TÜV SÜD & ASTM International Sign MoU at Formnext for Increasing 3D Printing Adoption

The doors have officially closed at the leading additive manufacturing exhibition and conference, and thousands of visitors flocked to formnext 2019 this week in Frankfurt to see hundreds of exhibitors display the latest 3D printing innovations and announce their new partnerships.

“This new technology is changing production globally and turning traditional business models upside down. It is therefore important that world-renowned AM organizations based both here and in the U.S. develop these new technologies in close cooperation,” said Ken Walsh, Principal Commercial Officer of the US Commercial Service at the US Consulate in Düsseldorf.

The latest collaboration to come out of the event is between global standards organization ASTM International and German testing and certification organization TÜV°SÜD. The two signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at formnext, which states that they will work together in an international partnership to develop programs with the goal of increasing the adoption of, and trust in, additive manufacturing.

“TÜV°SÜD is excited to be bringing its world-renowned expertise in regulatory and non-regulatory testing and certification to this important partnership. We look forward to supporting the growth and adoption of AM technologies by implementing market-relevant standards with robust certification programs while also preparing to meet the future needs of the AM industry,” stated Holger Lindner, CEO of TÜV°SÜD’s Product Service Division, in a press release.

The TÜV°SÜD Group, founded in 1866, has evolved over the years into a global enterprise, with over 24,000 employees working in roughly 50 countries around the world in order to improve technology, systems, and expertise, such as Industry 4.0 and autonomous driving. The company recently signed an MoU with thyssenkrupp to develop the market for AM-enabled solutions in the APAC region. But its strategic partnership with ASTM International will support increased use of AM, and knowledge sharing, across many different industry sectors.

“I am very much looking forward to bringing our extensive customer experience in the field of AM into the standardization processes and to enriching the partnership,” said Gregor Reischle, the Head of Additive Manufacturing at TÜV°SÜD.

The MoU between TÜV°SÜD and the ASTM International Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AMCOE), which works to create joint certification programs and workforce development, will include development of new advisory, certification, educational, and qualification services in multiple areas, such as air and land transportation and mobility, healthcare, industrial plants, and consumer products.

“To unleash the full potential of AM, we need a smart global ecosystem of research, standardization, education, testing, and certification. We are pleased to sign this MOU, which aligns two globally-recognized organizations’ complementary strengths and will help create a robust technical foundation for AM innovation across many industries,” said Dr. Mohsen Seifi, the director of global additive manufacturing programs at ASTM International.

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