New ASTM E1003 2013 Edition revises the Standard Practice for Hydrostatic Leak Testing

ASTM E1003-13, “Standard Practice for Hydrostatic Leak Testing,” has just been released and is available from Document Center Inc. in either paper or pdf format, with a redline copy available if you need it.  This Standard covers the testing of components for leaks by pressurizing them inside with a liquid.

The Practice is intended for use on piping, valves, and containers with welded or fitted sections which can be sealed at their ends and are designed for internal pressure.  Often, contracts calling out this document require the personnel performing the tests are required to be certified for NDT (non-destructive testing).

ASTM E1003 is useful for quality control testing and field inspection of piping systems, pipelines, valves, and containers that are expected to retain liquids. It is not sensitive enough for leak testing when toxic or explosive gas is expected to be retained under pressure.

The 3-page 2013 Edition replaces the ASTM E1003-05, “Standard Test Method for Hydrostatic Leak Testing,” from December 1, 2005.  Copies of this and other obsolete ASTM standards are part of our collection.

You can purchase your copies of ASTM standards from our webstore, www.document-center.com.  Or you are welcome to contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com). Our staff are Standards Experts, prepared to assist you with your questions about the documents you use in your business.

New Change Notice for UL 94, Standard for Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances

UL 94 5th Edition from 1996, “Standard for Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances,” has just been modified by a newly released Change Notice (1/18/2013) and it’s available from Document Center Inc. now.  The notice is cumulative, including changes from all previous notices.

There are two new modifications in this notice.  First, it denotes the ANSI adoption of the standard in January 2013.  Secondly, it now contains specific reference to ASTM E162-08, “Standard Test Method for Surface Flammability of Materials Using a Radiant Heat Energy Source.”  Please note:  This is the obsolete 2008 edition of the ASTM standard.

There are two types of pre-selection test programs conducted on plastic materials to measure flammability characteristics. The first is covered by UL 94 and determines the material’s tendency either to extinguish or to spread the flame once the specimen has been ignited.  FYI: The UL 94 is  now harmonized with IEC 60707 (obsolete), IEC 60695-11-10, IEC 60695-11-20, ISO 9772 and ISO 9773.

The second test program measures the ignition resistance of the plastic to electrical ignition sources. The material’s resistance to ignition and surface tracking characteristics is described in UL 746A (similar to the test procedures described in IEC 60112, the IEC 60695 series and IEC 60950-1).

UL Standards may be purchased in paper format from Document Center Inc., an authorized reseller of UL Standards,  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 can assist you not only with your document purchases but with update notification and other services focused on keeping your standards collection complete and current.

New AS 5553 Revision A released for Fraudulent/Counterfeit Electronic Parts; Avoidance, Detection, Mitigation, and Disposition

AS 5553, “Fraudulent/Counterfeit Electronic Parts; Avoidance, Detection, Mitigation, and Disposition,” has just been revised and the new Revision A is available from Document Center Inc. now.  This standard is for use by organizations that procure and/or integrate electronic parts and/or assemblies containing such items.

Originally focused on Aerospace end-product producers, suppliers and processors, the standard has been expanded to address fraudulent/counterfeit risk mitigation on a global scale.  Multi-sector electronic supply chain industries can use this standard, since it provides uniform requirements, practices and methods to alleviate the risks of receiving and installing fraudulent/counterfeit parts.

The new issue is significantly longer than the original AS 5553 release (43 pages as compared to 33 pages) and has a new title as well.

When suspect or confirmed counterfeit electrical and electronic equipment is discovered, AS 5553A standardizes requirements, practices, and methods for:

  • Parts Management
  • Supplier Management
  • Procurement
  • Inspection
  • Test/Evaluation
  • Response Strategies

For more information on the SAE documents available on this topic, see our blog from 11/7/2012 on AS 6462.  For more information on this standard itself, see our blog from 9/10/2010 on AS 5553 original release.

All these standards can be purchased from Document Center Inc. in both paper and pdf format 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).  All SAE standards are sold under license agreement and come with our free update notification service.

New ISO 18600 Series released on Packaging and the environment – Includes ISO 18601, ISO 18602, ISO 18603, ISO 18604, ISO 18605 and ISO 18606

Packaging standards seem to impact almost every industry, sector and supply chain we do business with.  So Document Center Inc. is please to announce that a new ISO 18600 series on Packaging and the Environment has just been released this month.  ISO Technical Committee 122 has developed these standards to allow organizations to make an environmental assessment of the impact of the packaging they develop and use throughout it’s life cycle.

The series provides first an overview of the new ISO standards and then focuses on three primary areas:  Optimization, Reuse and Recovery.  The goals are to:

  • reduce environmental impact,
  • support innovation in products, packaging and the supply chain,
  • avoid undue restrictions on the use of packaging, and
  • prevent barriers and restrictions to trade.

