Proving the Future of Advanced Manufacturing: Cold Spray & Large-Scale AM Take the Field at the 2026 Action Team Event
International leaders gather in Worcester, MA for historic outdoor expeditionary demonstrations across cold spray and large-scale additive manufacturing.
WORCESTER, MA – August 21, 2026 – Solvus Global, a technology solution provider for materials and manufacturing, brought together key stakeholders across defense, industry, and academia in Worcester, MA from June 9th - June 11th for the 2026 Action Team Event. Composed of annual Cold Spray Action Team (CSAT) and Large-Scale Additive Action Team (LSAAT) meetings, the conference continues its nearly two-decade tradition as a premier global platform for advancing additive manufacturing into operational reality. Marking a historic milestone for the event, this year’s program took advanced manufacturing out of the lab and into the open elements with its first-ever live outdoor expeditionary demonstrations.
Addressing the broader trajectory of the cold spray community, Dr. Victor Champagne Jr. highlighted the critical balance between technological capability and real-world deployment, "It's very important to understand the advantages as well as the limitations."
The CSAT 2026 technical sessions covered the latest advancements in cold spray while addressing the full cold spray lifecycle from raw feedstock to fielded parts. Presentations focused on field-deployable cold spray AM repair, qualification for defense assets, and industrial adoption barriers in energy and aerospace.
The LSAAT 2026 program highlighted the growing impact of wire arc directed energy deposition (DED), additive friction stir deposition (AFSD), blue laser wire DED, and large-format cold spray across defense, maritime, and aerospace applications. Presentations discussed material properties, qualification, development strategies, and digital workflows.
More than 25 organizations across feedstock, equipment, and diagnostics sectors were featured as exhibitors. Featured sponsors included key industry leaders such as VRC Metal Systems, SPEE3D, and Titomic, who presented state-of-the-art cold spray systems, mobile hardware, and automated manufacturing platforms.
Interactive displays on the exhibit floor offered a preview of field-ready technology, which culminated in the live outdoor expeditionary demonstration hosted at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Audience members got hands-on opportunities to explore turnkey spray cells and real-time process monitoring solutions driving the future of advanced manufacturing. The VRC Metal Systems Brolga, XSPEE3D, CenterLine SST PX System, Solvus Global’s APEX Workflow and Data Management Software, and the University of New Hampshire Mobile Friction Stir Additive Manufacturing System were among the equipment showcases.
Highlighting the next generation of materials talent, the 2026 Action Team Event featured two spotlight student presentations on the main stage alongside a gallery of 22 academic posters from universities such as Northeastern University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Florida International University (FIU), and the University of California Irvine.
Outstanding student and postdoctoral research were recognized during the closing ceremonies with a set of awards given for excellence in cold spray and large scale advanced manufacturing poster categories.
Learn more on the Cold Spray Action Team and Large Scale Additive Action Team by visiting the respective websites for information regarding events, webinars, and sponsorship opportunities.
Contact the organizing committee directly via email: support@coldsprayteam.com
About CSAT (Cold Spray Action Team)
Founded by Dr. Victor K. Champagne Jr., CSAT provides a global platform for advancing cold spray technology through collaboration among researchers, OEMs, and end users across defense, aerospace, and energy sectors.
About LSAAT (Large Scale Additive Action Team)
Led by Dr. Aaron Birt, LSAAT unites leaders in additive manufacturing to address critical challenges in scaling, qualification, and integration of large-format AM processes across industries.
About Solvus Global
Solvus Global is a technology innovator specializing in materials processing, additive manufacturing, and sustainable production solutions. With facilities in Worcester, Leominster, and Webster, MA, and a satellite location at Missouri S&T, Solvus Global serves as a hub for research, prototyping, and scaled manufacturing in advanced technologies.
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