QUÉBEC CITY, May 15, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) has tasked Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ) with managing the SCC mirror committee SMC/ISO/TC 261 on additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing. Canada is one of 18 countries involved with the ISO/TC 261 international standardization committee on additive manufacturing set up in 2011 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

"Additive manufacturing is revolutionizing the high-tech manufacturing field—facilitating the work of innovators with their designs, re-designs and prototypes," said John Walter, Standards Council of Canada's chief executive officer. "With BNQ having harmonized the Canadian and international ISO/TC 261 committees, Canada now has wide-ranging industry influence in setting these important international standards."

BNQ is currently completing the formation of the Canada mirror committee that will enable Canadian stakeholders to follow and influence the international committee's work. The committee will be chaired by François Richard, project engineer for additive manufacturing at Pratt & Whitney Canada. "Working with a committee like this gives local businesses a say in setting international standards," he says.

Deemed by many to be the biggest industrial revolution since the Internet, additive manufacturing is spreading quickly through cutting-edge sectors such as aeronautics, plastics, and metal fabrication. The quickly changing nature of these activities has shown a need for standards governing a number of aspects, including terms and definitions, process chains (materials and software), testing procedures, quality parameters for primary materials and end products, and other basics.

"Advances in technology such as additive manufacturing require standards to set quality parameters and develop testing procedures. BNQ is proud to partner with product manufacturers, equipment manufacturers, research centres, and governments to manage the SCC mirror committee's work on additive manufacturing," commented BNQ director Jean Rousseau.

Canada mirror committee members will be able to follow, comment on, and influence standardization projects and proposals made by the international committee. They can do this on the Canadian e-forum provided by the Standards Council of Canada, allowing for opinions, concerns, and positions of Canada mirror committee members to be forwarded to the ISO/TC 261 international committee.

About BNQ

Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ) is an administrative unit of CRIQ (Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec). For 50 years, it has been involved in standardization, certification, and publishing standards information. Officially recognized by the government of Québec, the Standards Council of Canada, and the World Trade Organization, BNQ is a member of the International Organization for Standardization and a leader in developing measures to support businesses, regulating authorities, and industrial and social sectors. For more information, visit www.bnq.qc.ca.

For more information:

Carole Roch
Communications Advisor
Bureau de normalisation du Québec
514-383-3254

SOURCE Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec