ISO 5425:2023 PUBLISHED: 3D PRINTING SECTOR GETS A BOOST WITH A NEW STANDARD FOR PLA FILAMENT

Post time: 2023-10-19 

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) released ISO 5425:2023 in August 2023. This new standard is titled “Specifications for the use of Poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-based filament in additive manufacturing applications.”

By defining technical specifications and guidelines, the ISO 5425:2023 standard ensures the consistent and quality-controlled utilization of PLA filament in 3D printing applications within the industry. The process leading to the publication of this standard began in September 2019 when Shenzhen-based company, Esun Industrial Co., Ltd. (aka eSUN) and Beijing Technology and Business University jointly introduced a new work item proposal (NWIP) at the ISO/TC 61 annual meeting. Following its acceptance, a dedicated working group comprising global experts convened for numerous meetings to plan and develop this standard.

“The publication of ISO 5425:2023 signifies a pivotal milestone that will bring much-needed structure and order to the realm of 3D printing technology. This standard is poised to play a pivotal role in the expansion and proliferation of 3D printing technology worldwide, fostering innovation and quality in the industry,” said eSUN.

eSUN’s latest engineering filament- Carbon Fiber PLA (ePLA-CF). Photo via eSUN.

A comprehensive framework for PLA filament

Notably, the standard underwent a rigorous consultation and approval process, which involved several voting stages, including Working Draft (WD), Committee Draft (CD), and Draft International Standard (DIS). What is particularly notable is that the standard successfully resolved significant issues early on, resulting in a seamless progression through the approval process, with no technical comments raised during the DIS balloting phase. Consequently, the Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) stages were bypassed, and the ISO published the standard.

ISO 5425:2023 is a vital document that describes the technical specifications for PLA filament, encompassing essential parameters such as appearance, net mass and tolerance, diameter, ovality tolerance, volatile matter limits, line tensile load, and line elongation at break. In addition to these specifications, the standard provides a framework for test methods, detection rules, marking, labeling, packaging, transportation, and storage of PLA filament.

eSUN’s latest engineering filament- Carbon Fiber PLA (ePLA-CF). Photo via eSUN.