ITSC 2026 Turns Bangkok into the Industry’s Capital

The ITSC – International Thermal Spray Conference and Exposition 2026 took place in Bangkok from March 18 through 20, 2026. Featuring over 250 technical presentations, sessions such as Thermal Spray in a Nutshell, the Industrial Forum and the ITSC Young Professional Competition, the event provided a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in thermal spraying, laser beam cladding and related technologies.

With approximately 1,000 attendees, ITSC 2026 once again demonstrated its significance for the thermal coating industry. The conference served as a platform for scientific exchange, industrial applications and international collaboration. Under the theme Engineered for Excellence – Smart Coatings for a Smart World, more than 250 technical presentations were delivered. The event was opened by Jens Jerzembeck, Head of Research and Technology at DVS; Veronica Becker, Executive Director of the American Society of Materials (ASM); and  Kirsten Bobzin, Chair of GTS – Gemeinschaft Thermisches Spritzen. The keynote address was given by Klaus Nassenstein, Managing Director of GTV Verschleißschutz.

Supporting young professionals was also a key focus in Bangkok: Lorenzo Miconi received the Young Professional Award, sponsored this year by Oerlikon. Additionally, six young scientists were honored with Best Paper Awards.
Best Paper Award Winners:

• Thomas Schopphoven, Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT), Aachen, Germany:
  “Combining Physical Simulation and Bayesian Optimization for LMD Process Parameter Development”
• Leo Devlin, Ph.D. Student, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland:
  “Effect of Ceramic Particle Properties on Fragmentation and Embedment in Al/Al2O3 Metal Matrix Composite – A Single Particle Impact Study”
• Kevin Jasutyn, M. Sc., IOT – Institut für Oberflächentechnik, RWTH Aachen, Germany: 
  “High-Speed Imaging and Computer Vision for Thermal Spray Process Monitoring”
• Reza Jafari, Doctoral Student, Tampere University, Finland:
  “Superior Wear Resistance of Al-Si Alloy Composites Fabricated via Cold Spraying”
• Pengfei Yu, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland:
  “Stored Strain Energy-Driven Interatomic Diffusion in Immiscible Multi-Metal Composites via Cold Spray”
• Muhammad Tahir Farooq, Ph.D. Student, TGGS, King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok:
  “Evaluation of Crystallite Sizes, Residual Stresses, Micro-XRF Spectroscopy, and Tribo-Corrosion Characteristics of Cermet Coatings using Synchrotron Radiation Techniques”

In addition to technical presentations and awards for young professionals, the ITSC provided space for practical applications: the accompanying exhibition allowed participating companies to showcase their product portfolios to a professional audience. Overall, ITSC 2026 was a groundbreaking event and a valuable platform for international exchange in the field of thermal coating technology.
The next ITSC will be held from May 12 to 14, 2027, in Rotterdam under the theme “Next-Level Thermal Spray: Driving Innovation, Enabling Sustainability.”

(Source: DVS – German Welding Society)