New ASTM C31/C31M 2012 Edition for Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens in the Field

Ever wonder how builders know that a material is safe for use in their projects? ASTM C31/C31M is a good example of how standards are used in the field to confirm that, in this case, concrete is ready for use.  And the new 2012 Edition of the standard is available now from Document Center Inc.

The practice covers procedures for making and curing cylinder and beam specimens from representative samples of fresh concrete for a construction project.  That covers provides standardized requirements for making, curing, protecting, and transporting concrete test specimens under field conditions.

ASTM C31/C31M-12 generates strength test data which is used for the following purposes:

  • Acceptance testing for specified strength,
  • Checking adequacy of mixture proportions for strength, and
  • Quality control.

This new 2012 Edition replaces the previous 2010 Edition.  To see the history of the document’s updates, use ASTM C31/C31M’s revision history page.  This feature is available for most documents on our website.

So when you see language that touts  the use of “standard-cured” concrete, you’ll know that most likely the C31 standard is the one to which the material is being tested.

All ASTM standards are available from Document Center Inc. at our website, www.document-center.com.  Buy the ASTM C31/C31M in either paper or pdf format there.  Or contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  We are happy to assist you with your standards questions and requirements.

Why can’t I find a standard referenced in the Code of Federal Regulations?

In the on-going discussion about standards that are incorporated into regulations by reference (via the Code of  Federal Regulations or CFRs), one common problem has not been getting the attention that it needs.  Here at Document Center Inc. we had two customers approach us today with the same basic problem — Standards referenced in the CFR regulations that each needed are so old that they’re no longer available for purchase.

How can this happen?  It’s actually quite simple.  The first step is the complexity of getting an external document into our regulations.  Here, the intention is good.  Why create U.S. regulations for topics that are already adequately resolved by external industry standards?

Yet, in order to get a publication into the CFR, there is a process that requires the reference to be to a physical document that is in existence at the time of adoption.  So, when a standard is included in our regulations, it is adopted not only with the standard number, but also the year of the publication.  And here is where the trouble begins.

As time goes by, our regulator looks at his work and at the standards he’s referencing.  Yes, they may be periodically updated, but the changes aren’t affecting his regulation.  Why go through the laborious process of referencing a new revision of the standard when the edition in the regulation is still working?

But for the person wanting to meet the requirements of the regulations, each revision update that occurs in the industry standard but not in the CFR reference means an increased chance that the document is out-of-print and no longer publicly available.  And suddenly, the system that is working smoothly for the regulator becomes impossible for those who are being regulated.

Why do I bring this up now?  Certainly, the federal government is aware that there are issues involved in the process of the adoption by reference system currently in place.  And that’s good, because it’s impossible to comply with regulations calling out standards like the ANSI B7.1 1970 Edition (or 1964 Edition) and the ASME B56.1 1959 Edition.  You just can’t get those documents any more!

When you have standards questions or need obsolete editions of documents, please get in touch with us here at Document Center Inc. (www.document-center.com).  We do have an extensive collection of out-of-date standards.  And we have the expertise to help you with the complex questions the other guys don’t have time to answer.  Just contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  We’ve been selling standards for 30 years and can assist you with all your requirements.

New AIHA Z9.5 2012 Edition on Laboratory Ventilation is a must

Testing and other laboratories often are the heaviest users of standards.  So a new document specifically geared to improve laboratory protocol needs to be greeted with interest.  Document Center Inc. now has the new AIHA Z9.5 2012 Edition, “Laboratory Ventilation,” available for purchase.

Laboratories will benefit from this updated outline of laboratory ventilation requirements and practices.  The standard’s chapters include performance tests, air cleaning, preventive maintenance, and work practices. Additionally, five appendices covering definitions, terms and units are included.

Changes from the previous edition are found in Section 2.1.2 – Laboratory (Room) Ventilation Rate and Section 2.1.3 – Dilution Ventilation.  The new standard also gives a range of what is typically used in the industry as compared to providing any strict guidance for minimum or recommended lab ACH level.

