Certification body DNV has comprehensively revised its DNV-ST-B203 standard for additive manufacturing. The new edition, developed as part of the ProGRAM joint industry project, extends the scope from metallic to polymer parts and is aimed primarily at users in the energy and maritime sectors. The goal is to provide a consistent framework for the design, qualification, and monitoring of 3D-printed components in industrial use.
At the core of the standard are detailed design rules for additively manufactured parts. Engineers receive guidance on geometry optimization, the selection of suitable materials, and permissible load assumptions and safety factors.
“With global competition in AM standards, it is crucial to provide a robust, practical framework that builds trust and scalability for this transformative technology,” said Dr. Sastry Kandukuri, Global practice lead for additive manufacturing at DNV. “This edition directly addresses industry needs with practical design rules and clear CO2 footprint metrics, empowering our customers to adopt AM with greater confidence.”
Also new is a methodological framework for determining and documenting the CO₂ footprint of additively manufactured parts. The standard describes how energy consumption, powder or filament usage, and downstream processes are incorporated into a robust assessment. This is intended to make it easier for operators to compare 3D printing with conventional manufacturing processes in terms of emissions.
“Additive manufacturing offers a way of reducing material waste and supply chain related emissions. Its digital nature also enables new ways of ensuring quality control, which in turn increases confidence in a part’s integrity. Standardization is the bedrock for achieving these objectives,” said Prajeev Rasiah, Executive vice president and regional director for Northern Europe for Energy Systems at DNV.
“The work continues in the next phase of our JIP, focusing on digital inventories and new AM technologies,” said Stian Gurrik, Project manager for the ProGRAM JIP. “Our projects have already shown a significant environmental benefit from using AM for part repair versus conventional replacement, highlighting the sustainability potential this standard helps to unlock.”
On the process side, the qualification scheme has been expanded. Components can be grouped into so-called part families that are qualified under shared process parameters. This allows manufacturers to reduce testing effort and repeated trials without foregoing defined acceptance criteria for dimensional accuracy, material properties, and in-process monitoring. For the first time, polymer processes are also covered with their own requirements.
DNV also regards additive manufacturing as a tool for digitally managed spare parts inventories.
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