Industry Standard Parts – What They Are and How to Ensure Compliance.

Industry Standards Logos

As an engineer, you will run across the terms industry standards or industry-standard parts. By the end of this article, you will have a solid understanding of these terms.

 

We will address the following questions:

  • What are industry standards?
  • Why are industry standards important?
  • How can you ensure your company is compliant with industry standards?

 

Industry Standard Parts

What are industry standards?

Industry standards are part specifications mandated in specific industries. Industry-standard parts are components regulated by a standards body. These parts meet standards that are tested for quality, reliability, and safety.

 

A few industries that use these standards are aerospace and defense, automotive, and marine. Make sure, before designing a product that will be in a high-stress environment that you comply with the proper standards.

 

Engineering standard part specifications are typically made available by a standards developing organization commonly referred to as an SDO. A few well-known SDOs are AIA, SAE, and ASME. These SDOs compile the standards into PDF spec sheets.

 

The PDF standards are usually available for purchase through these organizations. Companies like IHS Markit partner with SDOs to offer the standards PDF spec sheets individually or through a subscription to the standards.

 

Standard Fastener

Why are industry standard parts important?

Industry Standards ensure that specific parts in high-stress environments are sound. Nobody wants a fastener holding a jet turbine in place to snap, corrode, or melt mid-flight. In addition to the safety concerns, they provide a layer of protection for companies that use the standards.

 

The U.S. Government and SDOs can audit companies that must use the standards. Having documentation that proves compliance with the proper standard adds a layer of protection to the company if an audit occurs. It is important to have a PDF copy of any of the standards that are used in a project as proof of proper use when being audited.

 

Industry Standard Parts

How can you ensure your company is compliant with industry standards?

The best way to ensure compliance is to get in touch with IHS Markit. Their team can make sure you understand what standards apply to your industry. You can purchase a subscription to several hundred standards through IHS Markit.

 

Make sure you understand the standards for your industry. This is not an area worth cutting corners. You don’t want your company to be responsible for a part failing because you didn’t use a standard part when it was required. That story doesn’t end well.

 

Once you have the standards PDF spec sheets from the correct SDO, you will need a model of each part that is a perfect representation of the standard. This is a common fail point for compliance with the standards.

 

Many companies create standards libraries for their engineers to use. The problem is the standards are constantly changing.

 

One way to ensure the models of the standards your engineers are using are compliant is to use 3D CAD models that are certified by the SDO. We partner with AIA, SAE, and ASME to offer certified 3D CAD models through IHS Markit.

 

By using the certified models, you can ensure your engineers are in compliance with the standards.

 

Industry Standard Parts

Accessing the models

You can now make sure your engineers have direct access to the certified models directly in their CAD software. Download the Digital 3D products PDF to learn more.

 

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Joseph Lewin

Innovation moves the world forward. My goal is to enable engineers to spend more time innovating by reducing non-value-added tasks through effective reuse strategies.