Additive Manufacturing Standards Progress Signals Scaling Hurdles
Event summary
- America Makes and ANSI published the April 2026 Gaps Progress Report from the Additive Manufacturing Standardization Collaborative (AMSC).
- The report tracks progress on 35 of 141 previously identified standardization gaps in additive manufacturing.
- The AMSC’s 2023 Standardization Roadmap involved input from approximately 300 experts.
- No new gaps were identified in the April 2026 update.
- The next progress report is anticipated in September 2026.
The big picture
The additive manufacturing industry's growth is heavily reliant on establishing robust standards to ensure safety, consistency, and scalability. While the AMSC's report highlights progress, the ongoing need for standardization underscores the challenges in transitioning AM from niche applications to widespread industrial use. The collaborative nature of the AMSC suggests a recognition of the complexity involved in aligning diverse stakeholders across the AM value chain.
What we're watching
- Scaling Challenges
- The lack of new gap identification, while seemingly positive, may indicate a slowdown in the pace of standardization, potentially hindering broader AM adoption across industries.
- Roadmap Evolution
- The AMSC's transition to the next version of its roadmap will reveal whether the collaborative approach can adapt to the evolving needs of the additive manufacturing landscape.
- Regulatory Impact
- The continued reliance on voluntary consensus standards, rather than mandated regulations, will influence the speed and consistency with which additive manufacturing integrates into regulated sectors like aerospace and medical devices.
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