Two industry initiatives focused on additive manufacturing adoption have announced the creation of the Additive Manufacturing Alliance, a framework intended to coordinate efforts supporting the industrial adoption of additive manufacturing. The alliance brings together Leading Minds, a consortium of additive manufacturing companies focused on industry awareness and communication, and the AM I Navigator, a maturity framework designed to guide companies implementing additive manufacturing in production environments.
Both initiatives will collaborate on selected activities while continuing to operate independently where appropriate. Initial collaboration will focus on knowledge exchange, joint industry communication, and supporting companies working to industrialize additive manufacturing. Organizers describe the alliance as linking awareness-building efforts with practical implementation tools used by manufacturers moving from early exploration toward industrial production.
“Our shared goal is to make additive manufacturing more accessible, less complex, and more integrated into everyday industrial production,” said Brigitte de Vet-Veithen, CEO of Materialise, a Belgian company developing 3D printing software and manufacturing services, speaking on behalf of the Additive Manufacturing Alliance. “Together, we can help more companies across a wider variety of industries benefit from the flexibility, efficiency, and innovation that AM enables.”
Launched at Formnext 2023, the AM I Navigator was introduced by Siemens, a German industrial technology company, together with additive manufacturing firms DyeMansion, HP, BASF Forward AM, and EOS. The initiative provides a structured maturity framework intended to support companies scaling additive manufacturing into serial production environments integrated with other manufacturing technologies. Its five-stage maturity model evaluates ten key dimensions across the additive manufacturing value chain, including strategy, design, production, quality, and organizational capabilities.
Companies use the framework to benchmark existing additive manufacturing capabilities, align investments across the end-to-end production process, and develop roadmaps toward higher levels of automation, quality assurance, and economic viability in industrial production. Since its launch, the ecosystem surrounding the initiative has expanded with additional partners including Materialise, post-processing technology provider AMT, and material handling specialist AZO. Consulting firms Capgemini, a multinational business and technology consultancy, and Boston Consulting Group, a global management consulting firm, contribute as knowledge partners.
Access to the framework is provided through the AM I Navigator website, where companies can independently assess their additive manufacturing maturity. “Via the newly launched AM I Navigator website, companies worldwide can independently and free of charge assess their additive manufacturing maturity and explore transformational insights derived from proven industrial applications,” said Karsten Heuser, Vice President Additive Manufacturing at Siemens. “The assessment tools are voluntary resources designed to help companies of all sizes from startups to global manufacturers benchmark their capabilities and identify improvement opportunities.”
The AM I Navigator network has recently expanded with the addition of Wohlers Associates, the additive manufacturing consulting group powered by ASTM International, a standards development organization focused on materials, testing, and manufacturing technologies. Wohlers Associates contributes expertise in qualified additive manufacturing for regulated industries and supports work related to standards, certification, and industrial readiness in sectors including aerospace, defense, and medical manufacturing.
“By joining the AM I Navigator, we aim to contribute our experience in translating additive manufacturing standards into robust industrial practice. Together with the partner network, we want to help manufacturers accelerate the transition from experimentation to qualified, scalable production,” said Dr. Mohsen Seifi, Vice President of Global Advanced Manufacturing Programs at ASTM International.
Parallel to this effort, the Leading Minds consortium focuses on increasing awareness of additive manufacturing capabilities across industries and addressing barriers to adoption. Announced at Formnext 2024, the consortium was formed by engineering software developer Ansys, industrial 3D printing manufacturer EOS, technology company HP, additive manufacturing software developer Materialise, metal 3D printing system manufacturer Nikon SLM Solutions, precision engineering firm Renishaw, 3D printing system manufacturer Stratasys, and ATLIX, the additive manufacturing business formerly known as Trumpf Additive Manufacturing.
One initiative led by the consortium addresses fragmentation in additive manufacturing terminology. Companies often use different language to describe similar processes and capabilities, which can create confusion when manufacturers evaluate additive manufacturing technologies. Leading Minds is developing an open terminology framework designed to standardize communication across the additive manufacturing production process.
The consortium recently added Manufacturing Technology Deployment Group (MTDG) as a member. MTDG operates the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining and supports America Makes, the United States’ national accelerator for additive manufacturing. According to Dean L. Bartles, CEO and President of MTDG, the organization will contribute expertise supporting manufacturers deploying advanced manufacturing technologies and universities adopting those technologies.
“MTDG is honored to join the Leading Minds consortium at such a pivotal moment for our industry,” Bartles said. “Through the combined strengths of MTDG, NCDMM, and America Makes, we remain deeply committed to advancing the industrialization of additive manufacturing and expanding its impact across the manufacturing ecosystem.”
Companies interested in evaluating their additive manufacturing capabilities can access the AM I Navigator maturity model, transformation insights, and self-assessment tools through the initiative’s website.
3D Printing Industry is inviting speakers for its 2026 Additive Manufacturing Applications (AMA) series, covering Energy, Healthcare, Automotive and Mobility, Aerospace, Space and Defense, and Software. Each online event focuses on real production deployments, qualification, and supply chain integration. Practitioners interested in contributing can complete the call for speakers form here.
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Featured photo shows Karsten Heuser, Vice President Additive Manufacturing at Siemens, and Brigitte de Vet-Veithen, CEO of Materialise, on stage during the announcement of the Additive Manufacturing Alliance. Image via Materialise.
