• HomePage / FYI
• Now That I Have Your Attention
• Eye On The Industry 
• News Briefs
• Neat Stuff 
• Shop Talk
• Book Nook 
• The Racer's Edge 
• Concession Corner 
• Inside Info 
• Fun Times 
• Sponsor Search 
• Classified Ads
• Calendar of Events
• The Last Laugh 
• Archives 
• Advertising Info
• Feedback
• Legal Stuff
• Kart Expo Update
• Association News
• Weather Updates
• Kart Links

International Karting Industry Buyer's Guide

GO KARTING!
A Guide To The World's Most Popular Motorsport.

Kart Expo International

Organized in 1898, ASTM has grown into one of the largest standards development systems in the world. ASTM is a not-for-profit organization that provides a forum for producers, users, ultimate consumers and those having a general interest (representatives and academia) to meet on common ground and write standards for materials, products, systems and services. 

From the work of 132 standard-writing committees, ASTM publishes standard test methods, specifications, practices, guides, classifications, and terminology. ASTM standards development activities encompass metals, paints, plastics, textiles, petroleum, construction, energy, the environment, consumer products, medical services and devices, computerized systems, electronics and many other areas including concession go-karts. ASTM headquarters has no technical research or testing facilities. Such work is done voluntarily by 32,000 technically qualified ASTM members located throughout the world.

More than 10,000 ASTM standards are published each year in the 71 volumes of the Annual Book of ASTM Standards. These standards and related technical information are sold throughout the world.

WHAT IS A STANDARD?

As used in ASTM, a standard is a document that has been developed and established within the consensus principles of the Society and meets the approval requirements of ASTM procedures and regulations.

WHAT TYPE OF STANDARDS DOES ASTM PRODUCE?

ASTM develops six principle types of “full consensus” standards. They are:
 

• Standard Test Method -  a definitive procedure for the identification, measurement and evaluation of one or more qualities, characteristics or properties of a material, product, system or service that produces a test result.
• Standards Specification - a precise statement of a set of requirements to be satisfied by a material, product, system or service that also indicates the procedures for determining whether each of the requirements is satisfied.
• Standard Practice -  a definitive procedure for performing one or more specific operation or function that does not produce a test result.
• Standard Terminology -  a document comprised of terms, definitions, descriptions of terms, explanation of symbols, abbreviations or acronyms.
• Standard Classification - a systematic arrangement or division of materials, products, systems or services into groups based on similar characteristics such as origin, composition, properties or use.

WHY ARE ASTM STANDARDS CREDIBLE?

Many factors contribute to the quality and credibility of ASTM standards. Those factors are:

· A voluntary, full consensus approach which brings together people with diversity of backgrounds, expertise and knowledge.
· A balanced representation of interests at the standards-writing table.
· Intense round-robin testing to ensure precision.
· Strict balloting and due process procedures to guarantee accurate, up-to-date information.
· An atmosphere that promotes open discussion

WHAT IS MEANT BY “FULL CONSENSUS” STANDARDS?

Full consensus standards are standards developed through cooperation of all parties who have an interest in participating in the development and/or use of the standards. Standards can be developed through varying degrees of consensus. Examples include:

Company Standards - consensus being among employees of a given organization (principally with such departments as design, development, production and purchasing).

Industry Standards - consensus being among companies within a given industry (typically developed by a trade association).

Professional Standard - consensus being among the individual members of a given profession (typically developed by a professional society).

Governmental Standard - consensus often being among the employees of a governmental agency or department.

ASTM develops full consensus standards with the belief that input from all stakeholder parties in the development of a standard will ensure technically competent standards having the highest credibility when critically examined and used as the basis for commercial, legal or regulatory initiatives.

WHAT IS MEANT BY COMMITTEE BALANCE?

The number of voting producers on a committee can not exceed the combined number of voting non-producers (users, ultimate consumers and those having a general interest, that is representatives of government and academia). However, full consideration is given to comments of all committee members throughout the standards development process.

