Formnext Asia Shenzhen concluded its 2026 edition on August 28 in Shenzhen, China, with organizers reporting 34,202 visitors from 113 countries and regions to the additive manufacturing (AM) event, a 65 percent increase over the 2025 edition. International attendance rose 157 percent to 1,887 visitors, and total visits reached 41,986.
The exhibition ran from August 26 to 28 at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center and featured 330 exhibitors across 20,000 square meters of space, along with 13 forum sessions and more than 100 presentations. The turnout points to continued AM adoption across Asia’s manufacturing sectors, which organizers linked to industries including aerospace, robotics and consumer electronics.
Malaysia and Thailand supplied the largest numbers of international visitors, followed by Russia, Singapore, the United States, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Brazil and Vietnam.
Exhibitors presented materials, printers, software, services and post-processing technologies for metal, polymer and ceramic AM, with applications spanning aerospace, the low-altitude economy, 3C electronics, robotics, new energy vehicles, footwear and fashion. A dedicated 3D Print Farm and Consumer Products Zone focused on desktop AM, an area where organizers note Shenzhen has an established manufacturing base for printer production.
New Programming Draws International Participation
Newly added fringe sessions covered robotics and embodied intelligence, data center cooling and AI infrastructure, and 3D printed footwear. The Global AM Channel Partner & Dealer Matching Meeting connected 27 international channel buyers with 16 Chinese and Korean equipment and materials suppliers, drawing participants from Burkina Faso, France, Iran, Mexico, Nepal, the Philippines, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Spain and Zimbabwe.
The first International 3D Printed Footwear Design Awards received more than 100 entries and handed out 30 awards across footwear design, brands, manufacturing equipment and materials, with process-specific categories for FDM, DLP/LCD and MJF/SLS, plus awards for UV-curable materials. The full list of award recipients is available online.
“For people working in footwear, Formnext Asia Shenzhen is the most relevant additive manufacturing show to attend. Shenzhen has the print farms, equipment and materials manufacturers, while nearby Dongguan has a strong footwear industry,” said Nicoline van Enter, founder and CEO of Footwearology, who chaired the awards and spoke at the event on design, sustainability and the EU’s forthcoming Digital Product Passport requirements.
Product Debuts and Exhibitor Feedback
Several exhibitors used the show to introduce equipment to the Asian or Asia-Pacific market.
HP Additive Manufacturing Solutions debuted its MJF 1200 in Asia Pacific. “What we value most about Formnext Asia Shenzhen is that its visitors are on the front line of manufacturing. They come with a purpose or a problem to solve, making this a fitting place to debut our new MJF 1200 in Asia Pacific and open MJF technology to more enterprises, in-house facilities and universities,” said Hua Zhao, head of Greater China market at HP Additive Manufacturing Solutions.
Han’s Matrix3D Technology launched its dual-laser M420G for copper and thermal-management component production. “We saw a significant increase in booth traffic over 2025 and met many professional visitors with specific applications to discuss,” said Jinglong Tang, general manager of Han’s Matrix3D Technology.
TPM 3D Printing Technology introduced its CF-250, developed based on feedback the company received on its CF-200 at Formnext Frankfurt, and presented work on humanoid robotics through the forum program, according to Hanbo Wang, application engineer for overseas support at the company.
Formnext Asia Shenzhen 2026 ran alongside PCIM Asia Shenzhen 2026, a co-located exhibition for power electronics, intelligent motion, renewable energy and energy management, which recorded 25,313 visits. The event’s official photo livestream logged more than 360,000 visits. Dates for the 2027 edition will be announced later, according to organizers.
Expanding Fringe Programming to Reach New AM Adopters
The strategy of using expanded fringe programming to pull new industries into the show isn’t new for the event. Ahead of its 2025 edition, Formnext Asia Shenzhen already broadened its supporting program to cover the full AM value chain, adding partner-led pavilions and technical forums alongside a stated push to develop closer ties between Greater Bay Area cities and their manufacturing specialties.
That expansion focused on breadth across the AM value chain as opposed to a single named application area, making this year’s dedicated tracks for robotics, data center infrastructure and footwear a more targeted version of that underlying strategy.
Both editions treat broadened programming as a deliberate lever for reaching AM adopters beyond the show’s traditional exhibitor base.
