Standardization News

A proposed ASTM standard will help test low-alloy steel used in transportation, infrastructure, defense and other applications. Manufacturers, regulators and laboratories are invited to participate in the development of the standard (WK49476, Test Method for Low-Alloy Steel by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry Analysis).

According to ASTM member Hengyao Dang, an engineer at the Luoyang Ship Material Research Institute in Luoyang, China, the standard will provide a rapid analysis method for chemical elements of low-alloy steel. The analysis will provide a basis for quality control of low-alloy steel material and its production process. The test method describes an accurate test with simplified steps that will be easy to use in laboratories.

"The proposed standard will greatly improve the efficiency for analyzing low-alloy steel and will shorten the delivery cycle for products," says Dang.

In addition to participation in the development of this work item, the subcommittee (E01.01 on Iron, Steel and Ferroalloys) is seeking laboratories to participate in an ongoing interlaboratory study program to determine precision and bias.

CONTACT Technical Information: Hengyao Dang, Luoyang Ship Material Research Institute • Luoyang, China • tel +86.379.672.567.26 | ASTM Staff: Thomas O'Toole • tel +1.610.832.9739 | Upcoming Meeting: Nov. 15-18 • November Committee Week • Tampa, Fla.