IS THE USE OF ASTM STANDARDS MANDATORY?

No.  ASTM standards are developed voluntarily and used voluntarily. They become legally binding only when a governmental body make them so, or when cited in a contract.

WHO USES ASTM STANDARDS?

ASTM standards are used by thousands of individuals, companies, and agencies. Purchasers and sellers incorporate ASTM standards into contracts; scientists and engineers use them in their laboratories; architects and designers use them in their plans; government agencies reference them in codes, regulations, and laws; and many others refer to them for guidance.

WHO WRITES ASTM STANDARDS?

ASTM standards are written by volunteer members who serve on technical committees. Through a formal balloting process, all members may have input into the standards before they are published by ASTM. Anyone who is qualified or knowledgeable in the area of the committee’s scope is eligible to become a committee member. ASTM currently has 32,000 members representing virtually every segment of industry, government and academia.

WHAT ARE ATSM TECHNICAL COMMITTEES?

They are the specific arenas in which ASTM standards are developed. There are 132 main technical  committees and each is divided into subcommittees. The subcommittee is the primary unit in ASTM’s standards development system as it comprises the highest degree of expertise in a given area. Subcommittees are further subdivided into task groups. Task group members do have to be ASTM members; many task groups seek non-members to provide special expertise in a given area.

HOW ARE ASTM STANDARDS DEVELOPED?

Standards development work begins when a need is recognized. Task group members prepare a draft standard, which is reviewed by its parent subcommittee through a letter ballot. After the subcommittee approves the document, it is then submitted to a main committee letter ballot. 

Once approved at the main committee level, the document is submitted for Society review. All negative votes cast during the balloting process, which must include a letter of explanation of the voter’s objections, must be fully considered before the document can be submitted to the next level in the process. Final approval of a standard depends on concurrence by the ASTM Committee of Standards that proper procedures were followed and due process was achieved. Only then is the ASTM standard published.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO DEVELOP A STANDARD?

It usually take about two years to develop a standard, although some committees have produced their standards in a year or less. Progress depends entirely on the urgency of the need, the complexity of the job and the amount of time committees devote to the work.

HOW DOES SOMEONE INITIATE A NEW STANDARD ACTIVITY TO ASTM?

A written request, which describes the need for the proposed activity and list of individuals, companies and organizations that might have an interest in it, must be submitted to ASTM headquarters. The ASTM staff then researches the project to asses whether there is adequate interest, to discover if parallel activities exist in other organizations and to determine where the activity would appropriately fit within the ASTM structure.

The process of organizing a new activity includes holding a planning and/or organizational meeting, depending on the activity’s complexity. These meetings ensure that all stakeholders have an opportunity to determine the need for the activity, participate in the development of a title, scope and structure, and identify and prioritize area that need standardization.

WHERE AND HOW OFTEN DO COMMITTEES MEET?

Each ASTM committee determines its own meeting schedule, although most meet twice a year. Most meetings are held throughout the United States and Canada.

WHO GOVERNS THE ACTIVITIES OF ASTM TECHNICAL COMMITTEES?

The governing body is the ASTM Board of Directors, elected by vote of the entire membership. The Board and its Standing Committees have established procedures to ensure that standards are developed on a full consensus basis, that all dissenting parties receive due process, and that all ASTM standards follow style and format requirements. The Regulations Governing ASTM Technical Committees and Form and Style for ASTM Standards are the documents that govern the ASTM standards development process. A full-time professional staff ensures that technical committees receive support in adhering to these procedures.

DOES ASTM PUBLISH TECHNICAL INFORMATION OTHER THAN STANDARDS?

ASTM publishes Special Technical Publications (STP) which are collections of peer-reviewed technical papers reflecting the state-of-the-art in subject areas spanning the scope of ASTM activities. Most STP’s are based on symposia sponsored by ASTM technical committees. Other publications include compilations of ASTM standards, manuals, monographs, handbooks, retrospective publications, reference radiographs, standards adjuncts, data series, and ASTM Standards Infobriefs, a quarterly update of new and revised ASTM standards.

