Inside ICI


Institute Effort to Involve Membership in ASTM Standards Process Reaps Benefits


Investment Casting Institute member foundries have begun reaping the benefits of a new Institute-sponsored effort en- couraging their participation in the writ- ing and/or revision of ASTM standards which affect the investment casting in- dustry.


In support of member foundries and


interests, Len Ceriotti, chief metalliurgist at Wisconsin Preciison Casting, recently represented the Institute at ASTM sub- committee meetings for castings in Phoe- nix, AZ.


Ceriotti noted one of the working groups in which he participated covered reduced sulfur and phosphorus levels in A216, A217 and A494 alloy specifica- tions.


“The reduced sulfur and phosphorus


limits were the area of greatest discus- sion,” Ceriotti said. “The push to lower the sulfur and phosphorous levels in the ASTM specifications is being driven by the stated desire to bring them into closer agreement with European specifications and thus perhaps increase the use of ASTM specifications worldwide. The European specifications have lower lim- its on sulfur and phosphorus,” he added. Ceriotti noted this change has been resisted primarily by the US investment casting community on the grounds that it would drive up costs, increase lead times and have reduced material available for use.


“These arguments were presented over the last year, and numerous negative ballots were submitted during the Febru- ary ballot,” he continued. “The negative ballot responses were reviewed by the Working Group. The ar- gument that was most effective seemed to be the realization that most of the in- dustry uses wrought product (bar stock) for charge makeup for the A216 grades.


4


Limits that are too far below the wrought maximums increase the problem of find- ing suitable material. This argument was found to be persuasive and the changes as proposed were dropped for ASTM A216, A217.”


Ceriotti indicated two compromises


were offered. The first was to make the lower limits a supplemental (i.e. optional) requirement, then only those purchasers requiring the lower limits would have to endure any increased costs that resulted. The second alternative was to limit the reductions to levels that are more easily attained, rather than those originally pro- posed. “This was more acceptable to the committee chairman and sponsor.


The


result is the more tolerable limits (see Ta- ble I). These limits, while tighter in some cases, are not as difficult to meet as those originally proposed.”


TABLE I ASTM A216


Current Limits


Grade P max WCA 0.04 WCB 0.04 WCC 0.04


N/C = No Change ASTM A217


Grade P max WC6 WC9 C5


C12


C12A CA15


0.04 0.04 0.04 0.03


0.040 N/C = No Change September 2012


Current Limits 0.04


S max 0.045 0.045 0.045 0.045 0.010 0.040


S max 0.045 0.045 0.045


Ceriotti noted the specification changes underscore the importance of Institute member companies being in- volved in the standards process.


“The


effort to rally the industry members was successful as it produced a large enough voting opposition to the changes to pre- vent them from being pushed through with undesirable limits.


Many e-mails


were exchanged in the days prior to the meeting to resolve disputed items. The face-to-face exchanges that took place during the meeting, were very effective at promoting a compromise. ASTM International,


formerly


known as the American Society for Test- ing and Materials (ASTM), is a globally recognized leader in the development and delivery of international voluntary consensus standards. Today, some 12,000 ASTM standards are used around the world.


Too Restrictive More Acceptable 2/12 Limits P max 0.030 0.035 N/C


S max P max S max 0.025 0.030 N/C


8/12 Limits 0.035


0.035 0.035


0.035 0.035 0.035


Too Restrictive More Acceptable 2/12 Limits P max 0.030 0.035 0.030 0.020 0.025 0.020


S max P max S max 0.020 0.030 0.025 0.015 N/C


8/12 Limits 0.035


0.035 N/C


0.010


0.035 0.025 N/C


0.035 0.035 N/C


0.035 N/C


0.025


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32