Standardization News

A new ASTM International standard covers a popular material used to make parts for the aerospace and medical components industries using additive manufacturing. The new standard, F3001, Specification for Additive Manufacturing Titanium-6 Aluminum-4 Vanadium ELI (Extra Low Interstitial) with Powder Bed Fusion, was developed by Subcommittee F42.05 on Materials and Processes, part of ASTM Committee F42 on Additive Manufacturing Technologies.

According to Nik Hrabe, materials engineer, Medical Modeling Inc., and an F42 member, prior to the development of F3001, no other standard presented guidelines for the acceptable production of additively manufactured AM Ti-6AL-4V ELI. Now, producers and customers will be able to use F3001 to agree on acceptable requirements for this material.

"Producers and users of AM Ti-6AL-4V-ELI will be the primary users of F3001, but regulatory bodies might also use the standard for minimum requirements for the material," says Hrabe. "Laboratories might also use the standard to certify the material."

All interested parties are invited to join F42 in its standards developing activities. "F42 is active in all aspects of additive manufacturing and anyone interested in this field is encouraged to join the committee and contribute to the formulation of new standards to further this technology," says Hrabe.

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CONTACT Technical Information: Nik Hrabe, Medical Modeling Inc. • Golden, Colo. • Phone: 303-273-5344 | ASTM Staff: Pat Picariello • Phone: 610-832-9720 | Upcoming Meeting: Jan. 27-28, 2014 • ASTM Headquarters, West Conshohocken, Pa.