The society also publishes a monthly magazine, Standardization News and five journals: Journal of Testing and Evaluation; Cement, Concrete and Geotechnical Testing Journal; Journal of Composites Technology and Research; and The Journal of Forensic Sciences.

WHAT SERVICES DOES ASTM STAFF PROVIDE?

The ASTM staff provides administrative support to the committee members, thus allowing them to concentrate on the technical aspect of standards development. An ASTM committee member attends every committee meeting. It is their responsibility to make certain that ASTM procedures are followed and to ensure that the committee members have maximum access to ASTM support services.

ASTM support services include meeting arrangements, promotion and public relations, symposia operations, technical and professional training, editorial assistance, publications marketing and distribution, awards and recognition programs, members and committee services, customer services, accounting and financial services and computer services.  The ASTM Information Center contains all publications produced by ASTM and other sources of information.

DOES ASTM OFFER CONTINUING TECHNICAL EDUCATION?

Yes. ASTM provides continuing education and training in the use and application of ASTM standards through technical and professional training courses. ASTM members propose ideas for the courses, work with staff to establish course outlines and serve as instructors. Attendees learn the practical application of standards and benefits from the instructors’ technical expertise and knowledge of standards development.

DOES ASTM PROVIDE A FORUM PRESENTING ORIGINAL TECHNICAL RESEARCH?

ASTM members organize symposia to formally present original research and to stimulate discussion on a wide range of technical subjects. Committees sponsor symposia to:

• Share experiences with test methods or other standards
• Promote knowledge related to a particular field of interest
• Gather material or asses interest in a subject before beginning the standardization process
• Discuss results of inter-laboratory test programs.

HOW IS ASTM FUNDED?

Approximately 85% of the Society’s income is derived from the sale of publications, primarily from the standards which committees produce. Other income is derived from training, proficiency testing related services and annual administrative fees.

DOES ASTM HEADQUARTERS ASSIST TECHNICAL COMMITTEES WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH?

The ASTM Institute for Standards Research (ISR) provides a mechanism for conducting research to improve the quality and timeliness of ASTM standards. This mechanism includes fund-raising, obtaining competitive bids for research and standards development, and proposals and project management. ISR does no research but serves as the intermediary between the standards-writing community and the public or private agencies that provide appropriate research and technical services or supply funding for such research.

IS THE WORK DONE BY ASTM COMMITTEES VULNERABLE TO CHARGES OF ANTI-TRUST VIOLATIONS?

Because ASTM procedures ensures openness, fairness and a consensus among balanced interests, violation of anti-trust laws within the ASTM committee is a near impossibility. Only one complaint has ever been files against ASTM claiming that one of its committees had violated the anti-trust laws. The complaint was dismissed before trial by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with a finding that because of ASTM’s balance of interest and scrupulously observed procedures, violation of the anti-trust laws within ASTM was most unlikely. 

ARE SOCIETY MEMBERS LIABLE FOR THE STANDARDS THEY DEVELOP AND WHICH ARE PUBLISHED BY ASTM?

No. A person claiming injury or damage as a result of an ASTM standard must base his claim on the publication of this information. Since ASTM is the publisher, any liability for the content in an ASTM publications is ASTM’s and not its members liability. The statutory law of Pennsylvania, where ASTM is chartered, expressly forbids the transfer of this liability to ASTM members.

WHAT DOES IT COST TO BE A MEMBER?

ASTM members pay a nominal administrative fee annually. The only other costs involved are the time and travel expenses of committee members, and the donated use of members laboratory and research facilities.

WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?

For more information on any of the services mentioned, or for more information on becoming a member or purchasing ASTM’s publications, please contact ASTM headquarters at: 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania 19428. Phone: 610-832-9500. Fax: 610-832-9555. E-mail: service@local.astm.org. 
 

END
 
 

View Past "Concession Corner" Articles