Overview of ASTM Standards System
ASTM stands for American Society for Testing and Materials. ASTM standards are a technical specification system that is widely used in the national industrial field. This standard specifies the composition, performance indicators, production processes and related test methods of materials. Its function is to formulate detailed technical requirements and quality assessment criteria for various materials, products and engineering practices, and ensure that products meet unified requirements in terms of quality and performance. ASTM standards have covered areas such as metal materials and building materials, and have reached cooperation with international standard organizations such as ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), establishing a complementary and collaborative relationship and promoting exchanges and cooperation.
Main classification of ASTM standard specifications
ASTM standards are divided into the following six categories
Standard test methods
Mainly ensure that materials or products can be standardized during the testing process. Standard test methods provide a set of transparent and traceable test procedures. For example, when testing the tensile strength of stainless steel wire, every step of the test will be specified in detail.
Standard specification
Standards are very important tools that accurately define the technical parameters of materials or products and provide guidance for manufacturing, testing and application. Taking valve castings as an example, the standard specifications not only include the type of material, but also the chemical composition and mechanical properties. These specifications guarantee the quality of the valve.
Standard practice
describes a specific operating procedure but does not involve test results, ensuring standardization and consistency of operations.
Standardized terminology
Unify various terms and symbols to ensure accurate communication and avoid misunderstandings due to inconsistent terminology, which can delay work efficiency.
Standard Guide
Provides technical selection suggestions to help users make the best choice.
Standard classification
Classify materials according to their use or performance, for example, the corrosion resistance of stainless steel plates.
The core structure of ASTM material specifications
ASTM material specifications are an important part of material standards, which provide a systematic framework to ensure the reliability of materials in various applications.
Material types: such as cast steel classification WCB (carbon cast steel) and WCC (alloy cast steel), forged steel classification A105 (carbon steel forgings) and A182 (alloy steel forgings)
Product form: covers different processing forms such as forgings, castings, plates, pipes, etc.
Performance parameters: including tensile strength, temperature resistance grade, chemical composition, etc.
Application scenarios: ASTM A216 is suitable for high-temperature valve castings, ASTM A480 is suitable for corrosion-resistant steel plates
ASTM’s Collaborative Relationship with Other Standards
ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) is the world’s leading material standards-setting organization and maintains close cooperative relations with other organizations. The cooperation between ASTM and ASME in the field of pressure vessel materials is particularly significant, and a large number of ASTM standards (such as A216 and A182) are cited. By establishing close cooperative relations with international standards organizations such as ASME, ASTM has achieved the mutual exchange and sharing of technical knowledge and provided more comprehensive and reliable standard resources for the global industry.