The ISO 18600 series consists of the following standards:

  1. ISO 18601:2013, Packaging and the environment – General requirements for the use of ISO standards in the field of packaging and the environment
  2. ISO 18602:2013, Packaging and the environment – Optimization of the packaging system
  3. ISO 18603:2013, Packaging and the environment – Reuse
  4. ISO 18604:2013, Packaging and the environment – Material recycling
  5. ISO 18605:2013, Packaging and the environment – Energy recovery
  6. ISO 18606:2013, Packaging and the environment – Organic recycling

Other ISO packaging standards referenced in this series include ISO 21067, “Packaging – Vocabulary,” ISO 14021, “Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling),” ISO/TR 17098, “Packaging material recycling — Report on substances and materials which may impede recycling,” (currently under development) and ISO/TR 16218, “Packaging and the environment — Processes for chemical recovery,” (again under development).

ISO standards are available in paper and pdf format from Document Center Inc. under license agreement (territorial restrictions may apply).  Purchase them 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) for more information.

New ASTM F1446 2012 Edition on Test Methods for Protective Headgear (Helmets)

ASTM F1446-12, “Standard Test Methods for Equipment and Procedures Used in Evaluating the Performance Characteristics of Protective Headgear,” has just been released and is available from Document Center Inc. in both paper and pdf format.  It is used by helmet and headgear manufacturers to evaluate the effectiveness of their products in preventing head injuries.

The purpose of this document is to provide reliable and repeatable tests for the evaluation of various types of protective headgear. Use of these test methods in conjunction with the specific individual performance standards is intended to reduce the likelihood of serious injury and death resulting from impacts to the head sustained by individuals participating in sports, recreation, and other leisure activities in which protective headgear is worn.

Some things that are tested by ASTM F1446 are:

  • The ability of the item to limit head acceleration and
  • The strength and stability of the retention system (the assembly that secures the helmet on the wearer’s head) and its attachment to the protective headgear.

This is the first revision of the document since April 2011.  If you are using the obsolete edition and want to know the changes that are included in the new 2012 Edition, ask us for the Redline Edition of the standard.  ASTM Redline editions come with both the new edition and a marked-up copy of the previous edition so that you can easily identify all changes to the new issue.

Document Center has been providing our customers with authorized copies of the ASTM standards since the 1980’s.  You can purchase them 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).  Our staff can assist you with all your standards requirements and questions.

New ISO 8586 replaces ISO 8586-1 and ISO 8586-2 for Expert Sensory Analysis Assessors

ISO 8586:2012, “Sensory analysis – General guidelines for the selection, training and monitoring of selected assessors and expert sensory assessors,” has just been released and is now available from Document Center Inc. in both pdf and paper format.   The new standard specifies criteria for the selection and procedures for the training and monitoring of selected assessors and expert sensory assessors. It supplements the information given in ISO 6658, “Sensory analysis — Methodology — General guidance.”

These standards focus on the examination of foods, as assessed by a panel that may be comprised of as many as three types of participants.  They include sensory assessors (who can be just about anyone), selected assessors (a person with the ability to perform the test), and expert assessors (folks who have proven to be able to make consistent and repeatable judgements).

ISO 8586 provides a detailed description of how to recruit for such a panel, how to train various assessors, how to develop panels for the various methods of testing, and how to monitor the assessors over time to confirm the “calibration” of the human “test instrument.”

With the release of this document, both the ISO 8586-1, “Sensory analysis — General guidance for the selection, training and monitoring of assessors — Part 1: Selected assessors,” and ISO 8586-2, “Sensory analysis — General guidance for the selection, training and monitoring of assessors — Part 2: Experts,” have been withdrawn (superseded).

All ISO standards are available from Document Center Inc. at our website, www.document-center.com.  Please note: territorial restrictions apply due to the structure of ISO itself.  Please feel free to contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com) should you have any questions about this or any other ISO document.

Did you know Document Center’s Quarterly Standards Reporter can solve your documentation auditing problems?

For many of Document Center’s customers, the issue of keeping their compliance collections in good condition for the various quality and regulatory audits they face is an on-going issue.  Our quarterly Standards Reporter service is one way companies like yours have solved this problem.

This report is tailored for folks who have identified the standards and regulatory documents they need to maintain in order to pass their regular reviews (and keep their companies documentation in good order for the sake of providing their customer base with a reliable and safe product).

Working with Document Center, these customers have made sure that all applicable documents are on our notification service.  Then, once a quarter a report is generated that lists all those standards in our system.  It is provided to the customer both in paper and excel spreadsheet format.

The report itself is a listing of all the standards, titles, and the current revision levels, including the release date.  Any current document components like amendments, correction sheets, and so on are included.

We’ve got one customer who has relied on this service for years, and has even written it into the company’s quality protocols for his documentation requirements!

