Leaders in additive manufacturing begin three days of meetings in Canfield to discuss opportunities, successes and innovations.

The 13th annual America Makes Members Meeting and Exchange opens today at Waypoint 4180, Canfield. Event organizers estimate 400 representatives from government, industry and academia will attend.

“We’re the nexus of activity for the United States happening here in the Valley,” said John Wilczynski, American Makes executive director. “This is our biggest kind of flagship event that we have at the institute. It is our annual gathering, the only time that we bring everybody together within our community.”

Industry experts and keynote speakers will highlight the gathering in addition to workshops and exhibits. Tours of Center Street Technologies in Youngstown and Humtown Additive in Boardman were provided Monday.

Keith DeVries, director of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Manufacturing Technology Program, will speak today on “Made in America. Ready for Battle.”

Wilczynski said the Department of Defense focuses on eight institutes with technologies important to the department.

“We’re one of those eight,” Wilczynski said of America Makes’ 3D programs. “We’ve been around longer than any of the others. He oversees the whole program.”

On Wednesday, Matthew Sermon will discuss the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Industrial Base Program.

“That is all things — submarines, aircraft carriers, other vessels. It’s growing even beyond that to include aviation and other munitions,” Wilczynski said. “He will stimulate a lot of excitement in the crowd because there’s a major narrative within that particular area about ‘How do we create a more capable fleet?'”

Expanding additive manufacturing’s workforce also will be discussed.

“So how do we create awareness that there are good, high-paying jobs in advanced manufacturing technology — areas that many just aren’t aware of?” Wilczynski said.

“This is a region that knows manufacturing of old. … We’re seeing that transformation out of the dark and dirty and dingy and dangerous world into a more advanced and sophisticated world, which is what we’re trying to communicate.”