Overview
EN ISO/ASTM 52936-1:2023 - Additive manufacturing of polymers - Qualification principles - Part 1: General principles and preparation of test specimens for PBF‑LB - defines uniform principles for preparing thermoplastic test specimens produced by laser‑based powder bed fusion (PBF‑LB/P, commonly called laser sintering). The standard establishes a basis for reproducible and reportable sintering conditions and consistent description of main process parameters, build orientation and specimen reporting. It does not specify the mechanical test procedures themselves.
Key topics and technical requirements
This document focuses on reproducibility and reporting of specimen preparation for PBF‑LB. Core topics include:
- Scope and purpose
- Promotes uniform practice in describing sintering conditions and build orientation for thermoplastic powders.
- Terminology and process variables
- Defined terms include laser wavelength (nm), laser power (W), laser mode, beam radius (µm), scan speed (mm/s), preheating temperature/time, contour and hatching, and cool‑down temperature.
- Specimen dimensions
- Test specimen sizes shall follow ISO 3167 or ISO 20753; reduced‑scale specimens are allowed by agreement.
- Material conditioning
- Powder feedstock must be conditioned per the relevant material standard or manufacturer recommendation.
- Machine settings and specimen processing
- Requirements for documenting machine setup, contour vs hatching settings, layer‑by‑layer build routines and processing steps to ensure repeatability.
- Cleaning, handling and storage
- Procedures to avoid post‑build changes that would affect test results.
- Reporting
- A structured report on test‑specimen preparation to support comparability and traceability of results.
Note: the document includes practical guidance (for example, preheating time may be rather long, often more than 30 minutes) and emphasizes control of thermal history, layer thickness, orientation and powder morphology.
Applications and users
This standard is practical for organizations involved in additive manufacturing qualification and materials development, including:
- Materials suppliers qualifying thermoplastic powders for PBF‑LB
- AM machine manufacturers documenting machine parameter capabilities
- Test laboratories and certification bodies seeking repeatable specimen preparation
- Quality and R&D engineers establishing internal PBF‑LB test protocols
- Contract manufacturers and OEMs validating parts and processes
Use cases include creating comparable mechanical data sets, supporting material and process qualification, dispute resolution, and harmonizing reporting across labs and suppliers.
Related standards
Standards referenced in EN ISO/ASTM 52936-1:2023 include:
- ISO 3167, Plastics - Multipurpose test specimens
- ISO 20753, Plastics - Test specimens
- ISO/ASTM 52900, Additive manufacturing - Fundamentals and vocabulary
- ISO/ASTM 52921, Coordinate systems and test methodologies
- ISO/ASTM 52925, Qualification of materials for laser‑based powder bed fusion
Keywords: PBF‑LB, laser sintering, powder bed fusion, additive manufacturing, test specimens, sintering conditions, process parameters, ISO/ASTM 52936‑1:2023.