If you need a way to easily verify your methodology for reviewing your documents on a regular basis to assure your company and your compliance auditors that your documentation is current, consider Document Center’s quarterly Standards Reporter service.  For the low annual fee of $120.00, you too can cross another area of potential liability off your list.

More information on Document Center Inc. can be found on our website, www.document-center.com.  To order the service, contact our sales staff by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  We’ll be happy to provide you with all the information you need to get started on our collection maintenance program.

New NAS 1149 Revision 1 released for Flat Washers

NAS 1149 Revision 1, “Washer, Flat,” has just been released and is available now from Document Center Inc.  The National Aerospace Standard replaced the AN 960 back in 2011 (see our blog posting on the AN 960 cancellation).  This is the first revision of the NAS document since it’s release.

The specification itself, along with NASM 15795 (previously MS 15795), is one of the most popular drawings on flat washers.  It was originally formulated by the Army and Navy to standardize fasteners being used on military equipment.

Both documents were transferred to an industry association as a result of MIL Spec reform.  This reflects both the desire of the military to get out of the spec writing business and the usefulness of both documents to industry in general.

The two specs call out the same material – a 300 series stainless with passivation. The differences are found in the manufacturing tolerances and dimension traits. The NASM 15795 has the largest outside and hole diameters.  The NAS 1149 has a smaller outer diameter, and a tight tolerance on the inner diameter as well as the thickness.

Current and obsolete NAS, NASM, and MS documents are all available from Document Center Inc. at our web store, www.document-center.com.  Or you may contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  We have worked with these documents since the 1980’s and can provide you with the expert service and support you need for your compliance collections.

New ASTM F1929 2012 Edition – The Standard Test Method for Detecting Seal Leaks in Porous Medical Packaging by Dye Penetration

ASTM F1929-12, “Standard Test Method for Detecting Seal Leaks in Porous Medical Packaging by Dye Penetration,” has just been released and is available in paper or pdf format from Document Center Inc.  This test method provides the user with protocols to visually observe the presence of channel defects by the leakage of dye through them.

ASTM F1929 defines materials and procedures that will detect and locate a leak equal to or greater than a channel formed by a 50 μm (0.002 in.) wire in package edge seals formed between a transparent material and a porous sheet material. A dye penetrant solution is applied locally to the seal edge to be tested for leaks. After contact with the dye penetrant for a specified time, the package is visually inspected for dye penetration.

The three dye application methods are covered in ASTM F1929 are injection, edge dip, and eyedropper.  The tests are intended for use on packages with edge seals formed between a transparent material and a porous sheet material.

If you’ve been using the previous edition of this standard (the ASTM F1929-98(R04) Edition), you may want to purchase the redline copy.  This will provide you with both a copy of the new 2012 Edition plus a copy of the 1998 Edition with the changes notated for easy identification.

Document Center Inc. has been selling ASTM standards under license agreement since the 1980’s.  You can purchase them 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).  Our collection not only includes all the current editions, but also many obsolete revisions that you’ll not find elsewhere.

ROHS I replaced by ROHS II (2011/65/EU) this month — Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive

For those of you interested in lead-free electrical and electronic equipment, there’s a big change happening in Europe this month.  ROHS I (2002/95/EC) has been replaced by ROHS II,  “Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2011 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (recast).”

There’s no change to the list of the six controlled substances banned under ROHS I.  However, a review of Annex II (the list of restricted substances) must be done by the Commission by 22 July 2014, using a procedure based on the restriction process of the REACH Chemicals Regulation (Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals).

Also the scope of the directive has been expanded with the release of ROHS II.  Covered Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) now includes products dependent on electric current or electromagnetic fields for at least one intended function.  ROHS I only applied to equipment that depended on electric current or electromagnetic fields for its primary function.

RoHS II also added three new categories of EEE: medical devices, monitoring and control equipment, and “all EEE not covered by any other category.” Medical devices and monitoring and control equipment are included as of 2013. The broader “other category” does not apply until 2019. This will include any electrical and electronic product that is not specifically excluded.

FYI: Permanent exclusions from RoHS include the following: military equipment, space equipment, equipment designed to be part of another piece of equipment falling outside the scope of RoHS, large scale industrial tools, large scale fixed installations, means of transport for persons or goods, non road mobile machinery, active implantable medical devices, photovoltaic panels, equipment for research and development only available business to business.

The exemptions process in ROHS II has been amended as well.  Now there are three categories of exemptions: exemptions for technical applications of all categories of EEE, exemptions for medical devices, and exemptions for monitoring and control instruments. The 4-year review process has been abolished, so companies must request an exemption renewal 18 months before expiry. All exemptions (except for those applying to medical devices and monitoring and control instruments) are subject to a 5 year time limit. And there are new exemption criteria including the availability and reliability of substitutes and socio-economic impact.

If you need help with obtaining European Directives or with the harmonized standards developed for compliance, please use Document Center’s website, www.document-center.com.  Or contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  We handle regulatory material as well as industry and government specifications and standards.