For innovations to become successful they usually have to pass through three levels of filters – regarding the market, technology and society. However the challenges related to these filters don’t necessarily come prior to introduction, rather they emerge in correlation with adoption and uptake and success rates of the respective product or service. Such seems to be the case with 3D printing and Additive Manufacturing (AM) – especially with the latter filter – the societal one. We reported earlier on a UK study underlining the importance of creating national policies, but the most recent news demands a unified regulatory approach for the whole of the European Union.
The project is officially called SASAM – the abbreviation coming from Standardization in Additive Manufacturing. The official mission of the project – in political jargon – is “to drive the growth of AM to efficient and sustainable industrial processes by integrating and coordinating Standardization activities for Europe by creating and supporting a standardization organization in the field of AM”. Considering the variety of news about different applications created with 3D printing tech – especially the bleak ones (referring here to the infamous gun project once again), the need for official policies can be understood even from the grassroots level.
But what does the future for 3D printing hold on a concrete level? Malcolm Harbour, a British Conservative MEP, chairs an EU committee, which will have a strong say in the future policies of all things 3DP. Actually, the standardization package the respective committee has most recently been working on has already been amended and approved, so this is a man that will have a strong impact on the future of 3DP and AM in the old continent. He shared his views in an ASTM Standardization News interview.
In short, the standardization package is designed to increase the competitiveness of companies – especially those of SME size – in order to give the whole EU a boost with technological progress. However, the UCD aspect is also there and the new policies set by the standards–body will be closely monitored. The companies themselves will be participating closely in the process both on EU and national levels.
The breadth ad impact of these policies remains somewhat unclear, as Harbour refers to its relevance specifically in situations where international standards are unavailable or where they do not adequately serve European needs.
Nevertheless, it will be one of the most interesting issues to monitor next year – the progression of all of the official policies – both on a national and an international level – as similar activities can be witnessed in the US and the rest of the world as well. Will we eventually see one global policy drawing the outline for 3DP and AM or will the national benefits supersede them? At least one thing is for sure – the troops of lobbyists are already mobilized and a wave of new policies will undoubtedly emerge from both the old and the new continent – and from other parts of the world – in 2013.
Read the full Malcolm Harbour interview from this link.
Source: SASAM