Astm Test

The ASTM or American Society for Testing of Materials began as an organization dedicated to assuring the quality of steel used in making rails for the booming railroad industry in the late 19th century. An ASTM test was established to ensure that all of the steel manufacturers produced steel using the exact same formula. This was the only way to make sure that the rails did not crack or break under the loads of continuous use. While at first many of the foundries objected to this and felt that their products were the best, they were forced to make a choice between adhering to the new standards or losing the contracts. It was soon found that by submitting their steel to the new ASTM test that the number of accidents that occurred due to poor quality steel dropped significantly. Before long this new standard was adopted by every foundry in the country. While the steel industry was the first industry to be affected by this new ASTM test it was by no means the last. In a young industrialized nation such as America was there were plenty more opportunities to expand this testing process.

Along with the boom in the railroads came an increase in building new towns and cities. These buildings required cement to construct them and much like the steel foundries there were many opinions as to which mix was the best one. By taking the time to develop an ASTM test that could be applied to all of the different mixes of cement it was possible to establish a set of standards for mixing cement. Not only did this make it easier to ensure that all cement was created equally, but it made it easier for the contractor to order the particular mix that was needed for the job he was working on. For each different type of work a different mix is needed depending on a number of factors. An ASTM test process was developed whereby the cement mixes could be tested according to the amount of stress it would be subjected to in its lifetime. Tests would also be done to see what the effects of temperature and water would have on how well it cured. These important statistics led to a revolution in the cement industry and how well buildings lasted. Many of these standards are still in use today.

The glass industry also suffered from the same issues, as glass became more popular not only as windows but as an integral part of the construction of the building itself. As architects started to create entire walls of glass in an effort to create new and unique building designs the strength of the glass had to change. By using an ASTM test it was possible to test the glass for structural integrity before it was put into place in the structure of the building. Today glass is used in dozens of locations beyond the window, but no matter where it is used it must still be subjected to an ASTM test to ensure that it is the right glass for the application. When it comes to this type of testing QED Lab is one of the foremost testing companies in North America. With the ability to test any form of fenestration product both in their own independent laboratories and in the field they will leave the customer in no doubt as the suitability of the product for the application.