SPECIAL SYMPOSIUM

Symposium Chair(s):
Prof. Hao Yongqiang, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

Title of Symposium:
3D Printing and Personalized Medicine

Symposium Description:
Entering the 21st century, emerging frontier concepts and technologies—such as additive manufacturing (3D printing), new biomaterials, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine—are driving rapid advancements in medicine and personalized healthcare. This forum will feature keynote speeches and four key themes: New Biomaterials and 3D Printing, Clinical Applications of 3D Printing (Models, Guides, Implants), 3D Bioprinting, and Organ Regeneration. Through a blend of upholding core principles, broadening perspectives, and exploring cutting-edge developments, we aim to offer an exciting academic experience for all attendees.

Symposium Chair(s):
Prof. Hae-Jin Choi, Chung-Ang University

Title of Symposium:
KSME Smart Additive Manufacturing

Symposium Description:
The KSME (Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers) Smart Additive Manufacturing Symposium focuses on presenting cutting-edge research that integrates smart technologies with additive manufacturing (AM) to advance the fields of production and design. This symposium will highlight innovations where digital intelligence and advanced manufacturing converge, showcasing new methodologies, tools, and applications that are reshaping industrial practices.

Key areas of research to be presented include:

• AI-driven additive manufacturing, focusing on process optimization, defect prediction, and autonomous decision-making to enhance precision and efficiency.
• Digital twins for real-time monitoring, process simulation, and predictive modeling, enabling enhanced system reliability and adaptability.
• The design and fabrication of functional components, such as lightweight, high-performance parts for specialized applications in aerospace, healthcare, and automotive industries.
• Advances in sensor-embedded components, allowing for the development of self-monitoring systems and improved operational intelligence.
• Hybrid manufacturing approaches that combine additive manufacturing with traditional and smart production techniques to achieve superior scalability and performance.

This symposium will present ongoing developments in additive manufacturing technologies, focusing on the integration of intelligent systems, adaptive algorithms, and functional materials by KSME-affiliated researchers. The presented works aim to address key challenges, such as improving production scalability, achieving higher customization levels, and enhancing the overall functionality of manufactured components.

Symposium Chair(s):
Kun Zhou, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University

Chunze Yan, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Title of Symposium:
Mechanics in Additive Manufacturing

Symposium Description:
Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is a cutting-edge manufacturing technology which has demonstrated remarkable advantages and significant applications in aerospace, automotive, energy, and many other industries. This technology is poised to revolutionise conventional product design and manufacturing philosophies and has gained significant academic and industrial interest due to its ability to create complex geometries with customizable material properties.

This symposium aims to provide new ideas and present the latest advancements in the additive manufacturing of materials and structures, with a particular emphasis on the mechanical issues faced by various additive manufacturing technologies. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• High-fidelity and multi-scale modelling of additive manufacturing
• Additive manufacturing of advanced composite materials
• Mechanical property characterization: strength, ductility, and toughness modulation through multi-field synergistic approaches
• Modelling and in-situ observation for additive manufacturing
• Data-driven modelling of multi-physics processes in additive manufacturing
• AI-driven design methods including topology optimization in additive manufacturing
• Multi-physics computation and simulation in additive manufacturing
• Mechanics in 4D printing
• Novel approaches for design against fatigue and life extension in additive manufacturing
• Advanced characterization techniques for additively manufactured materials

Symposium Chair(s):
Prof. Wang Di, Prof. Han Changjun, Prof. Wang Liqiang, Prof. Xie Lechun

Title of Symposium:
Metallic additive manufacturing: Materials, Processes, and Applications

Symposium Description:

Metallic additive manufacturing (Metal AM) has emerged as a pivotal frontier in advanced manufacturing field, driven by the exceptional mechanical properties of metal alloys including superior strength-to-weight ratios, thermal stability, wear resistance, and fatigue performance. Metal AM is rapidly reshaping industrial landscapes across aerospace, automotive, biomedical, energy systems, marine engineering, and space technologies. Recent breakthroughs in material innovation, process optimization, and digital integration have unlocked unprecedented capabilities for fabricating lightweight lattice structures, bio-inspired architectures, multifunctional components, and non-assembly mechanisms. Key metal AM techniques such as powder bed fusion (PBF), directed energy deposition (DED), binder jetting, and sheet lamination continue to evolve synergistically with hybrid manufacturing systems, multi-energy-source platforms, and large-scale production solutions. Concurrently, advancements in computational modeling, AI-driven process control, and multi-physics simulations are accelerating the development of hierarchical, multiscale metallic structures with tailored properties.

This session will spotlight cutting-edge research and industrial innovations addressing both opportunities and challenges in metal AM. Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Materials Innovation: Alloy design, feedstock development, and in-situ material modification for enhanced performance; multi-material and functionally graded metal AM strategies.
• Process Advancements: Multi-physics modeling and simulation of melt pool dynamics, residual stresses, and microstructure evolution; Intelligent process monitoring, machine learning-driven optimization, and digital twin integration; hybrid manufacturing combining additive and subtractive techniques.
• Application-Driven Breakthroughs: Lightweight topology-optimized structures for aerospace and automotive systems; high-performance components for extreme environments (e.g., high-temperature energy systems); bio-integrated metallic implants and patient-specific medical devices.
• Quality Assurance: Novel non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods for defect detection and performance validation; standardization of mechanical testing protocols for AM-specific anisotropy and surface effects.

This forum invites researchers and industry pioneers to share insights into emerging methodologies, cross-disciplinary applications, and scalable solutions that bridge the gap between laboratory innovation and industrial deployment.

Symposium Chair(s):
Kunpeng Zhu, Yaoyao Fiona Zhao, Kun Li, Xin Lin

Title of Symposium:
Artificial Intelligence for Multifunctional Metal Additive Manufacturing

Symposium Description:

The rapid advances in metal additive manufacturing such as powder bed fusion, directed energy deposition, binder jetting, and sheet lamination, have allowed the fabrication of materials and structures for multiple functions. The growing functional metal additive manufacturing brings enormous opportunities and challenges for academic and industrial applications. Moreover, the AI-driven solution emerges as an effective approach for rapidly identifying multifunctional combination conditions that optimize manufacturing performance.

This symposium focuses on AI applications in the designing, simulating, and manufacturing advanced materials, with the goal of accelerating high-performance material development and optimizing manufacturing processes. The event highlights recent breakthroughs in the theoretical, experimental, modelling and controlling studies of AI-driven material innovation and smart manufacturing. Special emphasis is placed on pioneering methodologies, transformative research insights, and the synergistic integration of emerging technologies including additive manufacturing and digital twin systems.

Topics of interest for this symposium include, but are not limited to:

1. In-situ monitoring and quality control during Additive Manufacturing processing
2. Multifunctional Metal Additive Manufacturing technology
3. Computation and simulation in metal additive manufacturing
4. Digital-twin technology for improving the qualities and properties
5. High-throughput materials design and intelligent control for metal additive manufacturing
6. AI for structure design and performance optimization strategies

Symposium Chair(s):
Yingchun GUAN, Chao WEI

Title of Symposium:
Additive Manufacturing for Extreme Performance

Symposium Description:

This forum focuses on advancing additive manufacturing (AM) technologies to meet the demands of extreme environments in space, energy, marine, and medical sectors—where components face ultrahigh mechanical loads, radiation, extreme temperatures, or dynamic operational conditions. Breakthroughs in multi-material AM, novel extreme-performance alloys/polymers, and 4D printing enable unprecedented material functionality, lightweight multifunctional structures, and adaptive morphologies, addressing limitations of traditional manufacturing. Key subfields include: multi-material integration for tailored properties; extreme-performance new material systems; bio-inspired structural design innovation; process-driven microstructural control; and stimuli-responsive 4D printing. By fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, this forum aims to bridge gaps between computational design, material science, and process innovation, accelerating the translation of AM research into real-world solutions for performance-critical applications. Join us to pioneer transformative approaches that redefine material capabilities and sustainability in extreme engineering.

Topics of interest for this symposium include, but are not limited to:

• Multi-material AM: combine multiple metals, polymers, ceramics, and nanomaterials to achieve functioned properties;
• Extreme-Performance Material Systems: Designing novel alloys, polymers, and ceramic matrices optimized for ultrahigh mechanical loads, radiation resistance, or extreme temperature stability.
• Multifunctional Structural Innovation: Developing bio-inspired or topology-optimized architectures that integrate mechanical, thermal, and electromagnetic functions into unified, lightweight designs.
• Process-Driven Functionalization: Leveraging parameter control (e.g., laser power, layer resolution, feedstock doping) to locally tune microstructures, porosity, and properties within single-material prints.
• 4D printing: Research where printed components can autonomously undergo dynamic changes in morphology, function, or properties under external environmental stimuli.
• Interfacial Dynamics at Heterogeneous Boundaries: Investigating energy transfer, chemical bonding, and stress distribution mechanisms at multi-material interfaces to enhance reliability and performance.

