The STD 595 Color Chips are back! Ever since SAE took over the responsibility for the FED STD 595 “Colors Used in Government Procurement” (republishing it as AMS STD 595), there has been no authorized source for the color chips so many of you use. The wait is over! SAE has just issued official copies of the chips in 3 formats. These are the complete set of 3X5 chips, the fandeck format, and individual chip sales.
Why did SAE take over the publication of the FED STD 595? Ever since the mid-1990’s, the federal government (and in particular the DoD) has been mandated to look for commercial sources for the documentation used in the procurement process whenever possible. Moving the FED STD 595 to SAE with the publication of the AMS STD 595 meant that the GSA (General Services Administration) could shed the responsibility for maintaining this challenging chip set. The only problem was that SAE was not fully prepared for the transfer.
Why were the color chips missing from the AMS STD 595 when it was released? At first, SAE just published the text component of the standard. The contents include methods for calculating compliance without the use of the color chips. However, industry relies on the color chips far more than expected. So it looks like SAE had to go back to the drawing board to get a source of supply for the chips that would comply with the exacting requirements.
How can you get these new chips? As an authorized SAE distributor, Document Center is here for your AMS documentation requirements, including the STD 595 color chips! Go ahead and order them at our webstore, www.document-center.com. Here’s the direct link to the order page for the STD 595 complete set of chips and the order page for the STD 595 Fandeck. Individual chips may also be supplied.
Have more questions? Please get in touch with our staff by phone (650-591-7600) or email (info@document-center.com). We’ve been supplying specs and standards to government contractors since 1982. We’re a trusted source for all your compliance requirements. Make us your Standards Experts!