Jun 03, 2013

The first two standards to be approved through a Partner Standards Development Organization cooperation agreement between ASTM International Committee F42 on Additive Manufacturing and ISO Technical Committee 261 on Additive Manufacturing have now been approved. The two standards are:

• ISO/ASTM 52921: 2013 E, Terminology for Additive Manufacturing—Coordinate Systems and Test Methodologies (originally published as ASTM  F2921-11); and
• ISO/ASTM 52915: 2013 E, Specification for Additive Manufacturing File Format (AMG) Version 1.1 (originally published as ASTM F2915-11).

ASTM International President James A. Thomas and ISO Secretary-General Rob Steele signed the PSDO to govern ongoing collaborative efforts between Committee 42 and ISO Technical Committee 261 on Additive Manufacturing in September 2011. The purpose of the PDSO is to eliminate duplication of effort while maximizing resource allocation within the additive manufacturing industry.

“The partnership between ASTM International and ISO in the area of additive manufacturing is significant as it demonstrates a collaborative approach responsive to the request of a set of global stakeholders in a new and emerging area of technology,” says Thomas.

“In ISO’s view, cooperation and partnership are key to international standardization,” notes Steele. “Inclusion and collaboration with other standardizing bodies that respond to clear market needs can only increase the market relevance of the resulting standards. It also avoids unnecessary duplication of efforts, helping us optimize international resources efficiently to the benefit of all. I therefore welcome the fruitful collaboration with ASTM which has now resulted in these first two standards.”

The PSDO agreement covers:
• Fast tracking the adoption process of an ASTM International standard as an ISO final draft international standard;
• Formal adoption of a published ISO standard by ASTM International;
• Maintenance of published standards; and
• Publication, copyright and commercial arrangements.

Comments from other individuals who have been integral ASTM/ISO effort include:

"These joint ISO-ASTM standards signify the successful international interaction that is taking place to synergize the efforts in launching standards for additive manufacturing technologies, and represent a milestone for the F42 committee and the additive manufacturing community." — Mary E. Kinsella, senior manufacturing research engineer, AFRL/RXMS, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, and chairman, Subcommittee F42.95, US TAG to ISO TC 261.

“The work ASTM F42 has been doing over the past few years is widely recognized as the leading effort for standardization within the additive manufacturing community, and the quick adoption of these two standards by ISO illustrates the benefits of the cooperation agreement that was put in place.” — Brent Stucker, Ph.D., professor, industrial engineering and Clark chair of computer aided engineering, University of Louisville, as well as chairman, Committee F42.

“With the approval of these two first standards the PSDO cooperation between ASTM and ISO is showing its first results and the cooperation has proven that it really works. The group of experts in additive manufacturing that both organizations could acquire to create standards can have the confidence that their efforts will lead to worldwide and consolidated standards that do not compete any more. Joined activities have been set up between the most relevant organizations to avoid diverging standards.” — Joerg Lenz, chair, ISO TC261 and an F42 member at large.

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ASTM Committee F42 Next Meeting: July 10-11, 2013, Nottingham Belfry, Nottingham, Great Britain. Meeting arranged by the International Conference on Additive Manufacturing
ASTM Staff Contact: Pat Picariello, Phone: 610-832-9720; ppicariello@astm.org
ASTM PR Contact: Barbara Schindler, Phone: 610-832-9603; bschindl@astm.org

Release #9389