This new revision will be of interest to those involved in laboratory management, including chemical hygiene officers, campus and institutional health and safety staff, industrial hygienists, and environmental health and safety staff.

Do you have trouble keeping up with changing standards like the AIHA Z9.5-2012?  If so, using Document Center Inc. as your resource for standards can solve this problem for you.  We’ve been selling standards since 1982 and specialize in not only the sale of standards, but also in keeping our customers aware of changes to the standards they use as they occur.

You can order standards 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’d love to be your Standards Experts!

New AMS STD 2154 Revision A released for Inspection, Ultrasonic, Wrought Metals, Process For

SAE International has released a new AMS STD 2154A, “Inspection, Ultrasonic, Wrought Metals, Process For,” and it’s available now in paper or pdf format from Document Center Inc.  The purpose of this standard is to provide uniform methods for the ultrasonic inspection of wrought metals and wrought metal products.

The new Revision A makes the following changes:

  • revises personnel qualification (Section 4.2),
  • adds requirements to the list of written procedures (Section 4.3),
  • revises reference standards (Sections 5.1.2 and 5.3.1.2),
  • adds surface texture requirements (Sections 5.4.6 and 5.4.7),
  • permits adjustment of sensitivity if the required sensitivity standard hole is not available (Section 5.4.8),
  • adds direction on setting the primary reference response (Section 5.4.9.1) and establishing electronic distance/amplitude correction and time-corrected gain (Sections 5.4.10 and 5.4.10.1),
  • revises electronic equipment requirements (Table 2),
  • revises ultrasonic class requirements (Table 6),
  • and updates referenced standards.

The original AMS STD 2154 is the adoption by SAE of the MIL-STD-2154. The new Revision A updates that original text and is the correct replacement for the now obsolete MIL Standard.  This document also supersedes MIL-I-8950 (same title, last valid edition was Revision B), which was cancelled in 1983 and replaced by the MIL-STD-2154 at that time.

Buy the SAE Standards and Mil Specs and Standards you need from our website, www.document-center.com.  You can choose paper or pdf format when you place your order.  Or contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  We’ve been selling standards and helping people with their standards questions and requirements for 30 years!

New ASME A17.2 2012 Edition ready, Guide for Inspection of Elevators, Escalators, and Moving Walks

ASME International is about to release the new 2012 edition of ASME A17.2, “Guide for Inspection of Elevators, Escalators, and Moving Walks,” and you can order your copy now from Document Center Inc.  Due at the beginning of November 2012, this Guide gives detailed procedures for the inspection and testing of elevators, escalators, and moving walks required to conform to The Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, ASME A17.1, and The Safety Code for Existing Elevators and Escalators, ASME A17.3.

This ASME A17.2-2012 edition provides updated cross-references and additional guidelines to the A17.1.  It also features new sections on machine room-less (MRL) configurations and inclined elevators, while adding a non-mandatory Appendix Checklist for Firefighters’ Service of Automatic Elevators.

A17.2 is to be used in conjunction with other volumes of the ASME A17 series of Safety Codes.  Careful application of these A17 Safety Codes will help users to comply with applicable regulations within their jurisdictions, while achieving the operational and safety benefits to be gained from the many industry best-practices detailed within these volumes.

The new guide is intended for anyone engaged in the safety of elevators, escalators and related equipment.

All ASME Standards can be purchased from Document Center Inc. 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 can keep you updated with information on new releases for the standards you use in your business as well.

The new J STD 002D, Solderability Tests for Component Leads, Terminations, Lugs, Terminals and Wires, due soon!

In the world of electronic assembly and component/printed wiring board fabrication, there is no greater mandate than to develop lead-free technology.  So it is with great anticipation that the new J-STD-002 Revision D, “Solderability Tests for Component Leads, Terminations, Lugs, Terminals and Wires,” is welcomed into the world!  The new revision is a step forward in this regards and can be pre-ordered now from Document Center Inc. for expected delivery by the end of the year.

