Standardization News

ASTM International Signs Drone Standard MOU with GUTMA

On Nov. 26, 2019, the Global Unmanned Traffic Management Association (GUTMA) and ASTM International signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at helping air traffic managers leverage standards to integrate drones into airspace systems worldwide.

“We’re thrilled to be working more closely with GUTMA staff and members,” said Brian Meincke, ASTM International vice president of finance, business development, and innovation. “Their perspective at the standards development table and in other interactions will help ensure a strong technical foundation for new UAS technologies and innovations emerging in the aerospace industry.”

An important aspect of unmanned traffic management (UTM) systems is Remote ID, which is a way for traffic managers or law-enforcement bodies to identify a particular drone by using an assigned identification, similar to the role of a license plate on a motor vehicle. 

“Remote ID is paramount for the continued integration of drones, and we believe that the ASTM International Remote ID standard will promote growth while maximizing the safety of our airspace and the communities with which we will interact,” said Reinaldo Negron, co-President of GUTMA. “Working with standard bodies like ASTM International on UTM interoperability supports the Global UTM Association goal of global harmonization. We’re excited to see so many GUTMA members participating in the current standard development process, and we want to ensure our membership has access to and a voice in these global standards going forward.”

The MOU will help increase the ability of both organizations to support Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management stakeholders. Specifically, the agreement aims to:

• Enhance their understanding of international standards;
• Increase their knowledge and participation in the development of international standards and the technical documents that are most influential to international trade; and 
• Help meet their technical needs by offering access to ASTM International standards.

The MOU supports GUTMA members’ direct participation in ASTM International technical committees that develop drone-related standards. Meanwhile, ASTM International staff and members will more closely link with GUTMA working groups, committees, and networks, helping to meet emerging needs in areas such as standards-based training.

QCC Construction Materials Lab Hosts ASTM International UAE Chapter

The Construction Materials Laboratory of the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (QCC) welcomed representatives from the ASTM International United Arab Emirates Chapter on Nov. 12, 2019.

During the visit, the attendees learned about the laboratory services in testing materials used for construction and engineering projects in Abu Dhabi.  

Chapter members visited the various sections of the laboratory, which uses the latest equipment to provide world-standard technical and consulting services for building and soil materials, mechanical tests for hardness, physical tests on granular soil classifications, and transformer oil tests, among others.

Additive Manufacturing Experts Attend ASTM International Symposium

Over 300 experts and leaders from more than 20 countries attended ASTM International’s 4th Symposium on Structural Integrity of Additive Manufactured Materials and Parts, held Oct. 7-10, 2019, in the Washington, D.C., area. The event was supported by the ASTM International Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AMCOE) and other organizations.  

Representatives from industry, academia, and government agencies attended the event, which focused on the need to establish feedstock-process-structure-property-performance relationships in additively manufactured parts. Topics included the need for industry standards, the importance of design principles, and challenges related to standardization, qualification, and certification.

“The interest in additive manufacturing standardization and related areas was emphasized strongly at the symposium,” said Mohsen Seifi, Ph.D., ASTM International’s director of global additive manufacturing programs and symposium co-chair. “The program was robust, with 130 presenters talking about the most recent advancements in the field as well as challenges we need to overcome in the next five years.”  

New awards were launched as part of the symposium, including the ASTM International Additive Manufacturing Award of Excellence in Research, presented to Stefano Beretta, Ph.D., Polytechnic of Milan, Italy, and the ASTM International Additive Manufacturing Award of Excellence in Standardization, presented to Charles Park of Boeing. 

“We are pleased to introduce these new awards and honor trailblazers in this fast-growing field,” said Daniel Smith, ASTM International’s vice president of technical committee operations, who presented the two awards.  

In addition, 25 students participated in a student paper competition. Two tied for first place: Yu-Chung Chang of Washington State University (3D Printable Coffee/PLA Polymer Composite with Enhanced Impact Toughness), and Jonathan Pegues of Auburn University (Additive Manufacturing of Fatigue Resistant Materials: Avoiding the Early Life Crack Initiation). Second place went to Cambre Kelly of Duke University, while a third-place tie resulted between Dalia Mahmoud of McCaster University and Zoe Jardon of Vrije University Brussels. 

“We intend to build on this momentum in everything we do, including research projects underway, standardization efforts, and next year’s conference, which will have an expanded scope,” said symposium co-chair, professor Nima Shamsaei, Ph.D., director of Auburn University’s National Center for Additive Manufacturing Excellence, a partner in the AMCOE. 

According to the co-chairs, the strong, positive feedback from the symposium will result in an expansion of the event next year, to be named the International Conference on Additive Manufacturing, with a wider scope in standardization, qualification, and certification. ASTM International committees, stakeholders, partners, and experts from around the world will be invited. Organizers plan to include additional pillars of industry 4.0 in the conference agenda.

Mexico City and ASTM International Sign Memorandum of Cooperation on Amusement Rides Standards

In November 2019, Mexico City and ASTM International signed a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) that is focused on ASTM standards maintained by the organization’s committee on amusement rides and devices (F24). 

The MOC was signed by Katharine Morgan, ASTM International president, and Carlos Sainz Luna, Mexico City’s undersecretary for the Office of Integral Risk Management and Civil Protection. Paulina Reyes, vice president and executive director of Latin America for IAAPA, the global association for the attractions industry, witnessed and supported the signing. Reyes noted that IAAPA brought technical experts together with the Mexico City government to work on amusement ride safety and related legislation that could reference ASTM International standards.

