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Standards

Standards are around you every day! The chair you're probably sitting on, your computer, even the building you are in would not be the same without standards.

What is a standard?

Examples of standards in everyday life

Why use standards?

• The product has to fit into other products by various manufacturers, 
  for example staples and stapler
• you can manufacture the product using standard machines and tools,
  for example screws or nuts and bolts
• following standards can ensure safety, for example in a power outlet
• you are obliged to use standards in toys if you want to be allowed to sell them
• different parts manufactured in different locations can be assembled to form a complex, yet reliable product,
  such as the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.
• houses or offices can be built quickly and cost-efficiently by using prefabricated (prefab) parts
• you do not have to reinvent the wheel! Spend your time and energy on a creative solution.

If the shoe fits.... [example for the use of standards]

Things to bear in mind!

• with many standards, it can be difficult to choose the right one
• standards can be national, international or specific to an industry
• standards are subject to changes, so you need to keep informed about the status of the standard you are using
• .

Where to find standards

If you are looking for a standard, you can start with Perinorm (campus access).
Perinorm is a bibliographic database dedicated to helping you find standards and technical regulations. It is the world's leading bibliographic database of national, European and international standards with over 1,100,000 records.

Standards Organisations

These organisations maintain standards with a national or international scope.

Industry standards

• IEEE:  standards in electrical engineering, telecommunications  and computers
• SAE: Society of Automotive Engineers publishes the SAE handbook with standards for the industry

See: databases with standards on the library website