4.1 This practice provides a means whereby the parties to a transaction can resolve potential quality disputes over those product properties which can be tested and expressed numerically.

4.2 This practice can assist in the determination of tolerances from specification limits which will ensure that the true value of a property is sufficiently close to the specification value with a mutually agreed probability so that the product is acceptable to the receiver. Such tolerances are bounded by an acceptance limit (AL) . If the ATV value determined by applying this practice falls on the AL or on the acceptable side of the AL , the product can be accepted; otherwise it shall be deemed to have failed the product acceptance requirement established by applying this practice.

4.3 Application of this practice requires the AL be determined prior to actual commencement of testing. Therefore, the degree of criticality of the specification, as determined by the Probability of Acceptance (P value) that is required to calculate the AL , shall have been mutually agreed upon between both parties prior to execution of actual product testing.

4.4 This practice is designed to be suitable for reference in contracts governing the transfer of petroleum products and lubricants from a supplier to a receiver.

4.5 As a prerequisite for acceptance for lab test results to be used in this practice, the following conditions shall be satisfied:

4.6 It is recommended that this practice be conducted under the guidance of a qualified statistician.

1.1 This practice covers guidelines and statistical methodologies with which two parties, usually a supplier and a receiver, can compare and combine independently obtained test results to obtain an Assigned Test Value ( ATV ) for the purpose of resolving a product quality dispute.

1.2 This practice defines a technique for comparing an ATV with a specification limit.

1.3 This practice applies only to those test methods which specifically state that the repeatability and reproducibility values conform to the definitions herein.

1.4 The statistical principles and methodology outlined in this practice can also be used to obtain an ATV for specification conformance decision when multiple results are obtained for the same batch of product within a single laboratory. For this application, site precision (R') as defined in Practice D6299 shall be used in lieu of test method published reproducibility (R).