ASTM International, formerly known as American Society for Testing and Materials, is a standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical international standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems and services. Some 12,575 apply globally. The headquarters is in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, about 5 mi (8.0 km) northwest of Philadelphia. It was founded in 1902 as the American Section of the International Association for Testing Materials.
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 ASTM's headquarters in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania | |
| Founded | 1902 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, U.S |
Area served | United States (1898–present) International (1898–present) |
| Members | 30,000 |
| Website | www |
History
In 1898, a group of scientists and engineers, led by chemist, industry leader, and proponent of standardization Charles Dudley, formed the American Society for Testing Material (ASTM) to address the frequent rail breaks affecting the fast-growing railroad industry. The group developed a standard for the steel used to fabricate rails.
In 1961 the name "American Society for Testing and Materials" was adopted.
In 2001, ASTM officially changed its name to "ASTM International" and added the tagline "Standards Worldwide".[citation needed]
In 2014, the tagline changed to "Helping our World Work better." ASTM International had offices in Belgium, Canada, China, Peru, Washington, D.C., and West Conshohocken, PA.
In April of 2016, the Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) became a subsidiary of ASTM International. SEI is an accredited third-party certification organization that certifies various types of PPE[clarification needed] to industry consensus standards.
On June 9, 2022, it was announced that the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and ASTM International agreed to extend and expand a Technical Cooperation Agreement from 2019.
Membership and organization
Membership in the organization is open to anyone interested in its activities. Standards are developed within committees, and new committees are formed as needed, upon request of interested members. Membership in most committees is voluntary and is initiated by the member's request, not by appointment or invitation.
Members are classified as users, producers, consumers, and "general interest". The latter includes academics and consultants. Users include industry users, who may be producers in the context of other technical commodities, and end-users such as consumers. To meet the requirements of antitrust laws, producers must constitute less than 50% of every committee or subcommittee, and votes are limited to one per producer company. Because of these restrictions, there can be a substantial waiting-list of producers seeking organizational memberships on the more popular committees. Members can participate without a formal vote and their input will be fully considered.
As of 2015, ASTM has more than 30,000 members, including over 1,150 organizational members, from more than 140 countries. The members serve on one or more of 140+ ASTM Technical Committees. ASTM International has several awards for contributions to standards authorship, including the ASTM International Award of Merit (the organization's highest award) ASTM International is classified by the United States Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Standards compliance
ASTM International has no role in requiring or enforcing compliance with its standards. The standards may become mandatory when referenced by an external contract, corporation, regulation, law, or government.
In the United States, ASTM standards have been adopted by incorporation or reference in many federal, state, and municipal government regulations. The 1995 National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act requires the Federal government to use privately developed consensus standards whenever possible. The Act reflects what had long been recommended as best practice within the Federal government. Other governments, including state and foreign, have also referenced ASTM standards.
Corporations doing international business may choose to reference an ASTM standard. All toys sold in the United States must meet the safety requirements of ASTM F963, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety, as part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008. The law makes the ASTM F963 standard a mandatory requirement for toys while the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) studies the standard's effectiveness and issues final consumer guidelines for toy safety.
See also
- International Organization for Standardization
- Materials property
- Pt/Co scale
- Technical standard
References
- ASTM International. "What is ASTM International?". The History of ASTM International. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
- Gerard, Barbara (April 8, 2015). "What is ASTM International?". Craftchind: Craftech Industries. Archived from the original on April 25, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
- "Safety Equipment Institute Becomes ASTM Subsidiary". ASTM International Standardization News. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- "ASTM International and CEN Extend and Expand Cooperation Program | NEWSROOM". newsroom.astm.org. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
- "Membership". ASTM International.
- "Detailed Overview". ASTM International.
- "ASTM International Board of Directors". ASTM International. Archived from the original on November 26, 2016. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
- "Society Awards". ASTM International.
