Press release submitted on behalf of NIST.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, Maryland, announced the commercial availability of Reference Material (RM) 8047, a standardized photoactive resin designed to enhance quality control, accuracy and reproducibility across the advanced manufacturing sector. Developed in collaboration with the Photopolymer Additive Manufacturing Alliance (PAMA), this new tool provides 3D-printing manufacturers and researchers with a reliable baseline to eliminate measurement variance and optimize photopolymerization processes.
It is essential in photopolymer 3D printing to create a reliable “working curve” to ensure that the liquid resin cures deeply enough for each layer to chemically bond securely without over-exposing and degrading the material. Historically, extreme discrepancies in how individual laboratories measure light penetration depth and critical exposure energy have hindered commercial scaling. RM 8047 addresses this critical industry bottleneck by acting as a uniform benchmarking baseline for method validation and process control.
“Our goal is to provide the advanced manufacturing sector with tools that assure users that their 3D-printed products are accurate and reproducible,” says Jason Killgore, Group Leader in the Applied Chemicals and Materials Division with NIST. “By establishing standard reference materials, we help eliminate measurement variance, allow operators to calibrate light sources safely, and give the industry the metrics needed for true commercial scalability.”
Rigorous Material Composition and Data Modeling
Each unit of RM 8047 consists of one 20-gram bottle of a meticulously formulated photoactive resin, integrated with precise amounts of photoinitiator and a photoabsorber. To determine the reference parameters, NIST led an expansive interlaboratory study through collaboration with PAMA. Participants utilized three distinct sets of NIST-built, calibrated light sources at both 385 nm and 405 nm wavelengths. The resulting raw cure depth and radiant exposure pairs were compiled and analyzed using the mathematical Jacobs Equation to map precise, universal working curves.
A Unified Industry Effort via PAMA
“The deployment of RM 8047 represents a major milestone for the work of NIST and the Photopolymer Additive Manufacturing Alliance (PAMA),” said Callie Higgins, NIST Additive Manufacturing program coordinator and incoming PAMA executive chair. “This initiative united over 30 cross-sector stakeholders to facilitate the interlaboratory coordination necessary to establish these standard test methodologies, accelerating open-source data infrastructure, publishing peer-reviewed research and establishing safety protocols to advance the entire 3D-printing market.”
Availability
Units of RM 8047 are available for purchase through the NIST Standard Reference Materials Store. Each bottle includes an official reference material information sheet for immediate deployment in lab method harmonization.
For technical details, material safety data sheets and ordering information, please visit the NIST RM 8047 Product Page.
Visit www.pama3d.org to learn more about PAMA and join the Alliance.
About PAMA
The Photopolymer Additive Manufacturing Alliance (PAMA) is a collaborative alliance between NIST and RadTech dedicated to advancing photopolymer additive manufacturing (PAM) technologies. PAMA brings together industry, academia, government and NGO partners with the shared goal of establishing commonly accepted standards and practices for the advancement of 3D printing and additive manufacturing.
About NIST
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a federal agency within the US Department of Commerce dedicated to advancing measurement science, standards and technology. NIST supports American innovation and industrial competitiveness by developing the technical standards and guidelines that underpin manufacturing, cybersecurity, laboratory science and emerging technologies. Its work enables industries and researchers to ensure accuracy, reliability and interoperability across virtually every sector of the economy.
About RadTech
RadTech International North America is the industry association for advancing UV+EB technology. As a near zero-emission, highly efficient curing process, UV+EB technology is utilized across diverse manufacturing sectors, including food packaging, automotive, printing inks, electronics, wood and metal, and 3D printing. RadTech provides a collaborative forum for technical exchange, safety advocacy and environmental education.
For more information, visit www.nist.gov.