# ASTM International > standards organization **Wikidata**: [Q621977](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q621977) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASTM_International) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/astm-international ## Summary ASTM International is a standards organization and learned society that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards. Founded in the United States in 1898, the organization is headquartered in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. It creates required norms and specifications for a wide variety of materials, products, systems, and services. ## Key Facts - ASTM International was founded in 1898, with other significant inception dates recorded in 1902 and 1961. - The organization is headquartered in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, United States. - It is officially classified as a standards organization, a learned society, a company, and a business. - ASTM International develops technical standards, which are required norms established to ensure consistency. - Previous aliases for the organization include the American Society for Testing of Materials, American Society for Testing and Materials, American Society of Testing Materials, and A.S.T.M. - Its official websites are https://www.astm.org and http://astm.org. - The organization is associated with the unified numbering system, an alloy designation system widely accepted in North America. - American chemist and engineer Thomas Midgley (1889–1944) is a notable figure associated with the organization. - Specific standards published by the organization include ASTM A490 (standards for heavy hex structural bolts made from alloy steel) and ASTM A404 (a standard withdrawn with no replacement). ## FAQs **Where is ASTM International located?** ASTM International is located in the United States, with its headquarters based in the borough of West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. **What kind of organization is ASTM International?** ASTM International operates simultaneously as a standards organization and a learned society. Functioning as a business entity, it develops technical standards to promote consistency across academic disciplines and commercial industries. **What is the unified numbering system?** The unified numbering system is an alloy designation system widely accepted in North America. It is directly associated with ASTM International. **Who was Thomas Midgley?** Thomas Midgley was an American chemist and engineer (1889–1944) who is connected to ASTM International. He was a citizen of the United States. **What are some examples of ASTM standards?** ASTM International develops specific technical standards, such as ASTM A490, which dictates specifications for heavy hex structural bolts made from alloy steel. Another example is ASTM A404 (specifically the ASTM A404-68 edition), which is a standard that was withdrawn and never replaced. ## Why It Matters ASTM International plays a vital role in global industry, commerce, and higher education by establishing the required norms for a vast array of materials and systems. By functioning as a learned society and a standards organization, it bridges the gap between academic disciplines and commercial business, ensuring that technical standards are rigorously developed and universally understood. Its work solves the critical problem of inconsistency in manufacturing and engineering, directly impacting the safety and reliability of structures and materials—such as alloy steel structural bolts—worldwide. ## Notable For - Operating as a globally recognized standards organization and learned society. - Administering the unified numbering system, which is the widely accepted alloy designation system across North America. - Developing highly specific industrial standards, such as ASTM A490 for heavy hex structural bolts made from alloy steel. - Maintaining a long organizational history dating back to its inception in 1898. - Evolving its official identity over time, having previously been known as the American Society for Testing of Materials and the American Society for Testing and Materials. ## Body ### Location and Origin ASTM International is based in the United States. Its exact headquarters is located in West Conshohocken, a borough founded in 1874 that resides within Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania itself was founded on December 12, 1787, and is a prominent state within the U.S. ### Organizational History The organization has a distinct historical timeline marked by several key dates. It was originally founded in 1898, with subsequent major milestones occurring in 1902 and 1961. Over the course of its history, the organization has been known by several different names and aliases, including American Society for Testing of Materials, American Society of Testing Materials, American Society for Testing and Materials, and the abbreviation A.S.T.M. or ASTM. ### Organizational Classification ASTM International is legally and functionally classified as a company and a business. Professionally, it acts as both a standards organization and a learned society. This means its primary objective is to promote academic disciplines, professions, and higher education by developing technical standards. ### Technical Standards The core output of ASTM International is the creation of technical standards, which are established norms designed to make processes and products consistent. * **Unified Numbering System:** The organization is directly tied to the unified numbering system, a vital alloy designation system utilized widely across North America. * **ASTM A490:** This is an active standard governing the specifications for heavy hex structural bolts made from alloy steel. * **ASTM A404:** This is an example of a historical standard (ASTM A404-68) that has been officially withdrawn without a replacement. ### Notable People The organization's network includes notable historical figures such as Thomas Midgley. Midgley was an American chemist and engineer (1889–1944) who was a citizen of the United States. ## References 1. GRID 2. [Source](https://www.lobbyfacts.eu/datacard/astm-international?rid=230188543973-53) 3. archINFORM 4. BnF authorities 5. [Source](https://orcid.org/members/001G000001LPM5dIAH-astm-international) 6. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 7. Czech National Authority Database 8. Virtual International Authority File 9. Google Knowledge Graph 10. [Source](http://km.aifb.kit.edu/services/crunchbase/) 11. GRID Release 2015-12-14 12. GRID Release 2016-12-06 13. [Source](https://www.astm.org/ABOUT/history_book.html) 14. EU Transparency Register 15. Quora 16. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions 17. YouTube API 18. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiarch.php) 19. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph 20. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File 21. [Internet Domains Wikibase](https://domains.wikibase.cloud/entity/Q119764)