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October 2008

HEADLINES... This month’s top stories:

Finland Adopts ASTM Cigarette Standard

Seeking to prevent accidental death and damage to property related to untended cigarettes, Finland has proposed that all cigarettes sold in the country be tested to assess their likelihood to cause fire in bedding or upholstered furniture. The regulatory proposal specifies the use of ASTM E2187 to test the ignition performance of cigarettes and aims to reduce the 700 annual fires and 35 to 40 deaths in Finland attributed to such threats. Finland's Ministry of Social Affairs and Health stated last month that using the ASTM standard represented an important step toward achieving local and European consumer protection goals. The Finnish decision to utilize ASTM E2187 represents a pivotal breakthrough in terms of public safety, as there is currently no equivalent European standard available. ASTM E2187 has already been adopted nationwide in Canada and in the majority of U.S. states. [Full story]

NEW Online Negative Vote Resolution Tool

Online Negative Vote Resolution (ONR) is a new interactive tool for officers and technical contacts that will enable easy, accurate and timely negative vote resolution. The ONR feature allows members to input resolutions to negative votes through the "Ballot Negatives and Comments" section of the "My Tools" box in the "My ASTM" section. Together with the complimentary wireless Internet access provided in the Member's Office at committee weeks, members will have the opportunity to resolve negatives through the system before leaving the meetings. For questions or additional information about the ONR tool, contact Daniel Schultz at dschultz@astm.org.

NEW Linking System for Online Standards

ASTM International has submitted its extensive library of standards to CrossRef, the official DOI® link registration agency for scholarly and professional publications, for Digital Object Identifier (DOI) assignment. The addition of DOIs to ASTM standards will make it easier for users to access the standards that are cited in other online publications. If an ASTM standard is referenced in a publication, readers can click on the citation listed and will be directed to the ASTM Web site. Once there, they can view the document summary and purchasing information about the latest version of the standard as well as related historical documents. [Full story]

GLOBAL NOTES . . . ASTM around the world:

Coordinated Program in Ecuador

An ASTM International coordinated program was held in Quito, Ecuador, on Sept. 15. The program, held in cooperation with the Instituto Ecuatoriano del Cemento y El Concreto (INECYC) and Asociación de Productores de Hormigón Premezclado del Ecuador (APRHOPEC), focused on products and standards in the cement and concrete sector. APRHOPEC has been active in hosting one of ASTM’s nine Online Centers in Ecuador since June 2007. This latest event is the third of four ASTM coordinated programs planned for 2008. Earlier events were held with China and Russia, and the fourth program, to be held in November, will focus on the Middle East. For more information on ASTM coordinated programs, contact Jim Olshefsky at jolshefs@astm.org.

Peru Videoconference

On Sept. 23, representatives from the petroleum industry in Peru held a videoconference with ASTM staff and an expert from Committee D02 on Petroleum Products and Lubricants. A recent publication of a Peruvian national standard on biodiesel includes normative references to ASTM D02 standards. Paul Wells, engineer in the fuel products section at ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co., answered technical questions related to ASTM biodiesel specifications and test methods.

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

Declarable Substances Test Method
The first test method from Committee F40 describes a procedure for screening and quantifying the amount of elements in polymers that are subsequently used in the creation of consumer products. [Full story]

Biodiesel Standards
Four Committee D02 standards that specify biodiesel have achieved final ASTM approval and will proceed toward publication. The specifications will be used in engine design, to include in bid and purchasing contracts or to check fuel quality at the pump. [Full story]

Tissue Engineered Medical Products (TEMPs)
The upcoming meetings of ASTM F04 subcommittees will focus on the ongoing development of several proposed TEMPs-related standards. [Full story]

Road and Paving Materials
Committee D04's new test method provides a fast method for determining the consistency of aggregate properties that are used in asphalt and concrete mixtures. [Full story]

Roofing Seal Around Fasteners
Committee D08's new standard provides a more broadly applicable test method for situations when roofing products resist water migration at the point of penetration. [Full story]

Nondestructive Testing Task Group
Nondestructive testing equipment manufacturers and users are invited to join an E07 task group developing a new practice on Digital Imaging and Communication in Nondestructive Evaluation (DICONDE). [Full story]

Honeycomb Ceramics
A new Committee C28 standard on flexural testing of honeycomb ceramics will be used by ceramic producers, filter and catalyst suppliers, and automotive and truck manufacturers. [Full story]

Asphalt Concrete Fatigue Failure Test
The Committee D04 standard will include information that can be used to judge the variation of fatigue testing results and will provide laboratories with a better method for determining the test failure point. [Full story]

Bitumen Roofing Systems
A new test method from Committee D08 addresses the use of cold process adhesives in modified bitumen roofing systems. [Full story]

Multivariate Calibration
A new practice from Committee E13 on Molecular Spectroscopy answers a need for standards for multivariate analytical techniques.[Full story]

DID YOU KNOW?...Standards in Art

Safe Materials for Artists

A new school year often means purchasing new supplies for classes such as Arts and Crafts. Many artists and parents of aspiring artists may not know that a number of common art supplies contain toxins that are considered hazardous. ASTM Subcommittee D01.57 on Artists' Materials realized the potential risks more than 25 years ago when they developed ASTM D4236, Standard Practice for Labeling Art Materials for Chronic Health Hazards. In order for materials to comply with ASTM D4236, producers and packagers of art materials must follow certain requirements for developing warning labels identifying any potential chronic health hazards associated with their products. This includes listing any ingredients that are harmful and supplying directions on how to use the product safely. Subcommittee D01.57, part of ASTM Committee D01 on Paint and Related Coatings, Materials and Applications, has also developed standards that cover specific materials such as oil, acrylic and paste paints, and colored pencils. Before you buy, remember to look for "Conforms to ASTM D4236" on your art materials and safely enjoy arts and crafts whether at home, in the classroom or in the studio.

PUBLICATIONS... New publications from ASTM now available:

ASTM Online Dictionary of Engineering Science and Technology

 

ASTM Online Lab, Equipment and Consulting Directories

 

ASTM International Standards on Color and Appearance Measurement

 

ASTM Standards Related to Corrosion Testing of Metals: 3rd Edition

 

ASTM Standards for Environmental Risk Management

 

Metals & Alloys in the Unified Numbering System (UNS)

 

Search for other ASTM publications.

 

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

Upcoming ASTM Committee Week Meetings

Upcoming Symposia & Workshops

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For more information, please visit the ASTM Web site, www.astm.org.

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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.

Erin McElrone, Editor
emcelron@astm.org

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