Monthly Roundup: Manufacturing Standards from October 2025

Looking back at October 2025, the Manufacturing Engineering sector saw the publication of several significant standards, each shaping the direction of quality, data transparency, and process assessment within the industry. This final part of our monthly series centers on two prominent standards released during the month—standards that reinforce best practices in both additive manufacturing and aluminium processing. As manufacturing organizations face increased demand for demonstrable quality and consistent communication across their supply chains, these standards offer critical guidance. This retrospective overview will help industry professionals, quality managers, and engineers catch up on recent developments, understand the practical implications of new requirements, and enhance compliance strategies.

Monthly Overview: October 2025

October 2025 represented a focused period for Manufacturing Engineering standardization, with a particular emphasis on two key areas: data integrity in materials reporting for additive manufacturing and the assessment of surface treatments for aluminium and its alloys. These releases echo an industry-wide prioritization of repeatability, traceability, and reliable benchmarks for both advanced and established processes.

The publication patterns this month suggest a dual trajectory in the sector: one track propels forward with state-of-the-art AM technologies—call for standardized, transparent material properties communication—while the other revisits and refines legacy surface treatment processes to ensure stricter quality control amid evolving end-use requirements. For professionals, these developments underscore the importance of robust specification, data clarity, and regulatory alignment across manufacturing operations.

Standards Published This Month

ISO/ASTM 52929:2025 – Additive manufacturing of metals – Powder bed fusion – Presentation of material properties in material data sheets

Additive manufacturing of metals — Powder bed fusion — Presentation of material properties in material data sheets

This international standard was developed as a joint effort between ISO and ASTM to address a common industry challenge: the lack of comparability and transparency in published material property values for additively manufactured (AM) metals using powder bed fusion (PBF) with laser or electron beams. ISO/ASTM 52929:2025 specifies the minimum required information for material data sheets, promoting clarity and confidence throughout the AM supply chain.

The standard stops short of prescribing precise test methods or quantities, focusing instead on the core content and boundary conditions that must be disclosed when presenting material properties. Key boundary conditions include detailed reporting of the PBF machine, feedstock, process parameters, shielding gas, powder handling, and post-processing applied. Transparent disclosure enables users to understand the context of each material property and supports informed comparison across suppliers and production runs.

Industries directly impacted include AM machine manufacturers, powder suppliers, service bureaus, and end users of AM components—particularly in aerospace, medical devices, automotive, and energy sectors, where validated material certifications are crucial.

Adoption of this standard supports not only internal quality management, but also aligns with broader regulatory pressures for consistent specification communication and facilitates procurement.

Key highlights:

Mandates minimum content in AM material data sheets, improving confidence in published values
Requires disclosure of boundary conditions (machine, feedstock, process, post-processing) impacting properties
Addresses both laser-based (PBF-LB/M) and electron-beam-based (PBF-EB/M) metal AM
Aids comparability of material properties across suppliers, supporting procurement and application-specific decisions
Designed for flexibility: allows individual additions and extensions beyond the core required content

Access the full standard:View ISO/ASTM 52929:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO 3210:2025 – Anodizing of aluminium and its alloys – Assessment of quality of sealed anodic oxidation coatings by measurement of the loss of mass after immersion in acid solution(s)

Anodizing of aluminium and its alloys — Assessment of quality of sealed anodic oxidation coatings by measurement of the loss of mass after immersion in acid solution(s)

This fifth edition of ISO 3210 provides clear methods for evaluating the quality of sealed anodic oxidation coatings on aluminium and its alloys, primarily targeting those used in architectural, decorative, or protective contexts. The standard specifies two assessment methods:

Method 1: Measures mass loss after immersion in a phosphoric acid-based solution, applicable to coatings for decorative, protective, or stain-resistant applications.
Method 2: Incorporates a prior acid treatment and assesses mass loss—applicable to coatings intended for outdoor architectural purposes.

The distinction between these methods allows organizations to select an appropriate assessment based on their application's severity and performance requirements. Notably, the scope excludes hard-type anodic coatings, dichromate-only sealed coatings, coatings produced in chromic acid, and hydrophobic treatments, focusing the methods’ relevance on the most common architectural and industrial use-cases.

