Overview
EN ISO/ASTM 52929:2025 outlines standard requirements for the presentation of material properties in material data sheets for metal additive manufacturing using powder bed fusion (PBF) technologies. Developed by CEN in collaboration with ISO and ASTM, this international standard ensures minimum reporting content for published material property values. It focuses on improving transparency and comparability across the additive manufacturing (AM) supply chain, supporting manufacturers, powder suppliers, service providers, and end-users in effectively documenting and understanding material performance.
This standard applies specifically to additively manufactured metallic materials produced through powder bed fusion using laser beam (PBF-LB/M), electron beam (PBF-EB/M), or similar technologies, ensuring clarity and consistency in reporting material properties, though it does not define specific test methods or serve as a basis for formal qualification.
Key Topics
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Minimum Content for Data Sheets
- Specifies mandatory information to include on material data sheets, including chemical composition, mechanical, and physical properties.
- DOES NOT prescribe compulsory test quantities or qualification criteria but defines what must be documented to justify property values.
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Boundary Conditions
- Detailed reporting of key process variables influencing material properties:
- PBF machine type and parameters
- Powder feedstock characteristics and usage state
- Processing parameters (e.g., laser settings, shielding gases, powder spreading method)
- Post-processing treatments
- Encourages transparency regarding all influencing factors for traceability and repeatability.
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Material Properties to Report
- At minimum: chemical analysis, mechanical properties (hardness, yield strength, tensile strength, elongation), and physical properties (relative density).
- Optional: impact energy, modulus of elasticity, fatigue, electrical/thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance, and other application-focused attributes.
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Data Handling and Reporting
- Use of coding for number of machines, builds, and specimens to ensure clarity in statistical representation.
- Reporting of mean values and standard deviations to communicate property variability.
- Requirements for documenting testing orientations (vertical, horizontal, 45°) and test standards employed.
Applications
EN ISO/ASTM 52929:2025 is invaluable for organizations across the metal additive manufacturing supply chain, including:
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Machine and Powder Manufacturers
- Standardized data sheet formats enable effective communication of material capabilities to customers.
- Supports development of marketing and technical material with reliable, comparable data.
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Service Providers and Contract Manufacturers
- Facilitates qualification discussions with clients by ensuring all relevant process and material information is transparently reported.
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End-Users and Designers
- Enables more informed material selection based on clearly reported and comparable property data.
- Supports traceability and documentation required in highly regulated industries, such as aerospace or medical device manufacturing.
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Researchers and Standardization Bodies
- Establishes a consistent framework for collecting and reporting data from PBF-based metal AM studies.
- Promotes interoperability across borders and equipment platforms.
Related Standards
Adopting EN ISO/ASTM 52929:2025 can be further supported with related additive manufacturing and material testing standards, including:
- ISO/ASTM 52900 – Additive manufacturing – General principles and vocabulary
- ISO/ASTM 52927 – Additive manufacturing – Main characteristics and corresponding test methods
- ISO 6892-1 – Metallic materials – Tensile testing – Method of test at room temperature
- ISO 3534-1 – Statistics – Vocabulary and symbols
- ASTM E2586 – Standard Practice for Calculating and Using Basic Statistics
- ISO/ASTM 52907 – Additive manufacturing – Feedstock materials
- ISO 17295:2023 – Additive manufacturing – Part positioning, coordinates, and orientation
For manufacturers, powder suppliers, and users in additive manufacturing of metals, EN ISO/ASTM 52929:2025 delivers a practical, harmonized approach to documenting and sharing the material properties essential for repeatable, reliable production and informed material selection in powder bed fusion processes.