ASTM International’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE) has launched a new manufacturer certification program. It aims to enhance quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and process control across the additive manufacturing (AM) supply chain. The launch coincides with ASTM’s role as Knowledge Partner and Platinum Sponsor of TCT 3Sixty, the UK’s premier AM trade show.
While traditional quality management system (QMS) standards (e.g. ISO-9001, AS9100, ISO-13485, IATF-16949) have been critical to industry, they are not designed to focus specifically on the needs of additive manufacturing. Building upon these historical requirements, the AM CoE purpose-built a new manufacturer certification program, developed by industry leaders to certify the specific processes, materials, and risks unique to AM operations.
Defining AM-specific quality requirements
To develop this program, the AM CoE formed the Additive Manufacturing Certification Committee (AMCC) with over 25 end users, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Safran, Ford Motor Company, Stryker, Becton Dickinson, General Motors, and other leading organizations. The resulting AM certification program validates AM-specific activities, in place of more general QMS programs. This provides the assurance that customers need to build trust across their supply chains.
The AM certification program aims to define shared expectations for manufacturer quality in AM. It also seeks to create a certification framework that is both technically rigorous and practical. Tailored with OEM-specific requirements to ensure relevance across sectors, the audit criteria are built on top of internationally recognized standards, including ISO/ASTM 52901, ISO/ASTM 52904, and ISO/ASTM 52920.
“By aligning end-user requirements and providing third-party assurance, this initiative helps unlock the full potential of AM in high-performance applications,” said Dr. Martin White, director of technical operations for ASTM International. “This program closes a critical gap in qualifying manufacturers that need to meet industry and regulatory demands.”
Pilot audits and intended benefits
To validate the audit criteria and certification approach, the AM CoE conducted pilot audits at AM Craft, Oechsler, and KSB. Each engagement demonstrated the program’s adaptability across different technologies, materials, and operating environments.
“This was a truly positive and valuable opportunity for us,” said Stephan Braun, Specialist Engineer Additive Manufacturing at KSB. “We discovered areas for improvement to stay ahead and remain best in class. I would even dare to call this audit an enjoyable experience.”
With this new certification offering, ASTM International and the AMCC aim to help manufacturers:
- Save time and money by reducing redundant audits
- Facilitate compliance by improving transparency between OEMs and suppliers
- Accelerate time-to-market with AM technologies that meet the highest standards of quality and safety.
The AM certification program joins the family of ASTM AM CoE certification programs that includes AMQ (ISO/ASTM 52920) for additively manufactured parts (ISO/ASTM 52901) and metal PBF-LB processes (ISO/ASTM 52904), as well as AM facility safety certification (ISO/ASTM 52931), and numerous personnel certifications (e.g., ISO/ASTM 52942, ISO/ASTM 52926).
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