ASTM International develops and publishes voluntary consensus standards that establish methods for testing, evaluating and specifying materials, products, systems and services. Founded in 1898 as the American Society for Testing and Materials, the organisation operates a broader information and services business serving standards users, with an emphasis on public health and safety, consumer confidence, environmental protection and product quality.
Standards work is carried out by more than 30,000 volunteer members drawn from 150 countries and organised into nearly 150 technical committees. The membership spans manufacturers, laboratories, engineers, regulators, researchers and educators, and the standards produced are applied across industries including construction, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, petroleum and metals.
Alongside standards development, the company builds and operates a suite of digital products. ASTM Compass provides access to technical information and workflow tools for applying standards; the ASTM Digital Library holds technical publications and standards-related content; and SpecBuilder offers document and collaboration tools for building specifications. Further services cover laboratory proficiency testing, reference materials, training and certification, market intelligence and emerging-technology research.
Technical domains of relevance to engineers include standards development, materials testing and evaluation, product and system specification, laboratory proficiency testing, reference materials, certification and training, market intelligence, emerging-technology research, and document collaboration and workflow tools.