Compliance with ISO 3210:2025 is critical for aluminum fabricators, architectural component manufacturers, and surface treatment suppliers who require robust, repeatable methods for verifying coating quality. Furthermore, the standard serves as a vital reference method for dispute resolution or in cases where primary (non-destructive) methods yield ambiguous results.

Key highlights:

Provides two test procedures for assessing sealed anodic coating quality based on intended usage
Excludes certain coating types, clarifying applicability
Methods are destructive and serve as reference standards in quality disputes
Incorporates updated limits and reporting criteria over previous editions
Directly supports conformity for architectural and protective aluminum applications

Access the full standard:View ISO 3210:2025 on iTeh Standards

Common Themes and Industry Trends

Several notable patterns emerged from October 2025’s Manufacturing Engineering standard publications:

Emphasis on Data Integrity and Transparency: Both standards reinforce the sector’s growing focus on transparency in reporting—whether through comprehensive material data sheets for additive manufacturing, or objective assessments of surface finish quality.
Context-Driven Test and Reporting Requirements: Rather than mandating universal test procedures, both documents define minimum criteria for reporting (in AM) or offer multiple, usage-based assessment methods (for anodizing), respecting the diversity of end-user needs and regulatory environments.
Alignment with Digital Transformation: The growing adoption of digital specification and qualification routes in manufacturing—especially for AM—demands standardized approaches to property reporting and documentation. These standards help maintain data consistency and interoperability across platforms and suppliers.
Quality Assurance for Evolving Materials and Processes: As both new (AM) and mature (aluminium anodizing) technologies evolve, the need for credible, universally recognized quality benchmarks becomes more pressing. The latest standards ensure manufacturing operations remain competitive while also meeting contractual or statutory obligations.

Industries benefiting most include aerospace, medical, automotive, construction, and advanced manufacturing, where quality, repeatability, and the ability to prove compliance are non-negotiable.

Compliance and Implementation Considerations

Organizations impacted by these standards should consider the following:

Gap Assessment: Review current material data sheet practices (for AM) and coating assessment procedures (for aluminium) against the new standard requirements. Identify documentation, reporting, or testing gaps.
Internal Training: Educate relevant teams—engineering, quality, procurement, R&D—on the improved expectations set by each standard.
Supplier Engagement: Where external vendors are involved, ensure specification references in contracts call out the current version of these standards, and request compliance evidence or data in line with the new requirements.
Documented Procedures: Update internal quality and inspection procedures (e.g., incoming inspection, production monitoring, qualification protocols) to reflect the reporting, boundary conditions, and decision criteria outlined in each publication.
Transition Planning: For critical applications, allow reasonable time for process validation and cross-verification before full deployment of revised procedures. If ISO 3210 assessments are used for dispute resolution, ensure retention of associated traceability evidence.
Leverage Authoritative Resources: Access the full text of each standard via iTeh Standards and monitor updates or interpretative guidance, particularly for cross-sector adoption or new product development.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways from October 2025

October 2025’s Manufacturing Engineering standards underscore an industry-wide drive for elevated clarity, comparability, and defensible quality in both emerging and established manufacturing processes:

ISO/ASTM 52929:2025 elevates the integrity of additive manufacturing supply chains by enforcing consistent, transparent property data sheet requirements for PBF metals.
ISO 3210:2025 bolsters confidence in aluminium anodizing processes, offering robust, context-driven test methods for sealed coating quality—supporting both high-performance architectural and industrial needs.

For professionals—engineers, quality managers, procurement specialists—staying attuned to these developments is not just about compliance, but about positioning your operation at the forefront of manufacturing best practice. These standards will help you mitigate supply risk, uphold end-user trust, and future-proof your documentation and assessment regimes.

To stay fully informed and to access the complete versions of these and all other relevant standards, visit iTeh Standards—your comprehensive online resource for the Manufacturing Engineering sector’s evolving needs.