Standardization News

Memorandums of Understanding: Four Signed

ASTM International has signed four new memorandums of understanding with national standards bodies, bringing the total number of such ASTM partnerships to 105.

• Armenia
  Armenia National Institute of Standards (SARM)
  Yenok Azaryan, director
• Côte d’Ivoire
  Côte d’Ivoire Normalisation (CODINORM)
  Joseph-Désiré Biley, president
• Senegal
  Association Sénégalaise de Normalisation (ASN)
  Barama Sarr, director
• Ukraine
  Ukrainian Scientific-Research and Training Center of Issues of Standardization, Certification and Quality (DSTU)
  Anna Lisina, director general

The MOU program was launched in 2001 to promote communication between ASTM International and national standards bodies worldwide, fostering awareness of the standardization systems of all parties involved.

ASTM and SpaceTEC Partner on Aviation Worker Certification

ASTM International and SpaceTEC Partners Inc. will jointly work to help certify aircraft maintenance technicians and other aerospace workers through a new memorandum of understanding. The MOU was signed at ASTM International’s global headquarters by SPI’s executive director, Steve Kane, and ASTM International President Katharine Morgan.

“The need for high quality standards that help train workers in this dynamic global industry is clear,” said Morgan. “This is a smart partnership that will help address this pressing societal need.” Two years ago, ASTM International launched a committee on aerospace personnel (F46) to develop such standards. This effort grew out of its affiliation with the National Center for Aerospace and Transportation Technologies.

Moving forward, SpaceTEC Partners Inc. will administer NCATT certification, and ASTM International members will develop related standards in the committee. These two organizations partnering provides a stronger framework to ensure the continued success and growth of the programs.

“As the global aviation industry grows and innovates in coming years, its workers must be equipped with the knowledge and skills they need,” said Kane. “We’re thrilled to be working with the top global standards organization in this field to help realize that vision.”

SpaceTEC administers performance-based certifications for civilian and military aerospace technicians.  Its Certified Aerospace Technician certification is endorsed by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s  Office of Commercial Space Transportation.

The ASTM aerospace personnel committee develops and maintains internationally accepted standards and guidance materials for aerospace personnel education, qualification, testing, certification requirements, and
continued education.

MOUs Signed with Cannabis Organizations

At the ASTM June committee week, from left, are: Ralph Paroli, Ph.D., National Research Council of Canada and cannabis committee chair; Lezli Engelking, founder and president, Foundation of Cannabis Unified Standards; and Christine DeJong, ASTM director of business development.

ASTM International has signed memorandums of understanding with two cannabis organizations to address standardization needs for the industry. Both signings happened in advance of the first meeting of ASTM International’s new cannabis committee (D37), on June 11-12 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

On June 8, ASTM International and the American Herbal Products Association signed an MOU. An MOU was also signed by ASTM International and the Foundation of Cannabis Unified Standards a few
days later.

Under the agreement with AHPA, ASTM International will coordinate standards development activities for the cannabis industry, while AHPA will gain benefits such as recognition of its technical contributions and regulatory recommendations. The committee’s standards will note when AHPA contributed technical expertise or content from one of its “Recommendations for Regulators.”

Under the MOU with FOCUS, ASTM International will coordinate standards development activities allowing FOCUS to shift resources toward other services. The committee’s standards will note when FOCUS has contributed technical expertise or content from one of its preexisting standards.

Snapshots

ASTM International’s visiting standards experts Juan Escobar, Servicio Ecuatoriano de Normalización, and Karma Tshetrim, Bhutan Standards Bureau, visited Buzzi Unicem cement company on June 6. ASTM International staff manager Scott Orthey and cement committee (C01) members William Fink and Mike Hammer led the tour.

ASTM International President Katharine Morgan (third from right) with ASTM staff and memorandum of understanding partners from Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and El Salvador at the May 1 meeting of the Pan American Standards Commission (COPANT) in Vancouver, British Columbia.

ASTM International and the Kuwait Cement Co. held the Third Cement Conference and Workshop in Kuwait May 2-3. Pictured, from left, are: Timothy Brooke, ASTM vice president of laboratory services; Eng. Awatef S. Al-Ghunaim, undersecretary, Kuwait Ministry of Public Works; Ali H. Al-Kandari, marketing and sales manager, Kuwait Cement Co.; Majdi Almowakee, head of client relation section, Kuwait Cement Co.; Khadija Z. Al-Mutairi, head of construction materials, Construction Management Labs, Government Center for Testing and Quality Control and Research, Kuwait Ministry of Public Works; and Yousef Mostafa Abdullah, assistant undersecretary for media services and new media sector, Kuwait Ministry of Information.

ASTM International’s staff leaders in additive manufacturing attended the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining Summit in May. They discussed the importance of creating a “road map” that connects R&D and projects to standardization needs at the initial stages.  Pictured left to right: Brian Meincke, ASTM International’s assistant vice president of business development; Rob Gorham, executive director, America Makes; Pat Picariello, ASTM International’s director of standards development; Ed Morris, former director, America Makes; and Mohsen Seifi, ASTM’s director of additive manufacturing. Staff also met with Tracy Frost who leads the U.S. Department of Defense Manufacturing USA institutes/partnerships.

Members of the ASTM International committee on amusement rides and devices (F24) met with nearly 30 key stakeholders from Latin America in Buenos Aires, Argentina. From left: Franceen Gonzales, Whitewater West; Jim Seay, Premier Rides; Greg Hale, Walt Disney Co.; Guillermo Zucal, Argentine Institute for Standardization and Certification; Martin Pagura, International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, Latin America safety subcommittee member; and John Riggleman, Universal Studios.

As part of its local community outreach, ASTM International continued its support of area fire companies with donations to the George Clay Fire Co. in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. George Clay used the donations to purchase a new battery-powered Jaws of Life and wet suits. Shown with the equipment are Dennis Frankenfield (left), chief of George Clay Fire Co., and Phil Lively, vice president of finance and administration, ASTM International.

ASTM International continues its sponsorship of programs by the Riverbend Environmental Education Center in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania. During the afterschool Nature Club on May 1 at Conshohocken Elementary School, Riverbend instructor Nina Bar-Giora taught second grade students about how animals camouflage themselves for protection. Shown in the photo: Conshohocken Elementary School second graders; Nina Bar-Giora (back row, second from left), Riverbend; and Daniel Bergels (back row, right), ASTM public relations manager.