Most additive manufacturing events give a few conference minutes to the question that actually decides whether a printed part ships: how that part gets qualified. On Thursday, October 15, Verder Scientific gives it a full day. The Industry Panel & Technology Workshop — promoted as the 2026 Aerospace, Automotive & Additive Industry Panel — runs at the Advanced Casting Research Center (ACRC) at UC Irvine, California, and is built around quality, testing and part qualification.
| Date | Thursday, October 15, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Time | Registration check-in from 8:00 AM · morning panel, afternoon hands-on, evening networking |
| Venue | Advanced Casting Research Center (ACRC), UC Irvine — 63 E Peltason Dr, Irvine, CA |
| Event | Verder Scientific Industry Panel & Technology Workshop |
| Format | Morning panel forum · afternoon hands-on workshop · evening networking |
| Organized by | Verder Scientific · hosted by the Advanced Casting Research Center (ACRC) at UC Irvine · sponsored by Spectro and Additive Plus |
| Registration | Pre-registration required — walk-ins cannot be accommodated. Handled by Verder Scientific; seating is limited. |
Our founder and CEO, Ashkhen Ovsepyan, joins the panel, and we bring something of our own to the afternoon hands-on workshop.
What the day covers
The morning is a moderated forum in two panel sessions: the first on qualification in aerospace and automotive, the second on characterization and manufacturing processes in additive manufacturing. The subject matter runs from IQ/OQ methodology through in-field validation of additively manufactured components — the workflow between a finished build and a part an engineer is willing to sign off on.
The afternoon moves onto the floor of a working facility, with live demonstrations and practical inspection rather than slideware. Verder Scientific brings its instruments — the CAMSIZER and SYNC systems among them — and Additive Plus and Spectro each show work of their own. The draft agenda:
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 8:00 – 8:45 AM | Registration and networking |
| 8:45 – 9:00 AM | Welcome and opening remarks — Verder Scientific and UC Irvine |
| 9:00 – 9:50 AM | Panelist introductions |
| 10:00 – 11:00 AM | Panel I — Qualification in aerospace and automotive |
| 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM | Panel II — Characterization and manufacturing processes in additive manufacturing |
| 12:15 – 1:15 PM | Lunch and networking |
| 1:30 – 4:30 PM | Hands-on technology workshop — Verder Scientific, Additive Plus and Spectro |
| 4:30 – 6:30 PM | Networking hour |
Who is on the panel
The panelists come from production programs, materials development and academia.
| Panelist | Organization | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Andy Perry | GE Aerospace | Consulting Engineer, Additive Materials |
| Jim Steibel | Blue Origin | Senior Technical Engineer |
| Simon Pun | Mimo Technik | Vice President of Engineering |
| Ben Graybill | QuesTek Innovations | Senior Client Solutions Engineer |
| Mahdi Yoozbashizadeh | CSU Long Beach | Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering |
| Ashkhen Ovsepyan | Additive Plus | Founder and CEO |
Why a full day on qualification is rare among additive manufacturing events
Qualification is where additive programs stall. The print parameters are rarely the hard part — the hard part is proving, to an auditor and to a customer, that the part coming off the machine this month matches the one that passed testing last year. That proof chain starts upstream of the printer, in the feedstock, and runs through metallography, hardness and elemental analysis before anyone talks about the part itself.
Key takeaway. Powder that drifts out of specification invalidates every downstream test. Particle size distribution, morphology and chemistry are qualification data, not receiving-dock paperwork — which is why the instruments that measure them share the workshop floor with the printers.
That is the ground Additive Plus works on daily. We supply the analysis equipment that characterizes feedstock and finished parts, including dynamic image analysis systems for particle size and shape, hardness testers and elemental analyzers — and we run the same instruments against the metal powders we sell and print with in our own facility.
Attending
Registration is handled by Verder Scientific and seating is limited. Pre-registration is required — walk-ins cannot be accommodated, so book the spot before you plan the trip. If you are coming, find our team during the afternoon session — bring the qualification problem you are stuck on, and we will work through it with the instruments in front of us.
Equipment: Analysis equipment · Hardness testers · Elemental analyzers · Metal powders
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