Additive technologies have become essential for manufacturing specialized parts, prototypes, and small batches across many industries. However, questions about binding quality standards and suitable testing methods still remain.
To address this challenge, the Swiss Additive Manufacturing Group (SAMG) of Swissmem, under the leadership of Dr. Adriaan Spierings and Ralf Schindel (CEO of Prodartis), brought together experts in a dedicated workshop. Hosted by Suisse Technology Partners AG, the workshop brought together around 30 participants on August 26 in Neuhausen am Rheinfall.
The day started with in-depth technical presentations and a subsequent discussion, with speakers from industry as well as academic research. Later, attendees split into two groups—one for metals and one for plastics—to explore the topics in more detail. A primary goal of the sector is to define nationwide standards so that clients of 3D service providers are clear about the expected quality of each manufacturing process and the data requirements needed to achieve optimal part performance. The insights and recommendations, summarized by Adriaan Spierings, are intended to guide national and international policy-making bodies.
The workshop concluded with a networking reception and a guided tour of the Suisse TP labs. Specialists were on hand to explain the testing capabilities at different stations. In addition to computed tomography and surface analysis, the testing methods for predicting a component’s lifespan drew particular interest.
Suisse TP would like to thank Dr. Adriaan Spierings and Ralf Schindel for inviting us to participate as a partner in this highly informative event.
