Day 2 at AMUG 2026: The GENERAL ATOMICS & DIVERGENT Keynote

Stealing the show at AMUG (Additive Manufacturing Users Group) – the Key Note by Steve Fournier at General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Scott Sawyer at Divergent. That’s something that extends the series of ‘reasons to be cheerful’ that started at Additive Manufacturing Strategies last month, we heard a powerful application & business case. WHAT OTHERS…

VALIMET taking the lead on Safety

VALIMET, Inc. invites all manufacturers and users of #EnergeticMaterials to join the 2026 MPPA Winter Business Meeting, organized by the Metal Powder Industries Federation. The focus is primarily Safety. At the initiative of VALIMET’s President, Chris Adam, an Energetic Materials Subcommittee has been established within the Metal Powder Producers Association (MPPA). Dedicated discussion sessions will take place throughout the afternoon…

Arno Held, the oracle of Advanced Manufacturing.

The oracle has spoken. No interpreter required. Yet, one section of Arno Held‘s remarks at Additive Manufacturing Strategies was particularly intriguing: “AM is not a platform game. It’s an application monopoly game.You have to own a niche application.” Using the word monopoly so explicitly — almost a taboo in many contexts — is a bold choice, in my…

Additive Manufacturing Strategies – Engines roaring

Engines are roaring at Additive Manufacturing Strategies. Understanding why optimism is now a thing requires re-assessing what End Users need today. And yet: inconvenient truths announced by an undisputed Lighthouse for the AM Industry, Arno Held from AM Ventures. It’s all about the Applications – we’ve quoted him before.  At VALIMET, Inc. we’re considering dropping the word “Additive” in our external…

Book Club: Beast in the Machine, by George M Dougherty

“Beast in the Machine” (BITM) was presented by Red Thread X in DC, in a side-event during the Association of the United States Army – AUSA show 2025. I read it cover to cover and will avoid spoilers. What is it  246pp. of text and 29pp for notes: a well-documented essay. It’s at once: a History book, covering over 100 years…