Plastometrex has led the development of a new ASTM standard for its Profilometry-based Indentation Plastometry (PIP) technology.
ASTM Standard E3499-25 will, Plastometrex and ASTM say, give engineers and researchers a globally recognised route to faster, easier, and more cost-effective mechanical testing.
Plastometrex believes it marks a major step toward faster qualification and wider adoption of additive manufacturing, with users able to expect audit-ready data, consistent results across laboratories and supply chains, and a clear pathway to adoption in regulated sectors such as aerospace and energy.
PIP is a physics-based approach that extracts stress-strain curves from indentation test data using an inverse finite element method. It is said to deliver stress-strain curves quickly, use minimal material and can be deployed in scenarios where tensile testing is not feasible. The technology underpins all of Plastometrex's products, including the PLX-Benchtop, PLX-HotStage, and PLX-Portable, with the portfolio being covered by the new standard.
The publication of the ASTM standard follows a thorough, multi-year process, which included collaborative validation work with NPL, Airbus, Nikon, and Renishaw, followed by reviews and balloting within ASTM’s committee system. Plastometrex expects the standard to provide greater confidence for engineers and decision-makers, while reducing barriers to internal approval and making audit readiness more straightforward.
Plastometrex CTO Dr Jimmy Campbell, who led the standardisation effort, said: “From the outset, our goal with Indentation Plastometry was to create a method that gave engineers the fundamental mechanical properties as conventional tensile testing, but with far greater efficiency and versatility. Securing an ASTM standard is a major step in that journey. It validates the rigour of the science, recognises the work of the experts involved, and gives industry the confidence to enjoy the benefits that PIP offers. For me, it’s rewarding to see a concept we’ve been developing since the early 2000s now established as an international test method standard that will help accelerate innovation and raise the bar for mechanical testing worldwide.”
