Mar 01, 2005

Technically valid, market-relevant ASTM test methods have held a distinguished place in the global standards community for over a century. Precision and bias statements that accurately report the repeatability and reproducibility of tests play a crucial role in the continued success of ASTM’s 5,000 test methods.

ASTM International’s Board of Directors, recognizing the importance of generating valid data to the process of creating strong precision and bias statements, has made a significant commitment to aid technical committees in this important work through the establishment of the Interlaboratory Studies (ILS) program. The Board has committed four million dollars to the ILS program over the next five years.

"The Board’s decision to fund the ILS program is significant," says N. David Smith, ASTM International’s current Chairman of the Board. "The decision demonstrates the Board’s commitment to enhancing ASTM standards and supporting the committees. I am very pleased the Board is willing to take such bold steps."

The aim of the ILS program is to help ASTM technical committees with their round robin testing programs by removing administrative burdens from the committees. The ILS program will aid in the development of useful and relevant precision and bias statements in ASTM test methods by providing staff support and financial resources to the technical committees by offering the following value-added administrative services: assisting with identification of participating laboratories; overseeing the generation and distribution of samples; collecting data; and generating precision and bias statements and research reports. A pilot ILS program is currently underway.

"The excellence of ASTM test methods is a tribute to our technical committees," says James A. Thomas, president, ASTM International. "Through the ILS program, the Board is recognizing the hard work of our committees by reducing the administrative burdens associated with running round robin programs."

By establishing and supporting the ILS program, the ASTM International Board of Directors is acknowledging the importance of statistically valid data to the technical underpinnings of ASTM test methods. The ILS program will facilitate the continued development of high quality precision and bias statements.

Release #7117