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Text: Thomas Masuch
Alongside aerospace, the defence industry is currently one of the key drivers of Additive Manufacturing. After receiving relatively little attention for many years – in some cases intentionally – the sector has undergone major technological, financial and volume-related changes driven by the profound shift in the geopolitical landscape since 2022. The expanding role of Additive Manufacturing has heightened the demand for standards in the industry.
“Within the defence community, standards for Additive Manufacturing are currently being discussed more intensively than ever before,” explains Christian Seidel, Professor at Munich University of Applied Sciences and Chief Advisor at Wohlers Associates powered by ASTM. The range of Additive Manufacturing applications has expanded significantly over the past three years: increasingly sophisticated drones – airborne, maritime and ground-based – a proliferation of components in aircraft and missiles, submarines and tanks, as well as the increased use of AM for spare parts procurement. These developments have fuelled the demand for standards governing additively manufactured military products and components.
“Because defence organisations are under pressure to deploy AM solutions quickly, it is often not possible to wait for the publication of new military standards. And the military community certainly does not have enough personnel to tackle these challenges on its own,” Seidel explains.
AM Innovation and Standards Summit on 16 November
Taking place at the Frankfurt Exhibition Centre on 16 November, the day before Formnext begins, the summit will explore how government agencies, military organisations and defence companies can meet the rising demand for standards and enable new applications. The event is jointly organised by the U.S. Commercial Service, ASTM International, ISO (International Organization for Standardization), America Makes and Mesago Messe Frankfurt.
Christian Seidel played a key role in shaping the programme and sees the theme “Aligning together – Enabling Use Cases by Applying Civilian and Military Standards” as an important message for the defence and AM communities: “Civilian standards can also provide enormous support in the military sector. That is why the AM Innovation and Standards Summit will also address how civilian standards can be used and, where necessary, adapted for military applications.”
Interoperability among NATO member states is another critical consideration. This ensures that allied armed forces can operate equipment, systems and processes seamlessly across national boundaries, from ammunition specifications to digital data formats. Leading representatives from NATO, the European Space Agency and major defence companies, including Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin, will provide important input on these topics.
Strategic guidance
Ahead of the summit, participants can learn more about AM standards through the strategic guidance document on the qualification and certification of additively manufactured parts published by the Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE) of ASTM International.
The guidance was developed to support the UK Ministry of Defence and its TAMPA project and is also intended to serve defence supply chains and allied partners worldwide. The document introduces a four-level classification system based on component criticality and safety requirements while also covering certification processes, guidelines for applications on land, at sea and in the air, and the importance of early collaboration across project teams.
Formnext AM Defence Summit on 17 November
The Formnext AM Defence Summit, taking place on 17 November 2026, offers a broader perspective on Additive Manufacturing for the defence industry. The summit is organised by Formnext in cooperation with the Additive Manufacturing Defence Network e.V. It will address the key question of how additive manufacturing can strengthen defence and security capabilities as a key industrial technology – from manufacturing and maintenance to resilient and sovereign supply chains.
Further information
ASTM International: AM Innovation and Standards Summit (16 November 2026):
AM Innovation and Standards Summit at Formnext 2026
The strategic guidance document on the certification of additively manufactured parts for defence applications is available as a free download from the AM CoE.
AM CoE – ASTM International
Formnext AM Defence Summit (17 November 2026):
Formnext AM Defence Summit
