Nadcap program forms additive manufacturing task group

The Nadcap program – which provides critical process accreditations of suppliers in the aviation, defense, and space industries – is developing a new Task Group for Additive Manufacturing (AM).

The formation of the Task Group, recently approved by the Nadcap Management Council and Performance Review Institute (PRI) Board of Directors, will be the focus of all additive manufacturing activity within the program, collaborating with the 23 other Task Groups on associated processes.

Nadcap Task Groups consist of technical experts from the aerospace industry which collaborate to create audit criteria used to accredit suppliers for various critical processes. Currently, the Nadcap program offers accreditation for laser powderbed fusion through the Welding Task Group, but in future this will be conducted via the new AM Task Group.

The first (virtual) meeting of the Task Group will be held in May, with the objective of developing its remit and plan, followed by the first face-to-face meeting being held in Berlin, Germany, on Thursday June 29. Interested industry professionals are encouraged to participate.

Jay Solomond, executive vice president and chief operating officer at PRI, added: “Creation of the new AM Task Group is an important step for the aerospace manufacturing industry. Together, we will work towards developing specific audit criteria for AM processes and ensure high quality AM products are manufactured in accordance with the principles of the Nadcap program. The addition of additive manufacturing accreditation demonstrates how PRI and the Nadcap program continue to evolve to meet industry needs.”

The Performance Review Institute (PRI) administers the Nadcap program and supports the task groups that are focused on 24 different technical commodities, each of which is chaired by industry professionals from aerospace OEMs that subscribe to the Nadcap program.

Information for the Nadcap Meeting in Berlin, where the Task Group will be held, can be found at https://p-r-i.org/nadcap/meetings/. For more information on the AM Task Group or the Nadcap program please emailNadcapinfo@p-r-i.org.