America Makes Joins ANSI for the Formation of New Additive Manufacturing Standardization Collaborative

As an industry, 3D printing is still so new that it’s a bit disorganized, relatively speaking. Every industry, however, eventually reaches the point at which standards need to be developed to optimize its growth. The American National Standards Institute is the go-to organization for the standardization and regulation of industry, and a new partnership with America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, has led to the formation of a regulatory institution specifically for the additive manufacturing industry. The America Makes & ANSI Additive Manufacturing Standardization Collaborative (AMSC) will ensure that all players in the industry are, essentially, on the same page.

“The catalyst for the AMSC is the fact that a number of standards developing organizations are engaged in standards-setting for various aspects of additive manufacturing, prompting the need for coordination to maintain a consistent, harmonized, and non-contradictory set of additive manufacturing standards,” states ANSI. “The AMSC will identify existing standards and standards in development, assess gaps, and make recommendations for priority areas where there is a perceived need for additional standardization, including in relation to needs already identified in the America Makes Additive Manufacturing Technology Roadmap.”

Participation in AMSC is open to anyone in the industry, and the new organization’s inaugural meeting will take place from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on March 31 at Penn State at the Navy Yard. Advance registration, plus a fee of $30, is required in advance for both in-person attendees and remote participants. If interested, you can check out the meeting agenda and logistical information on AMSC’s website.

“We are pleased to partner with ANSI given its reputation and experience in facilitating collaborative processes for coordinating standardization activities,” says Edward Morris, Vice President of the National Center of Defense Manufacturing and Machining and Director of America Makes.

ANSI has been setting standards for private sector American industries since 1918, with a focus on convening stakeholders to define standards in line with national and global priorities. The Youngstown, Ohio-based America Makes has been in operation since 2012, and has acted as the national accelerator for 3D printing and additive manufacturing technology. The organization has played a large role in driving the technology forward, and it makes perfect sense to include them in the development of a more regulated and standardized industry.

“We welcome this partnership with America Makes on the important work of identifying standards needed to accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing technologies,” says Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO.

AMSC members include OEMs, material suppliers, and representatives from government agencies, academia, standards developing organizations, certification bodies, private industry, and other stakeholders. If you’re interested in participating, email amsc@ansi.org. What do you think of this idea? Discuss in the America Makes & Regulating 3D Printing forum over at 3DPB.com.