Archive for the ‘General Standards Questions’ Category

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What does “Noncurrent” mean for AMS Standards?

Thursday, May 2nd, 2013

Here at Document Center, we often are asked very specific questions about standards.  Just yesterday, a client asked me about the AMS 2405.  He wanted to know what “Noncurrent” meant in the title.

“Do you remember the use of the phrase ‘Inactive for New Design’ in Mil Specs and Standards?” I queried.  And of course, because this customer has been doing business with us since the 1980′s, he certainly did.  ”Noncurrent is the SAE equivalent status.”

However there are some subtle differences in the two terms.  A noncurrent standard is not recommended for new design, but still can be used.  A document that is inactive for new design cannot be used for new design.

So the AMS 2405 has not been recommended for new design since 2000, when SAE released the notice of noncurrent status  as AMS 2405 Revision C.  We looked to see if SAE had suggested another standard for new design, but no.   Our closest match was the AMS 2404.

It is not uncommon for standards users not to fully understand the administrative terminology that is used to describe the document by the issuing agency.  If you ever have any questions about the status of a particular document, please get in touch with us.  There are many situations where this type of confusion can negatively impact your business.

You can always use the Document Center webstore at www.document-center.com to place your orders and look up information on the standards you need.  But you can also contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com) with any questions you may have.

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Document Center answers questions on Industry Standards

Friday, April 26th, 2013

Looking for help with the Industry Standards you use in your business?  Every day Document Center answers questions on Industry Standards that help people like you make good purchasing decisions.  And what we notice is that we are one of the very few places you can find a Standards Expert anymore.

I can remember when I first took over Document Center in the 1980′s, it was not unusual to find customers with large standards libraries.  And there might be several people in the organization who were tasked with the oversight of the collection.  A company would have a legacy of standards expertise within the organization.

But the other day, one of my friends in the Dept. of Defense noted that one of the results of Mil Spec reform was a loss of the “institutional memory” of how things should be done in the organization with regards to the use of standards.  And I think this is true in many companies who rely on outsourced standards collection services as well.

Successful use of standards is not only the adherence to an existing list of standards in your collection.  It involves understanding what standards are being released in your area of interest, understanding the changes as new revisions are released, and keeping up with the evolving global regulatory environment.

Document Center provides a broad range of services to make sure you use standards in the best way possible to get the most out of your standards program.  When you contact us, you can ask us questions about government and industry standards and know that we have the expertise to provide you with an answer.

And Document Center has our Standards Audit service which gives you a list of the items you need to avoid simple errors brought about by the use of incomplete or obsolete documents.  We monitor Industry Standards with both our regular Notification service and our Premium StandardsAlert and StandardsExpress services.  These programs notify you when changes to your standards collection occur, so you know how the documents you use are changing.  And we offer a current awareness program StandardsInformer to help you keep up with the emerging developments and documents in your field.

The intelligent use of standards is more than just having documents available to your staff.  Document Center is here to answer your questions about standards and to make sure that the benefits of standardization are maximized within your company.

Search for standards and more at our webstore, www.document-center.com.  Or contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  We’re the go-to location for questions on standards!

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What is the “Expiration Date” for EN Harmonized Standards?

Thursday, April 4th, 2013

Here at Document Center Inc., customers often call and email us with a wide variety of questions about standards.  Educating the standards-using community is part of our mission and one we’re happy to provide.

Yesterday’s Question?  ”When I see an expiration date on the list of harmonized standards for a European Directive, does it mean the document isn’t valid to use anymore?”

The list from the EU that lists the harmonized standards for a particular Directive can be confusing in this regards.  If you do not read the column headings correctly, you may think that the expiration date applies to the document (including revision level) specified on the chart.

However, this is not the case.  The column is actually the expiration date of the previous revision.  Put another way, it is the date that the standard’s user must transition from the older copy to the edition specified on the chart.

