WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. (March 16, 2009)—ASTM International has approved a new standard that provides a way for engineers to represent adhesives on a computer-aided design drawing.
The standard—ASTM D7447, Practice for Symbolizing Adhesive Applications—was the result of a collaboration between ASTM and the Adhesive and Sealant Council.
The ASC first approached ASTM in 2006 with the idea of creating a new standard in tandem with the symbol, according to ASC President Lawrence Sloan.
He said the symbol originated with a focus group that ASC conducted with engineers, designers and architects to learn about their perceptions of adhesives. The group indicated that they would be more apt to specify adhesives if they could be represented on a CAD drawing, rather than the traditional method of putting comments in a “notes” section.
ASC also has developed an electronic file based on ASTM D7447 that includes a series of fields where the designer can put in information such as adhesive chemistry type and physical form, surface preparation and curing information.