American Society for Testing and Materials, or ASTM International, is the global leader in voluntary consensus standards used by companies and institutions world-wide. ASTM consists of over 30,000 volunteer members from more than 140 countries. ASTM meets the criteria for international standards as set by the World Trade Organization.
Interested parties can submit a request for a new standard to ASTM International. The ASTM technical committee prepares the draft of the proposed standard and submits it to a parent subcommittee before being made available to all members. Before being considered to move on to the next level, any objections from the committee are reviewed. The ASTM Committee gives final approval as long as ASTM procedures and standard test methods were followed and the standard was given a due process.
Why Do ASTM Safety Standards Matter?
Corporations and engineers world-wide rely on ASTM as the standard guide to ensure the quality and consistency of their materials. ASTM standards are mandatory when authorities need to cite them in contracts, regulations, or laws. These are the standard practice when evaluating the chemical, mechanical, and metallurgical properties of metal such as cold rolled steel, hot rolled pickled and oiled steel, galvanized steel, and various other types of steel.
Corporations and individuals can use the ASTM website to search more than 12,000 standards in any industry. Customers depend on you to provide them with high-quality consumer products that meet their expectations. When investing in materials, you need to be able to trust that they will perform the way they’re supposed to and have high standards such as anti-corrosion properties, specified mechanical properties or the correct chemical makeup for example. By using products that follow ASTM standards, and knowing how to reference ASTM standards, you can make sure you are purchasing high-quality, safe materials.
ASTM International Standard Specifications
ASTM International standards are developed by a volunteer committee made of users, engineers, and consumers with a “general interest” in the material or process. The standard process begins with the draft being composed based on research. A series of review processes follows, and the drafted standard gets voted on as it moves up the hierarchy of the ASTM organization. It must win the approval of the entire ASTM International organization before it is published.
The drafting and approval process can last a few months or even longer. The development process includes safeguards to ensure fairness throughout the review process:
- Technical Committees – Technical committees are responsible for producing ASTM standards and act as a safeguard. This committee membership is balanced with stakeholders. Producers cannot comprise more than 50% of any committee or subcommittee membership.
- Voting Procedures – Producer participation is limited to one vote per producing company.
- ASTM Style Manual – ASTM International utilizes an internal document, the ASTM Form and Style Manual. This manual acts as the official guideline for ASTM technical standards. It also provides templates, sectional descriptions, and legal instructions that need to be followed.
About Us
Consolidated Metal Service, Inc. prides itself in being one of the leaders in steel processing and slitting for over 40 years. You can be certain our products and services will meet all your specifications and demands in whatever industry you do business.
We are ISO 9001:2015 certified. This registration covers the Quality Management System for the distribution, validation, and processing of steel as well as our test methods.
Contact us today to learn more about our precision slitting services and the other possibilities Consolidated Metals has to offer.