Bethel, Conn. — Speakers at the plenary sessions of the Society of Plastics Engineers Antec 2016 conference will focus on the future of the plastics industry, with an emphasis on additive manufacturing, 3-D printing, and automotive lightweighting through the use of carbon fiber composites.
The May 23-25 conference in Indianapolis also will feature a panel discussion of plastics industry editors.
The May 23 plenary speaker is Tim Caffrey, senior consultant at Wohler Associates Inc. in Fort Collins, Colo. He is the principal author of the Wohlers Report, an in-depth global study of additive manufacturing.
The May 25 plenary speaker is Antony Dodworth, chief technology and manufacturing officer at Bright Light Structures LLC in San Francisco. He has designed, worked on, and built chasses for the March Indy 500 car; Leyton House F1; McLaren F1 and F1 road car; Hyundai Coupe concept; Cadillac Cien; Jaguar F Type concept; and Bentley GT concept, road car convertible, Supersport, Mulsanne, and T35.
On May 24 Antec will feature a discussion titled “The State of the Plastics Industry: Outlook for 2016 and Beyond.” Panelists will include Don Loepp, editor of Plastics News; Jim Callari, associate publisher and editorial director of Plastics Technology; Susan Flynn, managing editor of Composites Manufacturing; and Clare Goldsberry, senior contributing editor of Plastics Today. Mike Tolinski, managing editor of SPE's Plastics Engineering, will serve as moderator. Don Rosato, publications chairman for the Plastics Institute of America at the University of Massachusetts—Lowell, will serve as coordinator.
Bethel-based SPE is the organizer of Antec. For information, visit www.4spe.org, and to register visit www.antec.ws.