- Transport Canada use of ASTM Archived November 19, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
- "Safer Children's Toys – ASTM F963 Toy Safety Standard Required by U.S. Law". ASTM International. Archived from the original on June 22, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
External links
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Media related to ASTM at Wikimedia Commons- Official website
- Standards and Publications
ASTM International formerly known as American Society for Testing and Materials is a standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical international standards for a wide range of materials products systems and services Some 12 575 apply globally The headquarters is in West Conshohocken Pennsylvania about 5 mi 8 0 km northwest of Philadelphia It was founded in 1902 as the American Section of the International Association for Testing Materials ASTM InternationalASTM s headquarters in West Conshohocken PennsylvaniaFounded1902 123 years ago 1902 HeadquartersWest Conshohocken Pennsylvania U SArea servedUnited States 1898 present International 1898 present Members30 000Websitewww wbr astm wbr orgHistoryIn 1898 a group of scientists and engineers led by chemist industry leader and proponent of standardization Charles Dudley formed the American Society for Testing Material ASTM to address the frequent rail breaks affecting the fast growing railroad industry The group developed a standard for the steel used to fabricate rails In 1961 the name American Society for Testing and Materials was adopted In 2001 ASTM officially changed its name to ASTM International and added the tagline Standards Worldwide citation needed In 2014 the tagline changed to Helping our World Work better ASTM International had offices in Belgium Canada China Peru Washington D C and West Conshohocken PA In April of 2016 the Safety Equipment Institute SEI became a subsidiary of ASTM International SEI is an accredited third party certification organization that certifies various types of PPE clarification needed to industry consensus standards On June 9 2022 it was announced that the European Committee for Standardization CEN and ASTM International agreed to extend and expand a Technical Cooperation Agreement from 2019 Membership and organizationMembership in the organization is open to anyone interested in its activities Standards are developed within committees and new committees are formed as needed upon request of interested members Membership in most committees is voluntary and is initiated by the member s request not by appointment or invitation Members are classified as users producers consumers and general interest The latter includes academics and consultants Users include industry users who may be producers in the context of other technical commodities and end users such as consumers To meet the requirements of antitrust laws producers must constitute less than 50 of every committee or subcommittee and votes are limited to one per producer company Because of these restrictions there can be a substantial waiting list of producers seeking organizational memberships on the more popular committees Members can participate without a formal vote and their input will be fully considered As of 2015 ASTM has more than 30 000 members including over 1 150 organizational members from more than 140 countries The members serve on one or more of 140 ASTM Technical Committees ASTM International has several awards for contributions to standards authorship including the ASTM International Award of Merit the organization s highest award ASTM International is classified by the United States Internal Revenue Service as a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization Standards complianceASTM International has no role in requiring or enforcing compliance with its standards The standards may become mandatory when referenced by an external contract corporation regulation law or government In the United States ASTM standards have been adopted by incorporation or reference in many federal state and municipal government regulations The 1995 National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act requires the Federal government to use privately developed consensus standards whenever possible The Act reflects what had long been recommended as best practice within the Federal government Other governments including state and foreign have also referenced ASTM standards Corporations doing international business may choose to reference an ASTM standard All toys sold in the United States must meet the safety requirements of ASTM F963 Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety as part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act CPSIA of 2008 The law makes the ASTM F963 standard a mandatory requirement for toys while the Consumer Product Safety Commission CPSC studies the standard s effectiveness and issues final consumer guidelines for toy safety See alsoInternational Organization for Standardization Materials property Pt Co scale Technical standardReferencesASTM International What is ASTM International The History of ASTM International Retrieved May 12 2021 Gerard Barbara April 8 2015 What is ASTM International Craftchind Craftech Industries Archived from the original on April 25 2017 Retrieved February 1 2017 Safety Equipment Institute Becomes ASTM Subsidiary ASTM International Standardization News Retrieved March 27 2024 ASTM International and CEN Extend and Expand Cooperation Program NEWSROOM newsroom astm org Retrieved June 17 2022 Membership ASTM International Detailed Overview ASTM International ASTM International Board of Directors ASTM International Archived from the original on November 26 2016 Retrieved November 6 2013 Society Awards ASTM International Transport Canada use of ASTM Archived November 19 2005 at the Wayback Machine Safer Children s Toys ASTM F963 Toy Safety Standard Required by U S Law ASTM International Archived from the original on June 22 2017 Retrieved April 14 2014 External linksMedia related to ASTM at Wikimedia Commons Official website Standards and Publications
