ASTM International eNews

August 2014

eNews features the latest news from ASTM International. Like ASTM's magazine Standardization News, eNews is a free benefit available to all ASTM members.

HEADLINES

New Committee on Industrial Biotechnology

Stakeholders in the field of industrial biotechnology, including representatives of the agricultural, medical and pharmaceutical industries, have joined together to form a new ASTM International technical committee - E62 on Industrial Biotechnology. Industrial biotechnology represents a move away from industry's reliance on non-renewable resources, turning instead to the use of sustainable biomass as a resource. Potential topics for E62 standards include feedstock biomass, determination of green content, life cycle analysis and drop-in chemical specifications. The committee welcomes participation from interested stakeholders. [Full Story]

2014 Officers' Training Workshop - Register by Aug. 31

Register by Aug. 31 for the free 2014 ASTM Officers' Training Workshop, to be held Sept. 9-10 at ASTM headquarters. A useful program for committee officers, subcommittee chairs, technical contacts and others in leadership positions, the workshop features various modules on the ASTM standards development process and how to effectively manage responsibilities within ASTM committees. New this year - a revised schedule with more condensed training to accommodate travel, and a scheduled roundtable discussion with ASTM staff. Register here.

Project Grants for Students

ASTM International offers a limited number of $500 grants to graduate or senior level university students to help with student design projects that contain an ASTM standards component. The deadline for submissions is Oct. 31. See instructions and application forms.

Free ASTM Member and Officer Training

ASTM offers free one-hour online training courses for members. Upcoming courses include New Member Orientation and Training (Aug. 26). On-Demand tutorials Strategic Planning and New Activity Development, Electronic Balloting and more are also available. Visit www.astm.org/MEMBER_TRAINING.

ASTM TECHNICAL COMMITTEE NEWS

Resin Identification Codes

Committee D20 has released an updated adjunct containing high-resolution graphic representations of the Resin Identification Codes used by manufacturers to imprint on plastic products. [Full Story]

Medical Devices

A new Committee F04 test method will be used to determine the fatigue life characteristics of fine wire used in devices such as catheter guides and stents for artery repair. [Full Story]

Parasailing

Committee F24 is developing a comprehensive new standard that will provide best practices for owners and operators of parasailing operations. [Full Story]

Additive Manufacturing

Properties of metal powders used for the additive manufacturing of objects like biomedical implants and automotive parts are described in a new Committee F42 standard. [Full Story]

Sensory Evaluation

Committee E18's proposed standard will provide sensory professionals with a guide to set up small group evaluations that will meet objectives in the most unbiased manner possible. [Full Story]

Geosynthetics

A proposed Committee D35 standard will offer a means to reduce the impact of contaminated stormwater in local drains. [Full Story]

Fire

A new Committee E05 standard provides a test method to assess the ability of exterior vents to resist the entry of embers and direct flame impingement. [Full Story]

Electrical Insulating Liquids

A new Committee D27 standard provides the electrical power industry with a test for oxidation stability of natural esters. [Full Story]

Thermal Measurements

A proposed Committee E37 standard will cover thermal transport properties, an important component for improving thermal design in electronics, fuel cells and batteries. [Full Story]

Metal Powder Bed Fusion

Committee F42's proposed standard will describe the operation and production control of powder bed fusion machines and processes to meet rigid quality standards. [Full Story]

Protective Coatings

Two proposed Committee D33 standards will provide an approach to quality control inspection and reporting for fiber-reinforced polymers in all industries. [Full Story]

Leather

Committee D31's new standard provides a test for predicting the long-term performance of a leather article. [Full Story]

Sustainable Manufacturing

Committee E60's proposed standard will inform manufacturers how they can incorporate sustainability into their daily operations. [Full Story]

GLOBAL NOTES

China Outreach Focuses on 3D Printing, Additive Manufacturing

Pat Picariello, manager of ASTM Committees E57 on 3D Imaging Systems and F42 on Additive Manufacturing Technologies, promoted ASTM at several industry events in China in late June. Joined by staff from ASTM's China office, Picariello made a presentation on "Collaborative Standards Development for Additive Manufacturing: ASTM International Committee F42 and ISO TC 261," at the 1st Annual World Congress of 3D Printing in Dalian. He also presented information about ASTM activities to several other groups during his visit, including those from Northwestern Polytechnic University and the Shanghai Industrial Technology Institute, and participated in a member-training event with ASTM's cooperative partner, the Shanghai Institute of Standardization.

DID YOU KNOW? . . . Back to School

August is the time for back to school shopping, and stores and shopping malls are filled with students and parents as they stock up on supplies for the new school year. The list is often long - pens, pencils, art supplies, notebooks, book bags, and of course, the all important back-to-school wardrobe. If you are purchasing art supplies, don't forget to look for ASTM D4236, Standard Practice for Labeling Art Materials for Chronic Health Hazards. D4236 is part of a law that requires all artists' materials sold in the U.S., whether imported or manufactured in the country, must comply with the standard through material labeling. If you are looking for new clothing and apparel to start the year off right, ASTM Committee D13 on Textiles has you covered, with standards for a wide variety of apparel from suits, ties, dresses, blouses and dress shirts to coats, denim, t-shirts and scarves. D13's textile standards cover apparel sizing and body measurement as well as fabrics, yarns, flammability, UV protective fabrics, labeling and more.

ASTM International is one of the world's largest management systems for the development of voluntary standards and related products and services.

Today, some 12,000 ASTM standards are used around the world to improve product quality, enhance safety, facilitate market access and trade, and build consumer confidence.

ASTM International meets the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles for the development of international standards: coherence, consensus, development dimension, effectiveness, impartiality, openness, relevance and transparency.