ASTM Worldwide’s Additive Manufacturing Middle of Excellence (AM CoE) launched a brand new producer certification program crafted to bolster high quality assurance, streamline regulatory compliance, and implement rigorous course of management throughout AM manufacturing environments. As the usage of additive manufacturing expands throughout industries, the necessity for a sturdy, AM-specific certification customary has turn into more and more vital.
Conventional high quality administration system (QMS) requirements like ISO-9001, AS9100, ISO-13485, and IATF-16949 have lengthy served as foundational frameworks for high quality assurance. Nonetheless, these requirements usually are not designed to deal with the distinctive variables and challenges inherent to AM. Recognizing this hole, the AM CoE developed a certification program tailor-made particularly for AM. The purpose is to not exchange conventional QMS requirements, however moderately to construct upon them with an added layer of AM-specific protocols that tackle course of intricacies, materials variability, and threat administration inside the context of additive manufacturing.
To make sure a complete and industry-aligned program, the AM CoE shaped the Additive Manufacturing Certification Committee (AMCC), comprising over 25 distinguished finish customers comparable to Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Safran, Ford Motor Firm, Stryker, Becton Dickinson, and Common Motors. This numerous collaboration has produced a certification program that displays a shared understanding of high quality expectations inside AM and gives validation for processes that transcend the generic scope of legacy QMS requirements.
This certification initiative goals to set unified, technically rigorous benchmarks for AM producers whereas retaining the method possible and related for real-world functions. The audit framework is constructed upon well-established, internationally acknowledged requirements, together with ISO/ASTM 52901, ISO/ASTM 52904, and ISO/ASTM 52920. This integration ensures this system maintains credibility and compatibility with world high quality expectations.
Dr. Martin White, Director of Technical Operations at ASTM Worldwide, highlighted the transformative potential of this system, stating that aligning end-user necessities with third-party validation can considerably improve the applying of AM in high-performance sectors. In accordance with Dr. White, this certification successfully bridges the prevailing qualification hole for producers striving to satisfy rigorous {industry} and regulatory calls for.
To check and refine the audit methodology, the AM CoE performed pilot audits at varied organizations, together with AM Craft, Oechsler, and KSB. These engagements revealed that the certification framework might be efficiently utilized throughout a variety of applied sciences, supplies, and operational environments. Members praised the method for its perception and influence. Stephan Braun of KSB described the audit as invaluable, constructive, and surprisingly pleasing. Equally, Andreas Knoechel from Oechsler appreciated the audit’s readability and collaborative method, offering concrete course for steady enchancment.
This new certification program is poised to ship a number of key advantages to producers and their companions. It’s designed to get rid of the necessity for repetitive audits by consolidating certification efforts right into a single, AM-focused analysis. This reduces each time and value and improves transparency between authentic tools producers (OEMs) and their suppliers. By offering a transparent pathway to compliance and demonstrating readiness to satisfy the best high quality and security benchmarks, the certification helps producers speed up the commercialization of AM applied sciences.
Furthermore, this program enhances ASTM’s present suite of AM CoE certifications, such because the AMQ certification for AM components and processes, the ability security certification, and a sequence of personnel certifications tailor-made to numerous roles inside the AM {industry}.
The AM CoE web site is an efficient place to be taught extra in regards to the AMCC Certification or to start the applying course of.
