eCOLAB 4.0 aligns its FabLab network with the ISO/ASTM 52900 additive manufacturing terminology

During the transnational meeting held in Vilnius (Lithuania) on 1 October 2026, hosted by Vilniaus Kolegija, the eCOLAB 4.0 partners discussed how to align the project activities with the international standard ISO/ASTM 52900:2021 “Additive manufacturing – General principles – Fundamentals and vocabulary”, adopted in Europe as EN ISO/ASTM 52900.

Over the years, additive manufacturing has developed a wide variety of terms, often linked to specific applications or trademarks, which can be ambiguous and make communication difficult. ISO/ASTM 52900 addresses this by providing clear definitions and a common nomenclature, organising additive manufacturing technologies into seven process categories, each with its own abbreviation:

• Binder jetting (BJT)
• Directed energy deposition (DED)
• Material extrusion (MEX)
• Material jetting (MJT)
• Powder bed fusion (PBF)
• Sheet lamination (SHL)
• Vat photopolymerization (VPP)

Following a proposal by Cracow University of Technology, the consortium agreed to classify the additive manufacturing equipment included in the shared database of the eCOLAB 4.0 interoperable FabLab network according to these categories. For example, FDM/FFF printers will be listed under material extrusion (MEX), SLS and SLM systems under powder bed fusion (PBF), and SLA/resin printers under vat photopolymerization (VPP).

The database currently gathers 68 equipment items and resources from the four partner universities. Using a common, internationally recognised taxonomy will make it easier for students and staff to identify comparable capabilities across the network and to work together in collaborative manufacturing challenges, such as those planned for the Blended Intensive Programme “Industry 4.0 and Sustainable Future” in 2027.