Additive Manufacturing Testing Services

Scope

ASTM F2792 establishes standardized definitions and classifications related to additive manufacturing technologies. The standard covers terminology associated with processes, materials, equipment, and applications used in additive manufacturing.

ASTM F2792 defines:

• Metal additive manufacturing processes fall squarely within scope, including laser and electron beam powder bed fusion as well as directed energy deposition of metal feedstock.
• Polymer additive manufacturing is covered too – material extrusion (FDM), vat photopolymerization (SLA/DLP), and powder bed fusion of plastics such as SLS.
• Before a single layer gets printed, raw material qualification characterizes metal powders and polymer feedstock to confirm they’re fit for the build.
• Mechanical property evaluation, meanwhile, includes tensile, hardness, fatigue, impact, and fracture toughness testing performed on as-built or post-processed specimens.
• Density and porosity assessment identifies internal voids, lack-of-fusion defects, and gas porosity that can compromise structural performance.
• Microstructural analysis examines grain structure, phase distribution, and layer bonding to confirm the build process produced the intended material state.
• Dimensional and geometric inspection verifies that printed parts meet drawing tolerances and accounts for typical AM effects like shrinkage and warping.
• Where parts can’t be sectioned or destroyed – particularly finished production components – non-destructive testing methods step in.
• Because mechanical behaviour in AM parts can vary by build orientation, testing protocols typically account for anisotropy by evaluating specimens printed in multiple orientations.
• And throughout, testing is performed against recognized ASTM, ISO/ASTM, and customer-specific specifications so the results hold up as defensible and traceable.

Applications

• Aerospace structural brackets, engine components, and lightweight assemblies that require certified mechanical performance
• Orthopaedic and dental implants and surgical instruments manufactured from qualified medical-grade alloys
• Automotive prototyping, tooling, and increasingly low-volume production parts
• Oil and gas and industrial equipment components operating in demanding service environments
• Defense and space hardware requiring traceable material and process qualification
• New product development programs validating design-for-additive-manufacturing decisions before scale-up
• Supplier and process qualification programs establishing repeatable, auditable build parameters

Benefits

• It provides objective, standards-based evidence of mechanical and material performance, rather than relying on print settings alone.
• Internal defects such as porosity and lack of fusion get caught before a part ever reaches service, which cuts down on field failure risk.
• Regulatory and customer qualification requirements in industries like aerospace and medical devices are easier to meet with this kind of documented evidence.
• Manufacturers can optimize build parameters and post-processing steps based on measured outcomes, not assumptions.
• Over time, it builds a documented, traceable record that supports design reviews, audits, and long-term part history.
• Most importantly, it gives engineering teams the confidence to move AM parts from prototype status into flight- or safety-critical applications.