ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | SEPTEMBER 2025 24 TABLE 1 — MACHINES FOR QUALIFICATION OF STATISTICAL DATASETS IN ABD-900AM Company Machine type Location ID Features & powder use Alloyed Renishaw 500Q West Dundee, Ill. (Renishaw*) A Multi-laser system with continuous powder recirculation system Abingdon, U.K. B D Siemens EOS M290 Orlando, Fla. C Single laser with traditional sieve powder recycling Trumpf TruPrint1000 Charlotte, N.C. E Small build volume with no recycling (single use) *Printing conducted at Renishaw facility leading a consortium of industry and government partners in a structured qualification effort (Fig. 3). This initiative follows a two-phase strategy aligned with SAE AMS7032 and AMS7003, and involves rigorous testing across multiple additive manufacturing machines, production sites, and process conditions (Table 1). The AMS framework outlines a structured approach to qualification, including machine installation qualification (IQ), which is material independent, as well as material dependent operation qualification (OQ) and material qualification (MQ). EPRI’s strategy for advancing ABD-900AM from draft specifications to published industry standards, while also generating mechanical property and microstructure data required for inclusion in the Metallic Materials Properties Development and Standardization (MMPDS) Handbook, involves a two-phase approach. Phase I focuses on concurrent specification development and operational qualification. Phase II involves full material qualification across multiple additive manufacturing platforms, sites, and process conditions. Phase I (Pre-OQ) will evaluate laser power as the key process variable (KPV) and the sensitivity of heat treatment on resulting characteristics, such as build density, grain size, and mechanical properties. Detailed mechanical testing These demonstrations not only validate the alloy’s performance but also highlight its manufacturability across different AM platforms and build strategies. MULTI-MACHINE QUALIFICATION The aerospace and energy sectors rely heavily on consensus standards and specifications to support the widespread adoption of new materials and manufacturing technologies. Estab- lished standards organizations such as SAE International, which publishes the Aerospace Material Specifications (AMS), recently introduced guidance specific to additive manufacturing. These include standards for process control, feedstock procurement, and materials specifications tailored to additive methods. In contrast to casting and forging standards, which have evolved over more than a century, additive manufacturing standards are still in their early stages and continue to evolve rapidly alongside the technology. To facilitate broader industry adoption of ABD- 900AM, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is Fig. 3 — Operational qualification process across five machines supports refinement of feedstock and material specifications, as well as development of data for MMPDS Volume II.
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