ASTM International’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE) has reached three milestones aimed at boosting the reliability and broader adoption of additive manufacturing (AM). The organization now leads the Industry Transition Team (ITT) under the America Makes Quality Test and Inspection Methods Expediency (QTIME) program, has launched WATCHLIST—a collaborative effort with U.S. government agency NASA and US public-private partnership for AM technology and education America Makes to enhance in-process monitoring and control—and has achieved Platinum membership in America Makes.
Connecting Technology to Real-World Applications
Funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Manufacturing Technology (OSD ManTech), ASTM International will direct the ITT under QTIME, linking AM technology outcomes to practical use in aerospace, defense, and other safety-critical industries. The ITT brings together major players, including U.S. aerospace and defense companies The Boeing Company and Lockheed Martin, the global standards organization SAE International, energy technology company Baker Hughes, and consulting firm Wohlers Associates. QTIME aims to create fast, affordable non-destructive inspection techniques for large, intricate AM parts made with laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and directed energy deposition (DED), applying both in-process and post-process methods.
In addition, ASTM AM CoE, supported by NASA and America Makes, has launched WATCHLIST (Workshop on Additive Techniques for Control and Health-monitoring Leveraging In-Situ Technologies). The initiative assesses the current state of in-process monitoring and control, gathers expert insights through literature reviews, interviews, surveys, and a workshop, and produces a strategic guide with actionable recommendations. The initiative is expected to strengthen domestic supply chains by enhancing process control, speeding up part qualification, providing targeted workforce training, and aligning with OSD priorities to support scalable, production-ready AM.
Strengthening Industry Collaboration and Standards
ASTM explained its promotion to Platinum membership in America Makes highlights its dedication to national collaboration and the advancement of AM. Under the new membership, ASTM will help shape cross-industry roadmaps, speed up standards-based qualification processes, and expand benefits throughout the wider manufacturing community.
“ASTM International has been a proud partner of America Makes since its inception, collaborating every year on high-impact projects that advance additive manufacturing,” said Mohsen Seifi, Ph.D., ASTM International’s vice president of global advanced manufacturing programs. “Initiatives like QTIME and WATCHLIST represent the next chapter of that collaboration—connecting sensing, control, and qualification in ways that strengthen U.S. manufacturing leadership. Our shared mission is to make additive manufacturing a trusted and scalable production technology.”
“We’re proud to welcome ASTM as a Platinum member of America Makes,” said John Wilczynski, executive director of America Makes. “Their deep expertise in standards and certification will help us drive consistent, measurable progress toward advancing additive manufacturing production readiness and strengthening the competitiveness of the U.S. manufacturing base.”
About ASTM International
ASTM International develops over 12,000 global standards across industries, from construction and aerospace to medical devices and consumer goods. Over the years, it has broadened its impact in AM through initiatives such as the Consortium for Materials Data and Standardization (CMDS), which promotes consistent, high-quality materials data sharing among industrial stakeholders. The organization has also developed standards for powder bed fusion (PBF) technologies, offering guidance on printability and rheology for cementitious materials, and has collaborated with Fraunhofer ILT to standardize imaging sensors for LB‑PBF machine condition monitoring.
Beyond its technical standards work, ASTM plays a strategic role in national security and critical infrastructure. This year, the organization partnered with shipbuilder Austal USA and US defense non-profit BlueForge Alliance to strengthen U.S. submarine supply chains through AM, highlighting how its standards underpin industrial resilience and defense readiness.
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Featured image shows ASTM’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence aims to accelerate additive manufacturing standardization. Photo via ASTM International.