This is helpful because it does take time to review a new edition of a standard, develop the gap analysis to identify areas of your product and process that will be impacted, and put the changes into practice.  The expiration date on the chart will let you know your “drop dead date” when it comes to implementation of the new revision.

Need more information on harmonized standards for a given Directive?  Check out our webpage listing Find Standards by Regulation which will provide you with links for the lists of harmonized standards for each specific European Directive you use.

Do you have questions about the standards you use?  Are you frustrated when the services you use to purchase standards can’t provide you with assistance for the simplest concerns?  You need to use Document Center for your standards requirements.  We not only sell standards and other compliance documentation — We provide premium support services including experienced and expert staff to help you effectively use and maintain those documents.

More information on Document Center Inc. can be found on our website, www.document-center.com.  Or contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  We’re here for you.

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Finding Replacements for Obsolete and Withdrawn Industry Standards

Wednesday, March 13th, 2013

Here at Document Center, I had a call yesterday from a customer who went to the ANSI webstore and was unable to find a standard there.  Turns out there’s a lot of standards that are not on the ANSI website.  The customer was perplexed and didn’t know what to do.  This is a situation that many standards users find themselves in — They have a document that they have been using or is called out in a contract or documentation and “poof!” it seems to have disappeared.

Well, I’m glad the customer gave us a call, because our system is set up to answer just this very question!  The first thing I did was check in our database and that’s when I found the source of the problem.  The standard (ANSI B18.17) was withdrawn in 1993 and ANSI does not track these obsolete documents.  Of course, the Document Center database does and you can find it by searching for ANSI B18.17 or just B18.17.

How did I help this person find a replacement standard?  Because ANSI B18.17 was cancelled without replacement, we had to do a search for a document that would take it’s place rather than follow the advice of the source organization.  So we put “wing nut” in the search field and came up with plenty of choices.  ”There it is!” said my customer, looking at the ASME B18.6.9.

There are other tools on our website as well, so here’s some additional tips:

When you look on the Document Center website, if an obsolete standard has a notation “See the following:” use the link provided to find the replacement standard.

You can also look at the bottom of the bibliographic record of the obsolete standard.  If there’s a link “To find similar standards by…” try the link.  It will take you to documents that are in the same ICS Code or FSC Classification, or even the same ASTM collection volume.  You’ll use that list to find an appropriate replacement standard.

Or you can also do what we did:  Search for a topic or portion of the title.  You’ll get a results page with similar standards to choose from.

Still having trouble?  Give us a call!  As our customer said, “I don’t know why I bother with other services when Document Center has all the information I need!”  You can get in touch with us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  And of course our webstore www.document-center.com has information on over 500,000 different standards from over 350 different publishers.

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QPL-55110 2012 Edition released – The Qualified Products Listing for MIL-PRF-55110

Friday, January 11th, 2013

QPL 55110, 2012 Edition, “QUALIFIED PRODUCT LIST OF PRODUCTS QUALIFIED UNDER PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATION MIL-PRF-55110, Printed Wiring Board, Rigid, General Specification for,” has just been released and is now available at Document Center Inc.  This QPL is a new edition of the document that had previously been transformed into the new database format.  You can still find the current information in that database, but a consolidated paper edition has now been issued as well.

QPL’s (Qualified Product Lists) cover all products certified to meet the requirements of the applicable MIL Specification. They are useful for military contractors who need suppliers for component parts that must meet a particular military spec.

Normally they will be formatted with information on the government designation number for the part, plus the manufacturer’s number, and other pertinent information for procurement.  At the end of the document, a key to each manufacturer will be given with contact information and so on.

Should you need a copy of this document, you can order it at our webstore, www.document-center.com.  Or contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  We’ve been selling publicly available military specifications and standards since 1982 and have the expertise required for your standards requirements or questions.

