February 2008

HEADLINES... This month’s top stories:

Cavanaugh Memorial Award

This annual award is granted to a person of widely recognized eminence in the standards system who has made extraordinary contributions to the field of national and international voluntary standards. The deadline for submissions is April 1.  Click here for more information. For a copy of the award criteria, contact Maureen Houck at mhouck@astm.org

Applications Being Accepted for 2008 Mather Scholarship

The scholarship, which consists of $7,500 of tuition assistance, applies to students pursuing degrees in cement or concrete materials technology or concrete construction. Full-time undergraduate students completing their second/sophomore year of college or later, or graduate students specializing in cement or concrete materials technology are eligible. The deadline for applications is April 30. For more information, click here.

ASTM Q & A With Experts

Q & A With Experts, located in the Campus section of the ASTM Web site, features question and answer sessions with ASTM members from both academia and industry. Check out what some of our featured members have to say about how they use ASTM standards in their work here. ASTM is always looking for new "experts" and professors to feature. If you would like to share your thoughts in a Q & A, please contact Erin McElrone at emcelron@astm.org.

 

GLOBAL NOTES . . . ASTM around the world:

New MOU Signing

ASTM has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the national standards body of Mozambique. The MOU program promotes communication between ASTM International and national standards bodies worldwide, fostering awareness of the standardization systems of all parties involved. To date, 55 MOUs have been signed. For more information about the MOU program, click here.

Training Program Held in Jamaica

ASTM members Anthony Fiorato and Nick Carino went to Kingston, Jamaica, in January to present the technical training program "ASTM Cement and Concrete Standards: Relationship to ACI 318" to approximately 30 attendees, including many from the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (JBS). The three-day program included information related to the standards of Committees C01 and C09.

E28 Chairman Visits Dubai

Earl Ruth, current E28 chairman and member of the ASTM board of directors, visited Dubai, U.A.E., and various cities in India in December. While there, he had the opportunity to meet with ASTM members and standards users who were eager to know more about the organization's voluntary consensus process as well as various technical aspects of E28 standards. 

ASTM Staff Members in Beijing

ASTM's John Pace, vice president, Publications and Marketing, and Martin Farrell, director, International Sales, traveled to Beijing in January. During their three-day visit, Pace and Farrell met with various Chinese organizations and discussed such topics as the distribution of ASTM standards and the translation of standards on medical devices, valves, nuclear energy and nuclear density.

COMMITTEE NEWS... The latest from ASTM's technical committees:

Pervious Concrete Subcommittee Works on First Standard

All interested parties are invited to join in the activities of Subcommittee C09.49 as it develops a standard on density and void content of pervious concrete. [Full story]

New Fence Standard Focuses on Sports Facilities

This standard from Committee F14 provides instructions for developing the chain-link fence design, layout and installation for a wide variety of sports and recreational facilities. [Full story]

Key EIFS Standards Now Available

Two keystone documents for the Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems industry are now ASTM International standards. [Full story]

Sensory Evaluation Task Group

Interested parties are invited to join a new task group on instrument test results for sensory evaluation of consumer products, including food and cosmetics. [Full story]

Pervious Clogging Standard

The proposed standard from Committee C09 will monitor clogging and long-term permeability of pervious pavements. [Full story]

Hazardous Substances and Oil Spill Response Committee Seeks New Participants

Recent activities from Committee F20 include a new standard on oil spill containment booms and a proposed standard on the use of in-situ burning of oil spill in marshes. [Full story]

Skylight Safety Focus of New Building Standard

A new E06 task group has been formed to develop test methods that simulate falls of persons onto skylights and smoke vents for human impact resistance. [Full story]

Fire Extinguishing Agents

Finding ways to ensure the quality and safe handling of fire extinguishing agents has led to the development of two new standards from Committee D26. [Full story]

New Standard from Thermal Insulation Committee

The proposed standard will aid laboratories and materials manufacturers in testing the moisture properties in construction materials. [Full story]

