Certificate course on setting up additive manufacturing facilities to be held at AMUG conference

In addition to a full slate of additive manufacturing-related seminars, hands-on demonstrations, and networking opportunities scheduled for the upcoming Additive Manufacturing Users Group Conference in Chicago, ASTM International will present a certificate course on how to prepare a facility for 3D-printing critical metal parts.

The course, “Establishing an Additive Manufacturing Facility for Critical Part Production,” will run April 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and April 3 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will be held at the Hilton Chicago, site of the AMUG event, which runs April 3-7.

Course registration is open. The cost through March 2 is $649. Starting March 3, the rate rises to $799. Attendance is limited to AMUG Conference attendees, and the course fee is in addition to the AMUG registration fee.

The course is intended for individuals with AM experience who wish to understand all the information needed to update an existing facility or establish a new facility for the purpose of manufacturing safety-critical metal parts via the LPBF (laser powder bed fusion-laser beam) process.

The two-day training course is based on ISO and ASTM standards. Attendees will receive detailed instruction on all aspects of LPBF operations performed, from feedstock selection and qualification to processing and postprocessing (IQ, OQ, PQ).

Discussion topics include:

• Equipment selection based on candidate parts brought in by course attendees and ROI calculations.

• Facility considerations, requirements, and controls.

• Establishing factory- and site-acceptance tests.

• Workflow and efficiency.

• Machine calibration and certification.

• Digital twins.

• Part-qualification considerations.

• Business plans and growth strategies.

• Personnel training requirements.

An online exam will be given two weeks after the event. Upon successful completion of the course, participants will receive an ASTM AM Certificate.

Shane Collins and Dr. Youping Gao will teach the course. Collins, a 20-year veteran of the AM industry, is an ASTM senior associate consultant who has co-authored numerous publications about LPBF. Gao founded Castheon Inc., a company devoted to the LPBF printing of critical aircraft components from refractory metals.

Click here to read our article about Castheon and printing refractory metals.