ASTM International, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, USA, has announced plans to establish a centre of excellence in the field of Additive Manufacturing. The organisation is now calling for industry-university proposals aimed at creating a global innovation hub that advances AM technical standards, related R&D, education and training and more. 

Katharine Morgan, President of ASTM International, stated, “Over the last decade, hundreds of the world’s top experts in Additive Manufacturing have pioneered the development of new standards through ASTM International. We are thrilled to take this next bold step to bridge standards development with R&D, while also meeting the growing demand for related services in this field.”

The new centre aims to be a global hub for innovation and to serve as a consortium in attracting stakeholders from the aviation, automotive, medical and other industries increasingly engaged in AM applications. It will be supported with up to $250,000 annually from funds and in-kind contributions for up to five years. In-kind support could increase the award amount beyond $250,000.

Letters of intent are due on November 27, 2017, with full proposals due shortly thereafter on December 15. The winning proposal will be announced in early 2018. Applicants are expected to emphasise approaches that maximise coordination and collaboration among academia, industry and governments.

ASTM International’s committee on Additive Manufacturing technologies (F42) was formed in 2009. The committee, in conjunction with the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) Technical Committee 261, has worked and continues to work closely with the Additive Manufacturing Standards Collaborative to identify and fill a variety of gaps across multiple industry sectors.