This standard prescribes test methods, defect definitions, acceptance criteria, and illustrations for assessing the solderability of electronic component leads, terminations, solid wires, stranded wires, lugs, and tabs.  The document also includes a test method for the resistance to dissolution/dewetting of metallization.  This standard is intended for use by both vendor and user.

The new revision is a joint publication of IPC, JEDEC, and ECA (soon to be the Electronic Components Industry Association (ECIA) with the meager of the Electronic Components Association (ECA) and the National Electronic Distributors Association (NEDA).  Additionally, the joint committee worked with IEC to develop compatibility between the IEC 60068-2-20 Soldering specification and this new revision of J STD 002.

Significant testing has gone into the development of this new standard.  Why?  Because of the use of a new ROL0 type flux to replace the previous R type, which has proved inconsistant, providing false negative solderability test results.

This new standard activated flux composition, analyzed by NIST, Bill Russell, and Raytheon Systems, has proved to greatly reduce the amount of test variation, which is expected to reduce costs and improve consistency throughout industry.  Not only that, but the committee checked in with flux suppliers to make sure that the new composition will be readily available!

All IPC, JEDEC and EIA standards are available from Document Center Inc. at our website, www.document-center.com.  Or consider contacting us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  We can assist you with all your standards purchases and requirements, as well as the monitoring/updating of your collection.

New AMS 2774 Revision D released, Heat Treatment, Wrought Nickel Alloy and Cobalt Alloy Parts

AMS 2774, “Heat Treatment, Wrought Nickel Alloy and Cobalt Alloy Parts,” has just been revised as a new 2012 Revision D and it’s available now in paper and pdf format from Document Center Inc.  This specification specifies the engineering requirements for heat treatment, by part fabricators (users) or their vendors or subcontractors, of parts made of wrought nickel or cobalt alloys, of raw materials during fabrication, and of fabricated assemblies in which wrought nickel or cobalt alloys are the primary structural components.

Detailed heat treating instructions are specified for age-hardenable (precipitation-hardenable) and non-age-hardenable alloys which are listed in section 8.2.  However, AMS 2774D may also be used for other alloys provided that temperatures, soaking times, and cooling requirements are specified by the cognizant engineering organization.

Heat treatments covered by this specification are as follows:

Solution Treating (Section 8.4.7)
Annealing (Section 8.4.8)
Stabilization Annealing (Section 8.4.10)
Interstage Annealing (Section 8.4.13)
Stabilization (Section 8.4.11)
Precipitation (Section 8.4.12)
Equalization (Section 8.4.14)
Stress Relief (Section 8.4.9).

While the materials, methods, applications, and processes described or referenced in AMS 2774 may involve the use of hazardous materials, this specification does not address the hazards which may be involved in such use. It is the sole responsibility of the user to ensure familiarity with the safe and proper use of any hazardous materials and to take necessary precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of all personnel involved.

SAE Specifications and Standards can be purchased from Document Center Inc. 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 to provide you with the expert information you need to purchase and maintain your standards collection.

Correction issued to BS EN ISO 13485:2012 Edition for Medical devices. Quality management systems. Requirements for regulatory purposes

It seems like the 2012 of BS EN ISO 13485,”Medical devices. Quality management systems. Requirements for regulatory purposes,” was just released.  But a few corrections have been found so the consolidated BS EN ISO 13485:2012 with Corrigendum 1 is now available from Document Center Inc.  A Corrigendum is a technical correction sheet and the EN standards are released as interfiled reprints of the original document.

The CENELEC corrigendum is from July 2012, but the integration into the BS Edition is dated 9/30/2012.  There are two corrections:  the title was altered and Table ZC.3 (Relationship with Annex IV of Directive 98/79/EC) was updated.

If you bought your copy of the BS EN ISO 13485:2012 from Document Center Inc., we’ll provide you with a corrected copy for a modest printing fee.  If not, you’ll need to purchase the new copy in its entirety.  You can order the document on our website, www.document-center.com.   Otherwise, contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com) for more information.

