by Mohsen Seifi

The Additive Manufactuirng Centre of Excellence (AM CoE) is a unique program to accelerate standardization through focused research at ASTM International. It has gained significant interest from the AM community over the past three years. I often heard that a lack of standards delays broad adoption of AM. The development of consensus-based standards requires significant time. The primary reason is an absence of robust and reliable data to establish standards. Hence, we introduced the concept of Research-to-Standards, the first of its kind from any standard development organization. The goal is to reduce AM standards development time by providing the required data through research. The idea is now becoming a reality. With the first few rounds of research projects, we have demonstrated the impact of the program.

Knowledge is key. We realize the AM community needs to be empowered to understand the capabilities of AM and to generate interest to follow the technology as it expands. So, we took the mission of educating the workforce at all levels through webinars, formal training, conferences, and workshops. The scope of the AM CoE further expands to certification programs, and industry consortium. All of this is with a common goal of maximizing the potential of 3D printing as a next-generation method of manufacturing.

The future is exciting for the AM CoE. We are moving fast to catch up with the pace at which the AM technology is growing. We want to be a catalyst in driving the growth of AM by collaborating with the best minds in the industry. Several programs have been planned for 2022 to engage with the community and provide access to a wider network of experts. The AM CoE, has a vibrant, dynamic, and energized team of experts to explore all the possibilities to serve the industry and meet new challenges.