Selective laser sintering inventor to receive 2017 AMUG Innovators Award

The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG; Milwaukee, WI) has named Carl Deckard, who invented selective laser sintering (SLS), as the recipient of the AMUG Innovators Award. The award will be presented at the 2017 AMUG Conference, to take place March 19-23, 2017, in Chicago, IL, after Deckard's onstage appearance during the user group conference's Innovators Showcase.

The Innovators Award honors those that have cultivated innovative ideas that in turn have advanced the additive manufacturing industry. Previous recipients include technology creators Chuck Hull and Scott Crump, founders of 3D Systems Corporation and Stratasys, respectively.

Deckard, who is Structured Polymers' co-founder and chief technology officer, conceived and developed SLS technology while at the University of Texas at Austin. The concept of SLS took shape when he was an undergrad, then pursuing it for his master's degree and Ph.D work. He then co-founded Nova Automation, which was later renamed DTM Corp. and ultimately acquired by 3D Systems Corp. He has also served as assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Clemson University (South Carolina).

On March 22, 2017, Deckard will take the stage for an interview during the AMUG Conference. In this Innovators Showcase, he will respond to questions asked by the host and conference attendees, with the intent of getting to know the man behind the technology and gaining guidance from his experience in shepherding a technology from concept to commercialization.

Designed for both novice and experienced additive manufacturing users, the AMUG Conference agenda topics range from technology basics to advanced applications to business considerations. Although the agenda is still in development, AMUG anticipates having nearly 200 presentations, workshops and hands-on training sessions. The AMUG Conference will also feature its annual Technical Competition with awards for exemplary applications of additive manufacturing and superior part finishing. The competition provides a forum for users of additive manufacturing technologies to display their prowess with the technology.

For more information, please visit www.additivemanufacturingusersgroup.com.