ASTM International’s additive manufacturing technologies committee (F42) has approved a new standard designed to help businesses navigate the procurement and delivery of 3D printed parts. The standard, which will be published as F3774, targets manufacturers, consumers, and agencies that use additive manufacturing in business applications.
The new standard provides a framework for developing procedures across the additive manufacturing supply chain. It offers what ASTM describes as a “digital thread” for reference by the AM community, particularly benefiting those who need 3D printed parts but lack detailed knowledge about manufacturing specifications or validation requirements.
“The standard will provide reference information that is relevant to the design, manufacture, and inspection of an AM part,” says Paul W. Witherell, a mechanical engineer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and ASTM member. “The standard will help users identify sets of information that are most relevant to best fit their needs and tailor data package requirements to this information.”
The standard is designed with a modular structure to accommodate different stakeholders and conditions in additive manufacturing. According to Witherell, this approach allows users to adopt specific aspects of the standard without implementing it entirely, providing flexibility for various business needs and applications.
Source: astm.org