Eight years ago, standards organization ASTM International announced that it was looking for partners to help set up a center of excellence (CoE) in the additive manufacturing field. The resulting Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE) helps to advance AM technical standards, research and development efforts, and education and training. Today, the AM CoE is launching a new manufacturer certification program to improve process control across the entire AM chain, as well as enhance both regulatory compliance and quality assurance (QA). The launch of this program corresponds with ASTM’s role as a Platinum Sponsor and Knowledge Partner for the UK’s definitive additive manufacturing trade show TCT 3Sixty, which starts this week in Birmingham.
Mohsen Seifi
“This certification is the first of its kind: a globally recognized, multi-industry program built on the full suite of ISO/ASTM additive manufacturing standards,” Mohsen Seifi, Vice President of Global Advanced Manufacturing Programs at ASTM International, told 3DPrint.com. “It’s designed to complement — not duplicate — existing quality management systems, giving suppliers a unified, practical framework to meet the expectations of major OEMs across aerospace, medical, automotive, energy, and more. By focusing specifically on AM processes, the certification helps organizations strengthen trust with their customers, stand out in competitive markets, and prepare for future opportunities.”
The mission behind this new certification program is twofold. First, ASTM’s AM CoE wants to set up a practical certification framework that is also, as ASTM described in a press release, “technically rigorous.” Additionally, the program hopes to define shared expectations for manufacturer quality in the AM industry. The historical quality management system (QMS) standards, such as ISO-13485 and AS9100, are critically important to general industry, but they don’t have a specific focus on AM needs. So, using these standards as a foundation, this new program was purpose-built by AM industry leaders in order to certify the materials, processes, and risks that are specific to additive operations.
The program was not built solely by ASTM International and the AM CoE; instead, the Additive Manufacturing Certification Committee (AMCC) was formed in 2024, featuring over 25 end users, including Siemens Energy, Ford, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Medtronic, and more. Governed by ASTM, these leading organizations took internationally recognized standards—like ISTO/ASTM 52920 and ISO/ASTM 5290—and layered AM- and OEM-specific audit criteria on top to better fit our industry needs.
“By aligning end-user requirements and providing third-party assurance, this initiative helps unlock the full potential of AM in high-performance applications. This program closes a critical gap in qualifying manufacturers that need to meet industry and regulatory demands,” explained Dr. Martin White, Director of Technical Operations for ASTM International.
By validating the activities specific to AM that traditional QMS programs don’t address, the AM certification program being launched today will offer customers the needed assurance, built on trusted standards, to build up trust across their supply chains. It will join ASTM AM CoE’s other certification programs, like ISO/ASTM 52931 for AM facility safety certification, ISO/ASTM 52942 and ISO/ASTM 52926 personnel certifications, ISO/ASTM 52920 for AM quality, and more.
Over the past year, the AM CoE conducted pilot audits at AM Craft, as well as KSB and OECHSLER, in order to validate the criteria and certification approach of this new program. Each of these pilots proved how adaptable the program is across different AM materials, technologies, and operating environments.
“This was a truly positive and valuable opportunity for us. We discovered areas for improvement to stay ahead and remain best in class. I would even dare to call this audit an enjoyable experience,” said Stephan Braun, Specialist Engineer Additive Manufacturing at KSB.
“The audit was thorough, but also collaborative and insightful. It gave us a clear understanding of how our practices align with evolving expectations—and where we can improve further,” said Andreas Knoechel, Head of Program Management at OECHSLER.
ASTM International and the AMCC believe that this new certification program will be able to help manufacturers save on time and costs by decreasing redundant audits, as well as speed up time-to-market with safe, high-quality AM technologies, and improve transparency between OEMs and their suppliers to better facilitate compliance. If the above statements are any indication, the new certification program should be a success.
If you’re attending TCT 3Sixty this week, visit Booth D40 to speak with team members from ASTM International and Wohlers Associates and learn more about the new AMCC Certification program. The team will also be visible throughout the program, including at the UK AM User Group meeting on June 3rd and the TCT Awards Ceremony on June 4th.
Images courtesy of ASTM International