November/December 2010 Page 1 | Page 2 Annual Reports Show Continuing Success of MOU ProgramFour national standards bodies have submitted annual reports to ASTM that indicate the ongoing success of their memorandums of understanding with ASTM International.ChileASTM and the Instituto Nacional de Normalización, the national standards body of Chile, signed an MOU in 2002. INN is a private foundation that was created by the Corporación de Fomento de la Producción in 1973. INN oversees, fosters and develops standards in Chile for accreditation and metrology. The institution is responsible for the development of technical standards at the national level, the management of the national accreditation system and the coordination of a national metrological network. INN uses and complies with international standards under the guidelines of the World Trade Organization’s Technical Barriers to Trade Committee. Per INN’s annual report, 35 ASTM International standards were adopted, referenced or used as the basis of Chilean national standards over the last year. The majority of these standards are from ASTM Committees C01 on Cement, C09 on Concrete and Concrete Aggregates and D04 on Road and Paving Materials. More than 40 individuals from Chile are members of one or more of ASTM’s 141 technical committees, and there are also several ASTM student members from Chile. INN has also participated in ASTM technical assistance and training programs on concrete and other topics as part of the MOU program. EcuadorAccording to the Instituto Ecuatoriano de Normalización (INEN), ASTM International standards continue to be an asset in the development of Ecuador national standards. INEN is the official body in charge of standardization and regulation in Ecuador. Standards in Ecuador are developed through technical committees related to industry and technology. INEN grants the official quality certificate and seal and also oversees metrological activities, weights and measures control, and consumer protection. ASTM International and INEN signed a memorandum of understanding in 2002. According to the INEN annual report, 22 ASTM International standards were consulted in the preparation of Ecuador national standards over the past year. Many of the standards were from ASTM Committees A05 on Metallic-Coated Iron and Steel Products and C01 on Cement. Several ASTM standards from various sectors were also used as reference documents by INEN technical committees for their standards development work this year. Close to 100 individuals from Ecuador participate on one or more of ASTM’s 141 technical committees. Saint LuciaThe Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards notes that ASTM International standards continue to be referenced in the development of that country’s standards as a result of the memorandum of understanding signed by SLBS and ASTM in 2002. SLBS develops and promotes standards for the improvement of local goods and services in order to encourage industrial and economic development, and to ensure the health and safety of consumers as well as to safeguard the environment. The bureau is also the legal authority for regulating weights and measures activities on the island. SLBS focuses on the development of standards for various sectors, including construction and engineering, food products and safety, agriculture practices, tourism activities and services, and environmental engineering. According to the report, SLBS referenced 11 ASTM standards on petroleum and concrete in the development of national standards this year. SLBS has also adopted several standards from ASTM Committee F24 on Amusement Rides and Devices. Sri LankaThe Sri Lanka Standards Institution and ASTM International continue to maintain the strong relationship that was established through a memorandum of understanding signed in 2003. Established under the Bureau of Ceylon Standards Act No. 38 of 1964, SLSI promotes and facilitates standardization, measurement, quality assurance and other activities related to the national economy of Sri Lanka. SLSI oversees more than 1,250 Sri Lanka standards related to products, commodities, materials, processes and practices for various sectors. SLSI reported that 53 ASTM International standards were adopted as identical Sri Lanka national standards this year, while an additional 15 ASTM standards were consulted in the preparation of Sri Lanka national standards. The majority of those standards were from ASTM Committees D01 on Paint and Related Coatings, Materials and Applications, D20 on Plastics and D28 on Activated Carbon. Several individuals from Sri Lanka participate on ASTM’s 141 technical committees, and many students representing various universities in Sri Lanka are student members of the organization. The ASTM International MOU ProgramInitiated in 2001, ASTM International’s MOU program promotes communication between ASTM International and national standards bodies worldwide, fostering awareness of the standardization systems of all parties involved. The purpose of the program is to increase greater worldwide participation in the ASTM standards development process and facilitate the development of national standards that will aid health, safety, and environmental and economic conditions. Dudley Medal Nominees SoughtThe ASTM International Committee on Publications is soliciting candidate publications from ASTM committees for the Charles B. Dudley Medal Award. Each committee may submit one publication for consideration. The award honors an outstanding contribution that has a widely recognized impact on a particular field of ASTM interest and has been documented in ASTM literature. A minimum of three years must have elapsed between the date of publication of a nominee and the nomination deadline of April 15. Publications with the same scope cannot win the award twice within 10 years (for example, two editions of the same work). Eligible candidate publications may be:
Submittals should be made on or before April 15 and must contain the following information:
Submit nominations to Kathy Dernoga, Committee on Publications, ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Dr., P.O. Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. For more information, contact Kathy Dernoga (phone: 610-832-9617). Mechanical Engineering Students Learn About Standards
ASTM Representatives in Mexico Visit Tec de MonterreyLuis Ordonez and Vanessa Corona, ASTM International’s representatives in Mexico, visited Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico City, Mexico, on Sept. 29. During the visit, Ordonez and Corona spoke to first-year mechanical engineering students about the importance of standards in their future work. Topics covered included standardization in general, ASTM standards, the differences between regulations and voluntary standards, and regulations specific to Mexico. Ordonez and Corona were invited to make the visit by Enrique Muñoz, director, mechanical engineering department, Tecnológico de Monterrey.
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