ABSTRACT
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) was formed in 1898 through the efforts of Andrew Carnegie and the chief chemist of the Pennsylvania Railroad, Charles Dudley, who were both convinced that a solution was necessary to the unexplainable differences of testing results that arose between their laboratories. These early efforts were focused upon improving the understanding between seller and buyer of the quality of their products. Although ASTM and other organizations have made considerable progress in eliminating the unexplainable differences in testing results between laboratories, new materials and new applications continue to present new and exciting challenges to the corrosion engineer. These challenges, however, are ones that must be overcome if there is to be honest competition in the world market of materials.
