Aluminum is known for being a lightweight and mallaeble metal. This material is used for many areas such as everyday cans and foil and even airplanes. Various aluminum alloys are produced to improve strength and other properties for particular applications. These standards cover specifics regarding aluminum in its many forms.
Laboratory Equipment Standards cover the procedures, applicability, settings, data analysis, and other considerations revolving around laboratory equipment. Meta analysis such as comparing different equipment and procedures, quality management is also included. A focus on biological testing covers a range of medical testing and research.
Nanotechnology standards focus primarily on the characteristics and measurements of nanomaterials and nanostructures. Starting with unifying vocabulary and moving on to more specific considerations such as single- and multi-wall carbon nanotubes, exposure testing, risk management, and workforce training. Nanotechnology is a field of technology that is constantly undergoing change and advancements, and these standards are applicable to a variety of topics related to the field as it constantly evolves.
Particle Testing Standards are employed by a wide range of industries, for many applications, and in reference to a great variety of materials. Many materials are powders or composed of individual particles and testing them for composition, quality, and other characteristics is key to their reliable use. Testing particles also allows an examiner to see the composition and quality of a larger object, sometimes without damaging the object itself.
Additive manufacturing standards cover the full life cycle for printing an additively manufactured part, from 3 dimensional design input data through the selection of precursor materials; quality control during the printing process; post-processing; evaluating finished material properties; testing, qualification, and certification; and maintenance and repair. Materials used in additive manufacturing include metals, polymers, and ceramics and there are several different technologies and processes used to produce parts. Sectors actively using the technology include aerospace, defense, medical, electronics, and construction. Some standards developing organizations specialize in specific aspects. A sampling of available standards is provided below. Full search capabilities are available via the webstore. The America Makes and ANSI Additive Manufacturing Standardization Collaborative (AMSC) is a coordinating body that has published a roadmap (available as a free download) identifying published and needed standards to grow the additive manufacturing industry.
Material Testing Standards provide a unified reference for test methods, equipment, and industry-specific usage scenarios and specifications for a wide array of materials and test environments. Ranging from medical devices that are implanted within a patient's body, to key mechanical components relied upon by planes and automobiles, these standards provide vital information and instructions on how to attain it for many different industries.
Industrial automation standards are to industrial automation what industrial automation is to everything else – they make it all work smoothly and efficiently. With standards developed by ISO, IEC, and ISA, the sum total of standardization efforts in the field is immense. Providing specifications for everything from the foundational network communications profiles all the way through to the tools physically interacting with the products, standards guide the industry, promoting interoperability between vendors and devices, in turn contributing to reliability and efficiency, effectively bringing down costs.
Preventive Maintenance is the planned maintenance of plant infrastructure and equipment with the goal of improving equipment life by preventing excess depreciation and impairment. This maintenance includes, but is not limited to, adjustments, cleaning, lubrication, repairs, and replacements. Due to the varying nature of each plant, it is extremely difficult to establish a successful preventive maintenance program without the proper guidelines and instructions.
Conveyors and continuous material handling systems are a key part of the automation that builds the foundation of any large scale manufacturing operation and, through that, the foundation to the global economy. With such a load to bear and carry smoothly, standardization becomes an important part in promoting dependability and reliability within a manufacturer’s product line, as well as interoperability between different products and manufacturers.
Machine Tool Standards guide the design and construction, as well as the use of machine tools, addressing test methods and code, safety requirements, standardized terminology and measurement systems that lie underneath everything else. Through ISO, the benefits of an obvious focus on reliability and dependability spread far, taking along with them interoperability that improves efficiency and promotes trade. Other standards developing organizations, such as SAE, focus on the use of machine tools for applications specific to their industry.
Agricultural Machinery Standards cover the internal mechanical workings, safety considerations and requirements, electronics, controls, and more for a variety of agricultural machines. As with most industries, safety is a key concern for both manufacturers and end-users, influencing everything from the initial design process to consumer usage and maintenance/repair lifecycle. Sprayers and soil working/mowing machines are featured prominently, and standards for other machinery and their components are included as well.
Forestry requires many necessary tools and skills to maintain and utilize woodlands. This category goes into specific standards for tools and machinery used in forestry.
Plastics manufacturing standards cover aspects of product specification and manufacturing practices to ensure safety and quality. These specifications include requirements for tensile properties, density, flow rate, and chemical specifications for the machines and plastics themselves. In addition, many other documents address proper safety and handling of the molding machines and heating apparatuses to protect the workers who manufacture plastics. Due to the wide application of plastic material across a multitude of industries, many of the standards are generalized with a few pertaining to certain industry applications such as plumbing.
Bicycle manufacturing standards cover a variety of products related to the construction of bikes and bike-related accessories. Various specifications for parts of bicycles are also included, such as the Standard Specification for Bicycle Grips, chainwheels, and cranks. In addition, other documents address various categories of bicycles such as road bikes, electrically-powered bikes, tricycles, scooters, and much more. The ISO 4210 series address proper bicycle safety.
Leather manufacturing standards cover the chemicals and processes used to manufactured tanned leather and leather products. In addition, many specifications of the physical properties of leather are addressed in the ISO 17076 series, and others go over topics including stitch tear strength, determination of chemical content including chromium, ethoxylated alkylphenols, and abrasion resistance.
Soap, detergent, and cleaning solutions standards are published primarily by ASTM. The topics compiled here cover many facets of creating cleaners for many different applications, including soaps, laundry detergent, and industrial cleaners. Topics include manufacturing safety and potential hazards related to certain chemicals, ingredients, and content.
Glue and standards about other adhesives are published primarily by ASTM, but many SDOs provide some kind of related standard. The topics compiled here cover many facets of creating glues, epoxy, resins, and adhesives for many different applications. Topics include animal glues, performance tests, chemical guidelines, and standard definitions.
As the voice of the U.S. standards and conformity assessment system, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) empowers its members and constituents to strengthen the U.S. marketplace position in the global economy while helping to assure the safety and health of consumers and the protection of the environment.