Additive manufacturing
Predicted to be worth $79 billion by 2028, additive manufacturing (AM) is transforming industrial production.
However, significant barriers to adoption and sustained commercial success remain. We are addressing these through four capabilities: the Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (see below); Technical Experts – with dedicated ASTM professionals leading our work in this area; Advisory Services – offering bespoke technical and strategic consulting; and Market Insight – delivered through Wohlers Associates, the leading provider of technical insight in the AM sector.
Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence
The ASTM International Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE) brings together industry, government, and academia to optimize the AM R&D and standards development processes.
By tightly coupling these processes, standards get into the hands of those who need them faster, drastically reducing AM time to market and increasing widespread adoption.
100+ members
The Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE), currently has over 100 members and more than $5m of funding.
30 projects
The AM CoE has undertaken 30 projects since inception. These address 33 standards gaps and impact 68 new or existing standards. The Center currently offers five training courses, with a further four in development.
Following a strategic roadmapping exercise, the Additive Manufacturing center of Excellence (AM CoE) has initiated research projects to close standards gaps in diverse topics from AM data, feedstock, process qualification, in-situ monitoring, inspection, and testing. One such project, to develop qualification procedures for laser beam powder bed fusion processes, could help to reduce risk factors in manufacturing everything from rocket propulsion components to orthopedic devices.
Staff & technical experts
standards
ASTM ISO/ASTM52942-20
This document specifies requirements for the qualification of operators of laser metal powder bed fusion machines and equipment for additive manufacturing in aerospace applications. This document is applicable if the operator qualification testing is required by contract or by application standards in the field of aerospace.
VIEW ON ASTMASTM ISO/ASTM52941-20
This document specifies requirements and test methods for the qualification and re-qualification of laser beam machines for metal powder bed fusion additive manufacturing for aerospace applications. It can also be used to verify machine features during periodic inspections or following maintenance and repair activities.
VIEW ON ASTMASTM ISO/ASTM52925-22
This document provides guidance and recommendations for the qualification of polymeric materials intended for laser-based powder bed fusion of polymers (PBF-LB/P). The parameters and recommendations presented in this document relate mainly to the material polyamide 12 (PA12), but references are also made to polyamide 11 (PA11). The parameters and recommendations set forth herein cannot be applicable to other polymeric materials.
VIEW ON ASTMlatest work items
ASTM WK75584
The fatigue performance of additively manufactured parts must be well understood for the safe use of additive components in service. This standard provides a non-destructively method of studying crack formation and crack growth and increase our understanding of fatigue properties. Expected users include materials development, structural integrity, and research development.
VIEW ON ASTMASTM WK76983
This standard covers the required steps and approaches to effectively analyze signals collected from photodiodes mounted in laser beam powder bed fusion systems and correlate them with defects induced in metallic parts. The standard provides best practices for defect-detection platforms using in-situ monitoring of light intensity emitted from the melt pool of laser beam powder bed fusion to detect pores initiated during the process. Guidelines driven by correlating disturbances in the light intensity emitted from the melt pool to actual pores identified through a post-processing micro-computed tomography (CT) scanning are crucial and will be provided by this standard.
VIEW ON ASTMASTM WK77008
The evaluation of powder bed density is necessary in laser powder bed fusion to assess powder spread quality (uniformity across build bed, changes in powder spread characteristics between powder batches, etc.) and to inform modeling strategies towards process parameter optimization.
VIEW ON ASTMASTM WK80171
Control of cleanliness of metal powder feedstock used in Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes is essential to ensure quality of final AM components. This standard is needed to guide users of metal powders for AM on identification and selection of test methods suitable for detecting, quantifying and classifying contamination. The standard will be used by users of AM machines to allow them to perform cleanliness assessment of unused powders and re-used powders.
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advisory services
Bridging the gap between R&D and sustained commercial success by harnessing standards to optimum effect can be complex and challenging for those working in emerging technologies like additive manufacturing. Events move quickly, and established processes don’t always apply. For this reason, we offer Advisory Services to organizations to help them make rapid and effective progress. The four areas we cover are:
1. Technical and strategic consulting on new developments and trends (drawing on the expertise of Wohlers Associates – see Market Insight).
2. Roadmapping (often aligning technology and standards roadmaps).
3. Product development workshops and liaison.
4. Bespoke analysis and technical reports – often impacting investment or M&A decisions.
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education & workforce training
Education and training is a further key strand of our additive manufacturing work. Leveraging expertise from industry, academia, and government, the we are creating and delivering a growing range of courses and events to support the AM community. One example is cybersecurity training, where cutting-edge research into cyber threats and counter-measures are being translated into practical knowledge and skills for the industry.
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