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Resources for identifying standards for Personal Protective Equipment

Thursday, September 20th, 2012

I was reading an excellent article in Netaworld Magazine, “Arc-Flash Clothing and PPE, What does NFPA 70E Have to Say?”  However, I did notice a reference to ASTM F1505 (Standard Specification for Insulated and Insulating Hand Tools) which I think was intended to be to ASTM F1506 (Standard Performance Specification for Flame Resistant and Arc Rated Textile Materials for Wearing Apparel for Use by Electrical Workers Exposed to Momentary Electric Arc and Related Thermal Hazards).

Simple errors in referencing documents are made all the time.  We’ve worked hard to provide you with tools to find the right document in spite of these kinds of mistakes.  In this case, you’ll want to know about the resources Document Center Inc. has available on our website to help people like you find the standards you need on PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).  Here’s how you can effectively use our website on this topic:

Search for Standards by Regulation:

European Union Directive 89/686/EEC, Personal Protective Equipment – PPE, has a list of harmonized (harmonised) standards that support the self-certification process for sales of products into the European market.  It’s a great place to start when looking for European Standards on this topic.

Search by Subject:

The ICS classification system has made it possible to organize standards at the International, Regional and National levels by subject matter.  For personal protective clothing, the Classification Code is 13.340.10, Protective Clothing. On this page, you’ll find standards from a number of different organizations, all having to do with Protective Clothing.

To see the various codes that cover PPE in total, go to our page for the Classification Code 13.340, Protective equipment.  There you’ll find additional links for 3.340.01 (Protective equipment in general), 13.340.20 (Head protective equipment), 13.340.30 (Respiratory protective devices), 13.340.40 (Hand and arm protection), 13.340.50 (Leg and foot protection), 13.340.60 (Protection against falling and slipping), 13.340.70 (Lifejackets, buoyancy aids and flotation devices) and 13.340.99 (Other protective equipment).

Another suggestion in this area is the link to Popular ESD Standards - A list of frequently purchased ElectroStatic Discharge Control Documents.  These are standards that relate to electrical PPE.

Search for Standards by ASTM Volume:

ASTM has organized their complete set of standards into volumes based on subject area.  Volume 10.03 specifically addresses Standards for Electrical Insulating Liquids and Gases, Electrical Protective Equipment.  It’s a great place to start to review many ASTM Standards on this topic, including ASTM F1506 and ASTM F1959/F1959M (Standard Test Method for Determining the Arc Rating of Materials for Clothing) mentioned in the NETAWorld article.

The ASTM Volume 11.03, Standards for Occupational Health and Safety; Protective Clothing, is also of interest.  It covers the balance of PPE standards for non-electrical hazards.

As you can see, there’s lots of ways that our website, www.document-center.com, can help you find and purchase the standards you need.  And if you would prefer to have a real person help you out, you can always contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  Our goal is to make sure that you’re using the standards you need to develop and sell products that meet the requirements of today’s international marketplace.

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What is the difference between an ISO, EN-ISO and BS-EN-ISO Standard?

Friday, September 9th, 2011

We often get asked this simple question: “What is the difference between an ISO, EN-ISO and BS-EN-ISO Standard?”  The simple answer is “Not much.”  But there’s more to it than that.

I’ve talked about this in a previous blog, but since the question still crops up with much frequency, I’m going to address the question again.

There are three issues at play in answering the question:  1. Location, 2.  Adoption, and 3.  Certification.

1.  Location:

An ISO document is developed as an international standard.  It is intended to have world-wide usage.  It is written under strict protocols with participation from delegates from all over the world.  Once released, it is publicly available for distribution.

An EN document is developed as a regional standard.  It is intended to be used in the European Union.  It is written under protocols with participation from delegates of the member states.  Once released, it is not available for public distribution.

A BS-EN document (or DIN-EN or AFNOR-EN, etc.) is a national standard.  It is published as each country in Europe adopts the EN document.  There are strict requirements for the withdrawal of any conflicting or duplicating standards.

