The American Society for Testing Materials

  The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) was formerly known as the International Association for Testing Materials (IATM). In the 1880s, in order to resolve disagreements between buyers and suppliers in the process of purchasing industrial materials, a proposal was made to establish a technical committee system, where representatives from various sectors would participate in technical seminars to discuss and resolve disputes regarding material specifications and testing procedures. The first meeting of IATM was held in Europe in 1882, where a working committee was formed.

  ASTM is one of the oldest and largest non-profit standard-setting academic organizations in the United States. After a century of development, ASTM now has 33,669 members, of which 22,396 are main committee members who serve as technical experts in various committees. The technical committees of ASTM have a total of 2,004 technical subcommittees. 105,817 organizations have participated in the development of ASTM standards, with the main task being to establish standards for the characteristics and performance of materials, products, systems, and services, as well as standards for testing methods and procedures, and to promote the development and dissemination of relevant knowledge.