Morgan said, “ASTM International is excited to partner with Mexico City through this memorandum of cooperation. The work of the 1,000 members of ASTM International’s amusement rides and devices committee is globally recognized. Sharing technical expertise and encouraging Mexican participation in standards development will help encourage safety and innovation in this exciting industry.”

“This great collaboration supports the people of Mexico City and the amusement rides and devices sector,” says Miryam Urzúa, secretary with Mexico City’s Office of Integral Risk Management and Civil Protection. “It will enhance and promote safety and continue economic growth in the industry.”

The agreement states that it will promote knowledge of existing ASTM standards and standards development activities for amusement rides. The MOC will also encourage greater input from Mexico through participation in the committee. And, it will support acceptance and use ASTM amusement rides and devices standards.

In recent years, Mexico City officials have become increasingly interested in standards from this industry. These include: 

• Practice for ownership, operation, maintenance, and inspection of amusement rides and devices (F770),
•  Practice for auditing amusement rides and devices (F2974), and
•  Terminology relating to amusement rides and devices (F747).

TÜV°SÜD and ASTM International Launch Partnership in Additive Manufacturing

On Nov. 20, 2019,  TÜV°SÜD, a German testing and certification organization, and ASTM International signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop programs aimed at speeding adoption of and trust in additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. This strategic partnership supports knowledge sharing and the growing use of additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) technologies across many industry sectors.

“To unleash the full potential of AM, we need a smart global ecosystem of research, standardization, education, testing, and certification,” said Mohsen Seifi, Ph.D., director of global additive manufacturing programs at ASTM International. “We are pleased to sign this MOU, which aligns two globally recognized organizations’ complementary strengths and will help create a robust technical foundation for AM innovation across many industries.”

“TÜV°SÜD is excited to be bringing its world-renowned expertise in regulatory and non-regulatory testing and certification to this important partnership,” said Holger Lindner, CEO of TÜV°SÜD’s Product Service Division. “We look forward to supporting the growth and adoption of AM technologies by implementing market-relevant standards with robust certification programs while also preparing to meet the future needs of the AM industry.”

Gregor Reischle, head of additive manufacturing at TÜV°SÜD, said, “I am very much looking forward to bringing our extensive customer experience in the field of AM into the standardization processes and to enriching the partnership.”

The MOU was signed at Formnext 2019, a major annual AM conference and exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany, that showcases the latest developments and trends in AM. The partnership will include joint development of new educational, advisory, qualification, and certification services in several areas:

• Land transportation and mobility;
• Air transportation;
• Industrial plants;
• Consumer products; and
• Health care.

“This new technology is changing production globally and turning traditional business models upside down,” said Ken Walsh, principal commercial officer of the U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Consulate in Düsseldorf, Germany. “It is therefore important that world-renowned AM organizations based both here and in the U.S. develop these new technologies in close cooperation.” The U.S. Commercial Service provided a space for the event, but the U.S. government is not part of the MOU.

This partnership involves the ASTM International Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence and its efforts to develop joint programs in certification, education, and workforce development.

Along with his staff, Constant Boka (back row, second from left), director general of memorandum of understanding partner Côte d’Ivoire Normalisation, welcomed ASTM International in Cote d’Ivoire on Nov. 19, 2019. Alyson Fick (front row, third from left), staff manager for the committee on petroleum, liquid fuels, and lubricants (D02), gave a presentation about ASTM’s online tools. During the visit, D02 member Andy Pickard (front row, left), Ph.D., conducted petroleum training for experts from Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, and Cote d’Ivoire.

ASTM International signed a memorandum of understanding with the Arab Industrial Department and Mining Organization (AIDMO) in November 2019. Nick Ecart (left), ASTM director of international sales for Europe, Middle East, and Africa is seen here with Adel Saqer Alsaqer, AIDMO’s director general. 

ASTM International, with APCO Worldwide, joined several staff at the Indonesian Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing to share information on the use of ASTM International standards and Indonesian National Standards (SNI) based on ASTM standards. Additional discussions included priorities, trends, and challenges in the construction and infrastructure sectors.

In October 2019, Teresa Cendrowska, vice president of global cooperation, presented a keynote address at the KMR (Korea Management Registrar) Global Standard Management Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony. Over 300 Korean industry executives and managers attended. In her address, she discussed how standards support “future ready” companies. She also presented the speech to the Korea Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering.

On Nov. 4, 2019, James Olshefsky (left), ASTM director of external relations, and Jeff Grove (right), vice president of global policy and communications, met with Timur Nurashev, director of technical regulation and accreditation for the Eurasian Economic Commission. They discussed the recent memorandum of understanding signed by both organizations and next steps. 

Participants in the 2019 Standards Expert and Technical Visitor Grant Programs were at ASTM International headquarters in December 2019. During their visit, the experts also traveled to Washington, D.C., for meetings with representatives of standards-related public and private organizations, and attended meetings of the committee on petroleum products, liquid fuels, and lubricants (D02) in New Orleans, Louisiana.

From left: Ricardo Villalva, a chemical engineer from Petroecuador EP; Paul Ameh, a Ph.D. holder in industrial chemistry from the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON); Elton Patram, head of the standardization department at the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS); and Jeon Seol, standards assistant director in the Standard Policy Division of the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards.