TCT 3Sixty 2026: What Engineers Should Actually Show Up For

The additive manufacturing conference circuit is crowded. Too many events recycle the same keynote platitudes and vendor pitches. TCT 3Sixty, running alongside the TCT 3Sixty show in the UK this year, takes a different approach. The programme is curated by the editorial and technical team behind TCT Magazine and RAPID + TCT, with an advisory board that collectively holds over a century of hands-on AM experience.

Located on the show floor and free to attend, the conference targets engineers, designers, and decision-makers who need practical information rather than marketing gloss. Ahead of the event, the TCT team flagged several sessions worth prioritising. The Business Case Problem

Luke Fox from JLR addresses a persistent pain point: building effective business cases for AM in automotive. Most organisations struggle with cost modelling complexity and ROI projection. Fox's session examines the commercial realities that kill or greenlight AM projects, including budget cycles, capital constraints, and the need to demonstrate clear value against conventional manufacturing. The stated goal is to give attendees frameworks they can use to secure buy-in from both technical teams and leadership. Defence Manufacturing at Scale

Daniel Jackson and Marcus Potter from RBSL present findings from Project TAMPA, a three-and-a-half-year programme spanning three development spirals. RBSL has manufactured ten separate parts for five armoured vehicle platforms: Warrior, Panther, Titan, Challenger 2, and Terrier. Production has relied on LB-PBF and SLS, though the company also maintains in-house metal paste deposition and polymer AM capabilities. The session focuses on lessons from spirals 3a and 3b, covering design for AM, FEA, generative design, and topology optimisation. User-Led Panel: JLR, Rolls-Royce, Nestlé, GKN Aerospace

TCT Head of Content Laura Griffiths chairs a cross-industry panel drawing from the TCT UK User Group. Representatives from JLR, Rolls-Royce, Nestlé, and GKN Aerospace will discuss current adoption challenges and operational realities. This format tends to surface more honest assessments than vendor-led presentations, particularly when comparing implementation hurdles across sectors with different regulatory and volume requirements. Talent Pipeline: SMF Rising Stars

A panel chaired by Teula Bradshaw, CEO of the Sanjay Mortimer Foundation, features previous Rising Star Award winners discussing how early recognition and mentorship shaped their trajectories. The session covers neurodivergent talent in engineering and 3D printing, and concludes with the announcement of this year's TCT SMF Rising Star Award winner. Why This Matters

The value of TCT 3Sixty is not the venue or the speaker list. It is the specificity. A defence contractor discussing ten actual parts on five actual vehicles carries more weight than a theoretical case study. A business case framework from an automotive manufacturer who has navigated internal approval processes is more useful than generic ROI calculators.

For engineers evaluating whether to attend, the relevant question is whether your current AM decisions are informed by peer experience or vendor claims. The programme suggests the former.

M4S TAKE

My take: certifications like this matter because they give buyers a defensible reason to shortlist a supplier. In a market where everyone claims quality, third-party validation is the difference between being considered and being ignored.

Simon McLoughlin