Can you talk about instances in which MSEL researchers are participating in the development of ASTM International standards?
Yes, I’ll give you three examples. MSEL researchers are very active in Committee E28 on Mechanical Testing, especially in the areas of impact testing and hardness, and more recently, instrumented indentation testing. In the case of impact testing, NIST also provides an indirect verification program for Charpy impact machines, and in the case of hardness, NIST SRMs for calibrating hardness machines. In both of these cases, the ASTM International standards and supporting NIST measurement services have a huge impact on the metals trade around the world. Other MSEL researchers have contributed significantly to 15 standards on mechanical testing and powder characterization in Committee C28 on Advanced Ceramics. Committees F04 on Medical and Surgical Materials and Devices and F34 on Rolling Element Bearings have incorporated these standards in specifications for ceramic surgical implant materials and silicon nitride ball bearings. In addition, Committee C28 and NIST staff are organizing a wo
