New standard covers metal powders for 3D printing

It is intended to help those who are faced with the large number of existing standards on metal powder properties.

"ASTM F3049 will point readers to existing metal powder standards that may be appropriate for additive manufacturing powders,” said John A Slotwinski, a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and an ASTM member. “It will provide guidance for someone who may want to measure the properties of AM powders but doesn’t necessarily know what standard methods exist.”

In addition to ASTM F3049, a companion standard covering the mechanical properties of metal parts, ASTM WK43112, Guide for Evaluating Mechanical Properties of Materials Made Via Additive Manufacturing Processes, is also in the works.

Materials testing

ASTM F3049 was developed by Subcommittee F42.05 on Materials and Processes, while ASTM WK43112 is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee F42.01 on Test Methods. Both subcommittees are part of ASTM International Committee F42 on Additive Manufacturing Technologies.