ISO/ASTM TS 52949

Additive manufacturing of metals — Qualification principles — Installation, operation and performance (IQ/OQ/PQ) of PBF-EB equipment

Scope

This document addresses installation qualification (IQ), operational qualification (OQ), and performance qualification (PQ) issues directly related to the additive manufacturing system that has a direct influence on the consolidation of material. The first three elements of process validation, process mapping, risk assessment, and validation planning, are necessary pre-conditions to machine qualification, however, they are outside the scope of this document.

This document provides recommended practices for machine-related process qualification for serial production of metal parts produced with the powder bed fusion, by electron beam process (PBF-EB/M). Since this process is very similar to the PBF-LB/M, this document references ISO/ASTM TS 52930, pointing only the differences on the validation processes. This document is addressed to organizations that already have a comprehensive quality system in place.

This document covers issues directly related to the AM equipment and does not cover feedstock qualification or post processing beyond powder removal.

Physical facility, personnel, process and material issues are only included to the extent necessary to support machine qualification.