ASTM E2935-17

4.1 Laboratories conducting routine testing have a continuing need to make improvements in their testing processes. In these situations it must be demonstrated that any changes will neither cause an undesirable shift in the test results from the current testing process nor substantially affect a 4.1.1 The equivalence limit, which represents a worst-case difference or ratio, is determined prior to the equivalence test and its value is usually set by consensus among subject-matter experts.

4.1.2 Examples of modifications to the testing process include, but are not limited, to the following:

4.1.3 Examples of performance characteristics directly applicable to the test method include bias, precision, sensitivity, specificity, linearity, and range. Additional characteristics are test cost and elapsed time needed to conduct the test procedure.

4.2 Equivalence testing is performed by a designed experiment that generates test results from the modified and current testing procedures on the same types of materials that are routinely tested. The design of the experiment depends on the type of equivalence needed as discussed below. Experiment design and execution for various objectives is discussed in Section 5.

4.3 Risk Management—Guidance is provided for determining the amount of data required to control the risks of making the wrong decision in accepting or rejecting equivalence (see 5.4 and Section X1.2).

1.1 This practice provides statistical methodology for conducting equivalence testing on numerical data from two sources to determine if their true means or variances differ by no more than predetermined limits.

1.2 Applications include (1) equivalence testing for bias against an accepted reference value, (2) determining means equivalence of two test methods, test apparatus, instruments, reagent sources, or operators within a laboratory or equivalence of two laboratories in a method transfer, and (3) determining non-inferiority of a modified test procedure versus a current test procedure with respect to a performance characteristic.

1.3 The guidance in this standard applies to experiments conducted on a single material at a given level of the test result or on multiple materials covering a range of selected test results.

1.4 Guidance is given for determining the amount of data required for an equivalence trial. The control of risks associated with the equivalence decision is discussed.

1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.

1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.7 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.