TCT Awards 2026 Finalists Revealed: GM, NASA, and UK MOD Among Contenders

TCT Awards Moves to Boston for 2026

For the first time in its history, the TCT Awards will be held outside the UK. This year's ceremony takes place on the evening of April 14 in Boston, during RAPID + TCT week at the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center.

The move signals the growing importance of the North American additive manufacturing market, with RAPID + TCT combining two major industry events into one comprehensive showcase.

Who's Shortlisted?

The finalists span aerospace, automotive, defence, and healthcare – the sectors where additive manufacturing has made the deepest impact:

• General Motors – Automotive giant nominated for production applications
• NASA – Space agency recognised for aerospace AM innovation
• Ministry of Defence (UK) – Defence applications in mission-critical systems

Nine awards are up for grabs: five for industry applications and four for technology innovation. Each category recognises not just technical excellence, but real-world impact across healthcare, aerospace, and transport sectors.

Why These Awards Matter

The TCT Awards have become the industry's benchmark for additive manufacturing achievement. Previous winners include BMW for suspension strut towers produced via Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing, and Lockheed Martin for the Mako missile project that cut production time by 79 weeks.

For finalists, the recognition validates years of R&D investment. For the industry, it showcases what's actually working in production – not just in the lab.

The Bigger Picture

This year's shortlist reflects a maturing industry. The days of celebrating "first-ever 3D printed" novelty items are fading. Instead, the focus has shifted to applications that deliver measurable ROI: reduced lead times, lighter structures, consolidated assemblies, and distributed manufacturing.

The April 14 ceremony will reveal whether established giants or ambitious newcomers take home the hardware. Either way, the Boston venue confirms what many already knew: additive manufacturing has gone global, and the centre of gravity is shifting.

RAPID + TCT runs April 13-16, 2026 in Boston, MA.