By Tracey Hill and Jenn Brady

Jul 26, 2016

Standards Empower Lab Equipment Maker in Product Development and Marketing

For as long as Henry Troemner LLC has been manufacturing precision weights, ASTM International has been a part of our business. Strict adherence to standards developed by ASTM Committees E41 on Laboratory Apparatus and E20 on Temperature Measurement ensures that Troemner's manufacture of precision weights and calibration of pipettes and temperature devices meets industry requirements. The accuracy of Troemner's instruments is essential for critical measurements: Every tenth of a degree in super-heated gas turbine steam can potentially cost millions of dollars, accurate volume measurements are critical for DNA experiments, and measuring the milligrams of a drug in prescription medications can mean the difference between an accurate and inaccurate dosage.

As our business has grown and we have developed additional calibration services to meet our customers' needs, our first source of technical information is always an ASTM International standard. Troemner utilizes ASTM standards throughout our processes. Our analytical precision weights are designed and manufactured to meet the specific requirements of ASTM E617, Specification for Laboratory Weights and Precision Mass Standards. Because we follow the ASTM standard, our customers can be confident that they are receiving a quality product, and our marketing team promotes our products' strict adherence to that standard. At Troemner, 70 percent of our weights are manufactured or calibrated to meet ASTM E617 by customer request.

Troemner selects ASTM standards for their quality and instant customer recognition. Troemner's mass manufacturing and calibration follows ASTM E617. Our pipette calibration service follows the requirements of ASTM E1154, Specification for Piston or Plunger Operated Volumetric Apparatus. Our temperature calibration service uses the requirements of ASTM E1137, Specification for Industrial Platinum Resistance Thermometers. In the research and development of our new large incubating shaker products, we reference ASTM E1292, Specification for Gravity Convection and Forced Ventilation Incubators. Troemner's engineering team uses this standard as a comparative index to other equipment on the market.

Our company has a wide customer base with a variety of needs. Troemner's compliance with ASTM International standards helps customers meet requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration good manufacturing and good laboratory practice regulations; the U.S. Department of Defense; and ANSI/NCSL Z540-1, Calibration Laboratories and Measuring and Test Equipment - General Requirements¹, as well as nuclear requirements.

Troemner incorporates the industry-recognized requirements of ASTM International standards into new product design and uses the standards to improve existing processes. No time is lost developing and proving the introduction of new methods in our processes. ASTM standards reduce time-to-market by having proven methods available for industry to use immediately. As an example, to meet and exceed the magnetism requirement of ASTM E617, Troemner developed a new material for precision weights. Troemner Alloy 8 possesses closely controlled density, extremely low magnetic properties, good stability and resistance to corrosion. This innovation was a strategic move by Troemner to have the best quality material available in the marketplace, and it was enabled by ASTM E617.

The worldwide recognition of ASTM International standards allows Troemner to enter the international marketplace for precision weights and gives global customers confidence that they are purchasing a quality product. Troemner's calibration services follow ASTM standards so that our customers' devices will produce accurate and repeatable measurements every time.

Troemner does more than utilize ASTM International standards. As robotic mass comparators have become the norm in the metrology industry, a need for more precise mass tolerances has arisen. To help meet this need, Troemner's metrology experts are members of ASTM Subcommittee E41.06 on Weighing Devices, which enables them to participate in revisions to ASTM standard E617. These revisions will include more precise tolerances and the submilligram weights that are now required by our customers. This participation is key to Troemner representing our customers' requirements and ensuring that the ASTM International standards meet industry needs.

Reference

1. ANSI is the American National Standards Institute and NCSL is NCSL International.

Tracy Hill is the quality management representative at Henry Troemner LLC in Thorofare, N.J. An ASTM International member since 2006, Hill works on Committee E41 on Laboratory Apparatus.

Jenn Brady is the "digital whiz" at Henry Troemner LLC in Thorofare, N.J. Brady promotes ASTM International in Troemner's marketing materials.