2.  Adoption:

When an ISO document is released, countries have the right to republish the standard as a national adoption.  So, when the ISO-14971, for example, is issued, the European Union has the right to adopt and republish the standard.

When the EU chooses to adopt an ISO standard, they add a level of administrative overhead.  Thus, the EN adoption has a later issue date than the original ISO document, plus additional cover sheet information.

Usually, the true title of the EN standard will show you exactly what revision level of the ISO standard is being adopted.  So in our example of EN-ISO-14971, 2009 Edition, the title is “Medical devices – Application of risk management to medical devices (ISO 14971:2007, Corrected version 2007-10-01).”  As you can see, the complete title shows you what edition of the ISO document has been adopted.

However, as we noted above, the EN edition when issued is not actually available for public distribution.  Copies in English, French and German are supplied to each member of the EU.

The British Standards Institute publishes the official English language edition (in this case, BS-EN-ISO-14971), the German Standards Institute (DIN) publishes the official German language edition, and the French (AFNOR) publish the official French language edition.  The issue dates on each of these national adoptions will differ as the administrative time to review national standards for possible withdrawal varies.

3.  Certification:

As we have seen, we have a core ISO document that becomes increasing “wrapped” in layers of administrative adoption processes.  While our first impulse would be to go to the source document, I encourage you to take a moment to consider the political undercurrents involved.

Because the EN editions of all standards are called out in the European Union’s regulatory schema (the European Directives harmonization process), many certification professionals will only accept EN standards when reviewing customer facilities and practices.

So if you know that your trading partner in the European Union is in Germany and they want your auditor to come from a German firm, you may be well advised to get the English language editions of the DIN-EN standards where ever possible.

And if you are going to be audited by a firm based in England, like BSI for example, you should definitely consider purchasing the BS-EN editions of any ISO standard you use.  This can save you much time during your audit, even though it costs significantly more when you purchase the standard itself.

So, in conclusion, ISO, EN-ISO, and BS-EN-ISO documents all contain the same core information.  Only the administrative “wrapping” changes with each subsequent adoption level.

I hope this helps you understand this complex issue!

Let me know if you have any questions.  I can be reached by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  Or my expert staff can easily help you out.

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MIL-PRF-38804, Preparation of Time Compliance Technical Orders

Thursday, May 12th, 2011

MIL-PRF-38804 Revision C with Amendment 1 is titled “Time Compliance Technical Order, Preparation of.”  It’s one of the military’s TMSS specifications, on Technical Manual Specifications and Standards.  I used to write a column on changes to these documents for the Society for Technical Communication and find that folks still have questions about this particular military document.

The first thing people need to know is the definition of Time Compliance Technical Order (TCTO).  The answer can be found in TO 00-5-15, “Air Force Time Compliance Technical Order Process.”

It states “TCTOs provide instructions to modify military systems or commodities within specified time limits, initiate special ‘onetime’ inspections, or impose temporary restrictions and track configuration on systems or equipment.”

TCTO’s are similar to Service Letters or Service Bulletins, a technical update that has a specific time value assigned to it.  Some examples are Immediate action, Urgent action and Routine action.  TCTO’s are frequently used for Air Force aircraft, for example.

The MIL-PRF-38804 covers the general style and format requirements for creating TCTO’s and TCTO supplements. These type of Technical Orders need to be developed according to this performance specification and also to those requirements specified by the acquiring activity. In addition to delivery in paper format, MIL-PRF-38804 provides for electronic delivery of data using the specified Document Type Definitions (DTD), if required.

This Mil Spec, and all publicly distributed DOD specifications and standards, are available from Document Center Inc. at our website, www.document-center.com.  We’ve been supplying industry with these documents since 1982.

Or call us (650-591-7600), fax us (650-591-7617) or send us an email (info@document-center.com) with any questions or comments.  We appreciate hearing from you.

