ASTM International - Definition and Overview

ASTM International is an international voluntary standards organization that develops and produces technical standards for materials, products, systems and services. It was formed in 1898 in the United States as the American Society for Testing and Materials by a group of scientists and engineers, led by Charles Benjamin Dudley, who wanted to address the frequent rail breaks plaguing the fast-growing railroad industry. The group developed a standard for the steel used to fabricate rails.

Today, ASTM International maintains more than 12,000 standards. The Annual Book of ASTM Standards consists of 77 volumes. Membership in the organization is open to anyone with an interest in the fields the organization services. Members represent manufacturers, users, governments and academia from over 100 countries.

ASTM Standards compliance is voluntary but in the United States, with the 1995 passage of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act, the U.S. government is required to use privately developed standards whenever possible. As a result, ASTM Standards have been incorporated into or are referred to by many federal regulations.

External links

ASTM International (http://www.astm.org)