National Institute of Standards and Technology

New Group to Drive Innovation in 3D Printing Industries

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Gary Cohen, 240-497-1242, gary@radtech.org

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The Photopolymer Additive Manufacturing Alliance (PAMA) will Kick off Activities at RadTech 2022 in Orlando

Chevy Chase, MD (April 8, 2022) — The Photopolymer Additive Manufacturing Alliance (PAMA) announces its formal launch as an organization dedicated to the advancement of research and technology in the 3D printing industry. PAMA is a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and RadTech, the nonprofit trade association dedicated to advancing ultraviolet and electron beam technology.

The field of photopolymer additive manufacturing spans several technologies, including stereolithography (SLA), digital light processing (DLP), liquid crystal display (LCD) , and binder-jet 3D-printing techniques. These techniques are currently widely used in manufacturing consumer products such as dentistry, jewelry, eyewear and sporting equipment. They also hold great promise for applications in personalized medicine, including 3D printing of tissue scaffolds and bone grafts, and for manufacturing in space.

“PAMA’s overarching goal is to better connect the industrial photopolymer supply chain with end user experiences in 3D printing,” says David Walker, Chair of the PAMA Executive Advisory Board and Co-Founder of Azul 3D. “In a widely diversified market, the language we use to describe our technology matters. Our industry’s terminology and protocols are not yet well-aligned or agreed upon, making it nearly impossible for end consumers to make informed and accurate comparisons between the existing technologies. This lack of transparency, coupled with an over-abundance of inconsistent marketing claims, has led to substantive roadblocks in the adoption of 3D printing in a safe and reliable way within manufacturing ecosystems. Simply put – a lack of unified standards and practices is holding Additive Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 back.”

PAMA already has commitments from critical institutions and end-users and is now accepting new members.

“PAMA will help drive innovation in this critical manufacturing sector by supporting the development of standards and protocols and by providing a forum where members can share research and best practices,” says Dianne Poster, a research chemist and senior advisor at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NIST promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.

PAMA will host multiple activities at RadTech 2022, May 9 – 12 in Orlando, Florida., including:

  • PAMA luncheon at the event to discuss the structure and future activities for the group.
  • Photopolymer Additive Manufacturing (PAM) Short Course, Faculty: Dr. David A Walker, Co-Founder of Azul 3D; Dr. Jason P Killgore, NIST
  • The Future of Additive Manufacturing Materials Panel, including:  Maximilian Zieringer, Materials Lead at Formlabs; Charlie Wood, Senior Director of Research & Development at Fast Radius; Vince Anewenter, Director – RPC Consortium Milwaukee School of Engineering; Eric Pallarés García, Co-founder & CTO, BCN3D Technologies
  • Nearly two dozen technical presentations to inform photopolymer additive manufacturing development including: optimizing materials, “next level” formulation, molecular design, and a special PAMA market overview.
  • A special exclusive update—The Tactile Report Overview: Photopolymer Additive Manufacturing Market Trends and Companies to Watch, from Stephanie Benight, Tactile Material Solutions
  • Plus, meet our RadLaunch class of 2022, including: Volumetric 3D printed Dental Aligners; Custom 3D Printed Boli for Cancer Patient Radiation Therapy; “Disappearing” Advanced 4D Materials; and High Performance Battery Components.

Learn more at:
https://pama3d.org/
https://www.radtech2022.com/
NIST Roadmap

PAMA