Peer-reviewed sessions cover 3D bioprinting and flexible electronics in HMI devices, among others.

Fairfax, Va. – With its new conference, FP3: Functional Printing, Process & Products, the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) is taking an innovative approach to serving the growing fields of industrial printing and printed electronics.

“Conferences in this space are often very academic, informing future strategies. FP3 will provide insightful sessions, networking time and access to presenters, so attendees leave with concepts they can put into practice when they return to their businesses,” said SGIA Chairman Ed Cook, President of ECI Screen Print Inc.

The latest additions to the conference include:

• “Flexible/Printed Electronics in Next Generation HMI Devices,” with Bobby Bedi, Design HMI LLC. Bedi will cover new HMI technologies that are ready for manufacturing (including engineering support) and innovations in electronics, lighting, raw materials and production and development of application design concepts.
• Shawn Kent Hayashi, the founder and CEO of The Professional Development Group LLC and Executive-in-Residence for the Lehigh University MBA program, will lead the closing keynote with a look at eight megatrends, how they’ll affect your business and how you can get your team to embrace them. Learn how to create an agile and innovative organization, and discover the skill most needed — yet least developed — for 21st century leadership: forward-looking thinking.
• Karen Dubbin, featured on Forbes magazine’s “30 Under 30” list for industry and manufacturing, is currently with Aether, a 3D bioprinting startup that develops biomaterials for printing cells into living tissues for applications from drug development to full-organ printing. She’ll cover “The Future of 3D Bioprinting,” describing the state of this emerging field and newly developing technologies.

SGIA’s Industrial Applications and Printed Electronics Committee developed the conference program and its theme, “Innovation.” Sessions also include a talk on UX design with Google’s David M. Hogue, Ph.D., and a look at the cross-discipline collaboration that resulted in the 2018 US Winter Olympics team’s self-heating parka.

“The committee has created a program that really captures the excitement of this industry niche,” Cook said. “As rich as this agenda is, it’s only the beginning. I’m confident FP3’s takeaways — knowledge, connections and opportunities — will contribute to innovations, process improvements and efficiencies attendees can put in place today.”

Learn more and register at fp3conference.com.