ASTM International, an organization that develops and publishes voluntary technical standards, has approved a new additive manufacturing standard intended to guide how information is specified and transferred across supply chains. The document, to be published as F3774, is aimed at manufacturers, consumers, and agencies who use 3D printing in a business context.
Paul W. Witherell, a mechanical engineer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and member of ASTM’s additive manufacturing technologies committee (F42), explained that the new publication provides a “digital thread” to support procurement and delivery. It is designed to help people who want a part produced with 3D printing but do not have a clear understanding of what information must be specified for its manufacture or its validation.
“The standard will provide reference information that is relevant to the design, manufacture, and inspection of an AM part,” Witherell said. “The standard will help users identify sets of information that are most relevant to best fit their needs and tailor data package requirements to this information.” He noted that the document is presented in modular form so different aspects can be adopted without requiring the entire framework.
Witherell added that the standard is intended to support the communication of AM parts for various stakeholders under different conditions. By organizing requirements into modules, the document enables stakeholders to focus on the elements that apply to their specific needs, whether related to design specifications, production data, or inspection requirements.
Copies of F3774 will be available through ASTM International’s customer relations office at +1.877.909.ASTM or via the organization’s website. ASTM, which maintains more than 12,000 active standards worldwide, states that its work aims to enhance performance and support confidence in products and processes across industries.
Expanding Certification Frameworks for AM
Earlier this year, Spanish 3D technology provider Sicnova inaugurated the Center for Special Applications and Process Certification for the Military and Defense Sectors (CEDAEC), the first facility of its kind in Spain dedicated to advanced manufacturing and component certification for defense. Operated by Sicnova subsidiary Novaindef, the center is part of a collaboration with Spain’s Ministry of Defense aimed at digitalizing production and logistics. Equipped with metal and polymer 3D printing, next-generation machining, reverse engineering, and advanced testing systems, CEDAEC is designed to improve fleet efficiency, address obsolescence, and ensure durability of critical parts.
Certification activity is also expanding in aerospace, where the Performance Review Institute (PRI) administers the Nadcap accreditation program. Originally launched in 1990 under SAE International, Nadcap now conducts more than 6,200 audits annually across 26 special process categories, including additive manufacturing. Audits assess supplier compliance with general quality systems, additive-specific processes such as powder bed fusion, and post-processing steps like heat treatment or hot isostatic pressing. The program maintains a Qualified Manufacturers List accessible through PRI’s eAuditNet platform, enabling aerospace suppliers to identify accredited partners. This framework is evolving to incorporate new modalities, including directed energy deposition, cold spray, and non-metallic processes.
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Featured image shows ASTM International was established in 1898. Image via ASTM International.
