subject: What Astm Steel Means To The Steel Pipe Manufacturer [print this page] With thousands of steel pipe manufacturers worldwide, you can see how easily it would be for products to vary drastically in their quality, strength and durability. One of the most influential groups in the world steel market is the ASTM or American Society for Testing and Materials.
The ASTM was actually formed in 1898 by a group of Chemists and Engineers from the Pennsylvania Railroad. They saw the need for a standard in developing and testing steel early on and their forward vision has had as big of an impact on the steel industry as any other organization or group. Often manufacturers now refer to their steel as ASTM steel, letting the customer know the certifications and testing that has gone into their product.
Today the ASTM has over 30,000 business professionals and leading technicians from 135 countries who contribute to their organization. The ASTM gathers test methods, specifications, develops guidelines and best practices that work as support mechanisms for multiple industries and governments around the world. They have over 12,000 standards that are accepted worldwide, giving consumers and suppliers confidence to trade internationally, which opens up a global market for both small manufacturers and large.
ASTM's transparent information gathering is the result of their advanced electronic infrastructure that allows contributors to share their findings and work together to develop immerging technologies like nanotechnology. Without the ASTM organization, many of the new products that we see developed today would have taken many more years to become a reality and even longer to reach global markets. Steel is just one industry that has utilized the ASTM's process to develop standards and new products. The petroleum industry, construction industry and even consumer products are seeing the viability of using this process to enhance their ability to develop better products, faster with an international market.
The internet and the availability of their advanced internet-based consensus tools have strengthen their capacity to assist all types of industries and governments to develop standards, compete with the world market and establish new product development. ASTM's leadership role continues as they add technical training for industries and governments alike. For more information on the ASTM, go to ASTM.org and find out how to be part of this global enhancing society.
