2026 Annual International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium (SFF Symp 2026): Plenary
Program Organizers: David Leigh, University of Texas at Austin
Monday 8:00 AM
August 3, 2026
Room: Zlotnick Ballroom 3&4
Location: AT&T Center
Session Chair: David Leigh, University of Texas at Austin
8:00 AM Introductory Comments
8:15 AM Plenary Talk 1
8:45 AM Plenary Talk 2
9:15 AM Plenary Talk 3
9:45 AM Break
10:15 AM Plenary
Making the Impossible Possible via Multi-Modal, Multi-Material, and Multi-Axis Additive Manufacturing: Christopher Williams1; 1Virginia Tech
Additive Manufacturing (AM) has long been defined by its ability to create what conventional processes cannot—usually framed only around geometric freedom. Yet AM’s true disruptive potential lies beyond geometry, and instead evolving into a platform that can directly fabricate multi-functional components and can process and architect materials and material combinations that were previously inaccessible.This talk presents Virginia Tech DREAMS Lab’s efforts to broaden AM’s value proposition through research that tailors geometry, toolpath, material, and process across AM modalities. Examples include advances in (1) designing materials for AM processing, (2) understanding AM process–structure–property relationships, (3) AM electronic materials and processes, and (4) the extraction of AM out of its stand-alone box and its integration as a tool in an advanced manufacturing process chain. Emphasis is placed on AM’s transformation into a semi-autonomous, multi-modal, multi-material, multi-axis capability—one that shifts AM from making parts to manufacturing integrated systems.
10:45 AM Plenary
Right Place, Right Time, and the Right Amount of Energy in Fusion-Based Additive Manufacturing: Sneha Prabha Narra1; 1Carnegie Mellon University
At the core of fusion-based additive manufacturing is a simple principle that the heat source must spend the right amount of time at the right place and deliver the right amount of energy to produce parts with the desired properties. The goal of this talk is to make the lessons learned from my research accessible to attendees across all levels of expertise. The talk begins with my early work on experimentation-based parameter development for controlling porosity and solidification microstructure, transitions to the nuances of manufacturing complex parts, and presents our ongoing work that integrates modeling, fabrication, in-situ monitoring, and characterization to advance qualification and certification of additively manufactured parts. I will conclude the presentation by sharing technical perspectives shaped by more than a decade of collaborative research and discussing the opportunities that lie ahead for metal additive manufacturing.