Symposium Chair(s):
Anderson de Oliveira Lobo

Title of Symposium:
New insights into the bioprinting of complex tissues for regenerative medicine

Symposium Description:

Herein we will discuss the latest breakthroughs and significant advancements in 3D bioprinting. Priority will be given to studies centred on the sophisticated fabrication of complex, multifunctional biological tissues. Submissions should explore innovative techniques, next-generation materials (including novel bioinks), and advanced cellular strategies that successfully yield structures mimicking native tissues. The overarching aim is to showcase innovations with direct applications in regenerative medicine—specifically, the repair, replacement, or regeneration of damaged tissues and organs—thereby offering new therapeutic avenues for various diseases and potentially surmounting the challenges of conventional transplantation.

We particularly encourage submissions focusing on the following areas:

• Novel 3D Bioprinting Techniques: Exploring new and improved methodologies for the precise fabrication of biological tissues. This includes, but is not limited to, advancements in printing resolution, speed, scalability, and multi-material printing capabilities.
• Advanced Bioinks and Biomaterials: Development and characterization of novel bioinks and biomaterials that support cellular viability, function, and promote tissue maturation. This includes smart bioinks, decellularized extracellular matrices, and synthetic polymers designed for specific tissue applications.
• Innovative Cellular Approaches in Bioprinting: Strategies for incorporating and organizing multiple cell types, stem cells, and patient-specific cells to create biologically relevant and functional tissue constructs. This encompasses studies on cell sourcing, differentiation, and cell-material interactions within bioprinted structures.
• Fabrication of Complex and Multifunctional Tissues: Research focused on engineering intricate tissue architectures that mimic the complexity of native tissues, including vascularization, innervation, and specific zonal organizations.
• Biomimetic Tissue Constructs: Development of 3D bioprinted tissues that closely resemble the structural, mechanical, and biological properties of native human tissues and organs.
• Applications in Regenerative Medicine: Studies demonstrating the use of 3D bioprinted tissues for the repair, replacement, or regeneration of damaged tissues and organs. This includes preclinical and translational research with a clear path towards clinical application.
• 3D Bioprinting for Disease Modeling and Drug Screening: The use of bioprinted tissue models to study disease pathogenesis, identify new therapeutic targets, and test drug efficacy and toxicity.
• Overcoming Challenges in Traditional Transplantation: Research highlighting how 3D bioprinting can address the limitations of current organ transplantation methods, such as donor shortages, immune rejection, and disease transmission.
• Addressing Specific Diseases with Bioprinted Tissues: Focused research on the application of 3D bioprinting to develop treatments for particular diseases or conditions (e.g., cardiovascular diseases, orthopedic injuries, skin regeneration, neurodegenerative disorders).

Symposium Chair(s):
Yiting Lei, Co-chair: Dr. Xulin Hu

Title of Symposium:
Innovative Applications of Bioprinting in Regenerative Medicine

Symposium Description:

This symposium will explore how bioprinting technology is driving innovation in regenerative medicine, with a focus on its cutting-edge advancements in organ reconstruction, tissue repair, and personalized treatment. With the rapid development of 3D bioprinting technology, researchers have successfully printed functional skin, cartilage, blood vessels, and even miniature organs, offering new solutions to the shortage of transplant organs and chronic disease treatment. The conference will delve into the following core topics:

1. Multi-material bioinks and precise cell positioning: How to optimize biocompatible materials for biomimetic construction of complex tissue structures.
2. Clinical translation case: Sharing successful practices of bio-printed skin for burn repair and bone cartilage tissue regeneration.
3. Vascularization Challenges and Solutions: Exploring the Combination of Microfluidic Technology and Bioprinting for the Efficient Generation of Vascular Networks
4. Ethics and Large-scale Production: Analysing the Ethical Norms and Automation Bottlenecks Faced by the Commercialization of Technology.

In addition, the conference will look into the new bio-design strategies driven by artificial intelligence and the application potential of organ-on-a-chip in drug testing. This event aims to build a cross-disciplinary dialogue platform for researchers, clinicians and bioengineers, and jointly promote the leapfrog development of regenerative medicine from the laboratory to the clinic.