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ICS (International Classification for Standards) Codes can help you identify the standards you need

Thursday, April 14th, 2011

The ICS (International Classification for Standards) Codes are intended to serve as a structure for cataloging standards by subject area.  It is similar to the Dewey Decimal system for books in the library.  They’re used by standards bodies at the International Level (ISO and IEC), the regional level (CEN and CENELEC in Europe) and at the national level (ASTM International for example).   Understanding the ICS schema can help you find the standards you need to maintain the use of best practices in your organization.

The scheme is made up of 3 levels, each divided by a period.  The first level is a two digit number that specifies one of forty specific areas of standardization.  Some examples are 11 (for Health Care Technology), 25 (for Manufacturing Engineering) and 29 (Electrical Engineering).

Each of these area is then divided into 392 groups for level 2, this time a three digit number.  So for Health Care Technology, the 11.040 covers Medical Equipment, 11.060 is for Dentistry, and 11.080 is for Sterilization and disinfection.  For section 25, 25.040 is Industrial automation systems, 25.060 is Machine tool systems, and 25.200 is Heat treatment.  And in section 29, 29.020 is Electrical engineering in general, 29.030 is Magnetic materials, and 29.045 is Semiconducting materials.

Many of these level two designations still are rather broad, so there is a possible level three (for 144 of the 392 level two groups), again separated by a period.  Some examples would be 11.040.40, Implants for surgery, 25.040.30, Industrial robots, Manipulators, or 29.060.01, Electrical wires and cables in general.

You can find the documents you need by drilling down using the links to StandardsCatalog.com above which direct you to lists sorted by the ICS Code numbers.   Or you can use the references in StandardsCatalog.com to specific documents like ASTM B633 and use the link found towards the bottom of the page in the section “To find similar documents by classification.”  In the case of ASTM B633, the ICS Code is 25.220.40 (Metallic coatings).

Should you find documents you like to purchase, they are available from us at our www.document-center.com website.  Or contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  Remember, we’re happy to answer any questions you might have about this or any standards-related topic.

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Use of BS EN 10204 for compliance with the Pressure Equipment Directive (97/23/EC)

Wednesday, April 6th, 2011

BS EN 10204:2004, titled Metallic materials, Types of inspection documents, was published in support of the Directive for Pressure Equipment (97/23/EC).  This New Approach Directive allows for self-certification of compliance with European Regulations.  By following the EN standard when doing business in Europe, one can be assured of meeting the requirements of the Directive.  But what exactly is required?

This EN Standard specifies the different types of inspection documents supplied to the purchaser, in accordance with the requirements of the order, for the delivery of all metallic products, e.g. plates, sheets, bars, forgings, castings, whatever their method of production.  It may also apply to non-metallic products.

But the document itself does not contain any inspection directions. Indeed, it must be used in conjunction with the product specifications which specify the technical delivery conditions of the order itself.

So what exactly does it specify?

The document first of all defines a series of document type designations, like Type 2.1, Declaration of compliance with the order, and 2.2, Test report.  For each document type, there is a brief description of the content and the validating entity.

So for Type 2.1, Declaration of compliance with the order, the description is “Statement of compliance with the order” and the validating entity is the manufacturer.  For Type 2.2, Test report, the description is “Statement of compliance with the order, with indication of results of nonspecific inspection.”  The validating entity is again the manufacturer.

Terminology is defined in the beginning of the standard.  And a chart is provided to specifically show the use of EN 10204 to support the 97/23/EC Directive.  Reference is additionally made to EN 10168, Steel products – Inspection documents – List of information and description.

So, the BS EN 10204 does not describe specific requirements for any given order.  The expectation is that the order itself will define the product specifications required.  The document does however, define a series of document types issued by the manufacturer in which he declares that the products supplied are in compliance with the requirements of the order and in which he may supply test results if required.

The BS EN 10204 and all BS EN standards are available from Document Center Inc. at our website, www.document-center.com.  Or contact us by phone at 650-591-7600, fax at 650-591-7617, or by email at info@document-center.com.  Your questions and comments are welcome.

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