3D Printing Industry is inviting speakers for its 2026 Additive Manufacturing Applications (AMA) series, covering Energy, Healthcare, Automotive and Mobility, Aerospace, Space and Defense, and Software. Each online event focuses on real production deployments, qualification, and supply chain integration. Practitioners interested in contributing can complete the call for speakers form here.
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Featured image shows Crowds gather in Hall 15 of the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center for Formnext Asia Shenzhen 2026. Photo via Shenzhen.
Facts Only
* Formnext Asia Shenzhen concluded on August 28 in Shenzhen, China.
* The event had 34,202 visitors from 113 countries and regions.
* Attendance increased by 65 percent over the 2025 edition.
* International attendance rose by 157 percent to 1,887 visitors.
* Total visits reached 41,986.
* The exhibition ran from August 26 to 28 at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center.
* There were 330 exhibitors occupying 20,000 square meters.
* The event featured 13 forum sessions and more than 100 presentations.
* Malaysia and Thailand supplied the largest numbers of international visitors.
* Exhibitors presented AM technologies for metal, polymer, and ceramic materials.
* New fringe sessions covered robotics, embodied intelligence, data center cooling, AI infrastructure, and 3D printed footwear.
Executive Summary
Formnext Asia Shenzhen 2026 concluded on August 28 in Shenzhen, China, attracting 34,202 visitors from 113 countries and regions, marking a 65 percent increase over the 2025 edition. International attendance rose by 157 percent to 1,887 visitors, with total visits reaching 41,986. The exhibition took place from August 26 to 28 at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center and featured 330 exhibitors across 20,000 square meters, alongside 13 forum sessions and over 100 presentations. The event highlighted continued additive manufacturing adoption across Asian manufacturing sectors, particularly in aerospace, robotics, and consumer electronics.
Malaysia and Thailand were the largest sources of international visitors, followed by Russia, Singapore, the United States, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and Vietnam. Exhibitors showcased materials, printers, software, services, and post-processing technologies for metal, polymer, and ceramic AM, with applications in diverse fields such as aerospace, robotics, new energy vehicles, and fashion. A specific zone focused on desktop AM, reflecting Shenzhen's established manufacturing base for printer production.
New programming introduced fringe sessions covering robotics, embodied intelligence, data center cooling, AI infrastructure, and 3D printed footwear, expanding the event's reach to new industry adopters. A dedicated awards ceremony for 3D printed footwear recognized over 100 entries across various material and process categories. Several exhibitors used the platform to debut new equipment, such as HP’s MJF 1200 and Han’s Matrix3D Technology’s M420G, demonstrating technology transfer into the Asian market.
Full Take
The event operates as a deliberate mechanism to expand adoption by linking manufacturing visibility with emerging industry needs. The expansion of fringe programming into areas like AI infrastructure and data center cooling demonstrates a strategy focused on positioning AM not merely as a production tool but as an enabling technology for broader industrial digitalization. This pattern suggests that the value proposition is shifting from specific end-use applications to systemic industrialization, which naturally pulls in sectors less immediately focused on additive manufacturing, such as the data center or AI infrastructure.
The focus on footwear awards and regional supplier engagement reflects a dual strategy: celebrating tangible application innovation while simultaneously addressing supply chain needs through channel matching meetings. The narrative suggests that physical exhibition space is leveraged to facilitate complex B2B relationship building across disparate technological verticals. The introduction of equipment by exhibitors, framed as opening technology to in-house facilities and universities, positions the event as an accelerator for systemic change rather than just a product showcase.
The interplay between the traditional exhibitor base and the newly added specialized tracks implies an effort to shift perception from niche manufacturing to mainstream industrial application. The fact that external organizations are inviting speakers for broader AMA series across Energy, Healthcare, and Mobility suggests an ongoing push to integrate AM into high-value, systemic areas. This pattern of layered programming functions to bridge the gap between technical demonstration and holistic industrial strategy, raising the question of whether the increased visitor numbers reflect genuine cross-sector interest or a more generalized attraction to high-profile technology themes. What shifts in this expanded focus will determine if this remains an engine for deep industry integration or a broad marketing exercise.
Sentinel — Human
The text reads like professionally compiled press coverage, effectively mixing quantitative results with qualitative industry perspectives regarding the Formnext Asia Shenzhen event.