Proposed Changes to the three European Medical Device Directives

Regulations tend to change due to external events and the case of the French manufacturer who used industrial silicone instead of medical grade silicone in breast implants for several years has put pressure for increased vigilance on the European Union.  The European Commission has been investigating the  situation since 2008 and recently issued reports and proposed changes to the 3 medical device directives, 90/385/EEC (active implantable medical devices), 93/42/EEC (medical devices), and 98/79/EC (in vitro diagnostic medical devices).

With a European Parliament June vote behind it, the EU will take action to close the flaws and gaps uncovered in the review of the breast implant case.  The focus seems to be on the oversight of the Notified Bodies (independent 3rd party assessors).  Specific goals for the revision of the Medical Device Directives include:

    • Uniform control of Notified Bodies
    • Enhanced legal clarity and coordination in the field of post-market safety
    • Cross-sectoral solution of “borderline” cases
    • Enhanced transparency regarding medical devices on the EU market, including their traceability
    • Enhanced involvement of external scientific and clinical expertise
    • Clear obligations and responsibilities of economic operators, including in the fields of diagnostic services and internet sales
    • Governance – efficient and effective management of the regulatory  system

The proposed changes are considered an evolution of the current regime, keeping the same legal approach.

This legislative initiative is intended to reduce the three directives down to two regulations of the European Parliament.  It is expected that the approach will continue to be supported by standardization, as well as a single registration process as opposed to multiple national requirements.

There will be 2 political choices in the implementation of the above goals.  They center on whether it is better to shore up the national oversight in place now, or to create new regional level oversight.  One is the transfer of the competence for the designation and monitoring of Notified Bodies to an EU body or by the Member States after involvement of “joint assessment teams” composed of assessors of other Member States and of an EU body.  The other is where to locate a new Medical Device Expert Group — with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or within the jurisdiction of an institution charged with the management of the medical device regulatory system by the European Commission (with involvement of its Joint Research Centre).

Concerns have been raised that the changes will mean a more expensive and time-consuming pre-market approval process, especially for Class IIb and III high risk medical devices.

We can expect to see close monitoring of the results of the changes, with emphasis on the development of annual incident statistics and coordinated analysis of corrective actions.  There is also a push for the full implementation of the European Unique Device Identification System which is being developed in conjunction with the US FDA, among others.

If you are in the Medical Device business, consider Document Center Inc. for your standards requirements.  As you can see, we specialize in these standards and can keep you up-to-date not only on the documentation required but also the regulatory environment you operate in.  Visit us on the web at 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 2012 Edition released for AWS A5.1/A5.1M, Specification for Carbon Steel Electrodes for Shielded Metal Arc Welding

The American Welding Society has just released AWS A5.1/A5.1M:2012, “Specification for Carbon Steel Electrodes for Shielded Metal Arc Welding,” and it’s available now from Document Center Inc.  This specification establishes the requirements for classification of carbon steel electrodes for shielded metal arc welding.

AWS A5.1/A5.1M contains requirements for the mechanical properties of weld metal, weld metal soundness, and usability of electrode.  Requirements for composition of the weld metal, moisture content of low-hydrogen electrode coverings, standard sizes and lengths, marking, manufacturing, and packaging are also included.  There’s also an annex which provides a guide to the use of the standard.

Optional supplemental requirements include improved toughness and ductility, lower moisture contents, and diffusible hydrogen limits.

This specification makes use of both U.S. Customary Units and the International System of Units (SI).  Since these are not equivalent, each system must be used independently of the other.

This new 2012 Edition replaces AWS A5.1/A5.1M:2004, which is now obsolete.   If you need more information on the history of this document, we have a revision history page on our website to review previous changes for this document, as well as for every standard we sell.

You can buy AWS Standards on our Document Center website, 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 in business since 1982 and on the web since 1993, and we can assist you with all your standards requirements and questions.