID + TCT event floor. RAPID + TCT also includes a well-attended industry reception, so I’m sure we’ll see some additional cross-pollination with AeroDef, WCX and TRX attendees during that as well. In addition, our attendees will have access to WCX’s Ride & Drive feature and access to America Makes’ Member Showcase.
“Networking is one of the most important aspects of our events because in-person connection moves the manufacturing industry forward.”
Learn more at SME.org
Reach Steve Prahalis at sprahalis@sme.org
