Standards developer ASTM International has announced its first round of funding for research into additive manufacturing (AM) standards. This investment of US$300,000 and in-kind contributions will help partners in the ASTM International Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence address technical information needs in 3D printing.
The initial round of projects approved by the committee target four main areas:
Feedstock
UK-based Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) will conduct research aimed at developing quality assessment standards for metal powders used in AM machines. This feedstock-characterization research will contribute to a standard guide that helps people who need to evaluate powder quality and recyclability.
Process qualification
NASA will work to develop standard procedures, metrics, and comprehensive requirements to help qualify machines and processes in laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF). This process-qualification-and-assessment research aims to establish much-needed consensus in this area across the AM community.
Post-processing
Applied technology developer EWI will research how various surface finishing techniques for AM products impact performance and structural integrity. This post-processing research will help standardize surface quality and measurement metrics.
Testing
Auburn University will perform research on mechanical testing issues of metal additive manufacturing to better understand the relationships between the properties of test specimens and the performance of parts. This study will contribute to a standard that provides guidance on designing specimens that are most representative of AM components.
For more information, see the center’s new website at www.amcoe.org.
This story is reprinted from material from ASTM, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