Participants Invited to Join Work on New Zirconium Standard

The new test method from Committee D01 will focus on zirconium treatment weight on metal substrates by X-ray fluorescence. [Full story]

Ink Resin Standard to Replace Manual Methods

Subcommittee on Ink Vehicles is seeking participation in the development of a new standard on procedures for preparing ink resin solutions in both vegetable oils and petroleum distillates. [Full story]

Exposure Test to Aid Auto Companies

Automotive companies and interior suppliers will be the primary users of a new standard from Committee G03. [Full story]

Vacuum Cleaner Bag Emissions

Committee F11's proposed standard will address the final phase of the vacuum cleaning process. [Full story]

Concrete Floor Tile Units

The manufacture and installation of concrete floor tile units for application as exterior and interior flooring will be covered in two proposed standards from Committee C15. [Full story]

Beryllium Measurements

A new Committee D18 standard will fill a need for a reliable method for measuring beryllium at various levels in soil samples. [Full story]

Precision Issues for Color

Techniques for analyzing the results of an interlaboratory study conducted for test methods within Committee E12 is the focus of a new standard. [Full story]

DID YOU KNOW?...Committee F27 on Snow Skiing

Taking a Winter Vacation?

In some parts of the world, the cold weather means many people are planning ski vacations. ASTM Committee F27 on Snow Skiing is committed to keeping skiers and snowboarders safe with specifications, guides and test methods for ski and snowboard equipment from bindings to boots. Whether you are buying or renting, avoid injury by making sure your equipment conforms to ASTM safety standards. Take a look at Committee F27 before your next ski trip and stay safe on the slopes this season with ASTM International standards.

PUBLICATIONS... New publications from ASTM now available:

Manual 56, Guide to Friction, Wear, and Erosion Testing

Manual 57, Routine Coal and Coke Analysis: Collection, Interpretation, and Use of Analytical Data

ASTM Standards on Sterilization of Health Care Products

ASTM Standards Related to Candles and Accessories

STP 1481, Fatigue and Fracture of Medical Metallic Materials and Devices

STP 1495, Heat-Air-Moisture Transport: Measurements on Building Materials

STP 1499, Dimension Stone Use in Building Construction

STP 1504, Roofing Research and Standards Development: 6th Volume

 

Click here to search for other ASTM publications.

 

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CALENDAR... Committee Weeks, Symposia and Workshops, TPTs: Technical Committee Meetings

Upcoming ASTM Committee Week Meetings

• April Committee Week, April 6-11, Anaheim, CA

• For more information on ASTM technical committee meetings and committee weeks, including locations, detailed schedules and future meeting dates, click here.

• For a complete listing of all ASTM meetings, click here.

Upcoming Symposia & Workshops

• B05 on Copper and Copper Alloys
  Workshop on Principles and Practices of Electrical Conductors
  April 9, Anaheim, CA

• D22 on Air Quality
  International Symposium on Airliner Cabin Environment: Recent Progress in Characterization and Improvement
  April 10-11, Anaheim, CA

• For more information on current and past symposia and workshops, click here.

Upcoming Technical & Professional Training (TPT) Courses

• TPT Phase I & Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Processes
  February 26-28, Cleveland, OH
  March 25-27, Little Rock, AR
  

• TPT Crude Oil Sampling, Testing and Evaluation
  March 4-5, New Orleans, LA

• Vapor Intrusion Pathway Assessment
  March 27, West Conshohocken, PA

• NEW Proficiency Testing for Textiles
  This PTP is an industry-driven quality assurance program for companies doing yarn and thread component performance evaluations. The deadline for registration of the June test trial is April 30. For more information, click here.
  

• For a full course listing of ASTM’s TPT courses, click here.

ASTM International is one of the world’s largest management systems for the development of voluntary standards for materials, products, systems, and services. Currently, ASTM has more than 30,000 members from around the globe representing industry, government, academia, and consumers. Participation in ASTM International is open to any interested party. The Annual Book of ASTM Standards contains more than 12,000 standards developed by ASTM’s technical standards-writing committees representing over 100 diverse technical fields.