One set of Additive manufacturing standards,
Used worldwide.

Who we are

Welcome to the website of ISO/TC 261 on Additive Manufacturing. We are the world-wide community to develop and support Standards to promote the industrialization of this new technology. In an unique partnership agreement with the ASTM International, as well as various Liaisons with ISO/CEN committees and industry associations, we permanently strive for our vision “One world – one Standard!”, which was developed by our first Chairman Mr. Joerg Lenz (2011 to 2018)and further facilitated and strengthened by following Chairman Prof Dr Christian Seidel (2019 to 2023).

Thanks to the continuous enthusiasm of all experts, officers and secretaries in that community and their tireless commitment, we rapidly grow our membership as well as the number of projects, which allows us to serve best the industry needs. I thank all of them for their efforts and for helping the vision manifesting into reality.

Enjoy our new website and find out, how Additive Manufacturing can help you to improve manufacturing issues. Contact us for any questions, remarks and proposals. We are happy to answer your requests and look forward to seeing you in one of our standardization meetings soon.

ISO/ASTM – How Standards Can Accelerate AM Adoption in Industry

An Update of the AM Market and Need for Standards was presented jointly by Ing. Christian Seidel, Chair of committee ISO/TC 261 and Dr. John Slotwinski, chair of committee ASTM F42 on AM technologies. Key elements of cooperation between ISO/TC 261 and ASTM F42 technical committees were highlighted in addition to ongoing projects and results.

Mr Seidel land Mr Slotwinski concluded,

« This is an exciting time for industrial uses of AM , and AM standards play

and will play a critical role in the development and adoption of AM. »

The ASTM/ISO collaboration leverages international AM technical

expertise, and is resulting in a unified set of high quality AM standards

accepted and used around the world, for the benefit of industry. »

ISO and ASTM – A truly global effort for standards for additive manufacturing

In September 2011, ISO and ASTM have signed a cooperative agreement to govern the ongoing collaborative efforts between the two organisations to adopt and jointly develop International Standards that serve the global marketplace in the field of additive manufacturing. The purpose of this agreement is to eliminate duplication of effort while maximizing resource allocation within the additive manufacturing industry.

Collaboration is key!
ISO/TC261 has added further formal cooperation agreements in 2020. Hence, there are now formal agreements with a total of 30 committees or organizations in place. We are open for collaboration as we think that collaboration is key!

A manufacturing revolution

Additive manufacturing (AM) is an inherent part of the product development process, used to manufacture prototypes, tools and production parts. In comparison to conventional methods where parts are molded into specified forms or cut from a massive block AM bases on the principle that liquids, powders, stands and films are layered to build 3D-structures without the use of a mould. Availability of International Standards is urgently necessary to promote a widespread use of the process and to regulate evaluation of existing products.

 For Jörg Lenz, Former Chair of ISO/TC 261 on additive manufacturing,

“the industry really needs International Standards to provide clarity and dispel concerns, to provide reliability, acceptance and safety, and to further push the technology in the market”.

International Standards can help guarantee a level of reproducibility and give business and manufacturers some much needed assurance.

(source: ISO News, 10 July 2017)