Global and National Standardization Frameworks

National and Company Standards

• National Standard: A standard adopted by a National Standards organization (example: Standard of the Bureau of Indian Standards).
• Company Standard: A standard adopted by an organization for its own use only.

Categorization of Standards by Content

Depending on the contents of the document, a standard could be broadly categorized as follows:

• Basic Standard: This has a wide-ranging coverage or contains general provisions for one particular field (example: IS 626 - Code for Engineering Drawings).
• Terminology Vocabulary Standard: A standard that is concerned with terms, usually accompanied by their definitions and, sometimes, by explanatory notes, illustrations, and examples.
• Testing Standard: A standard that is concerned with test methods, sometimes supplemented with other provisions related to testing, such as sampling, the use of statistical methods, and the sequence of tests.

Standardization at the International Level

a) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC): Established in the year 1904, it was the first organization to undertake standardization at the international level.

b) Other Prominent Organizations:

• International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
• International Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM)
• Codex Alimentarius Commission of the FAO and WHO (CAC) for the unification of food standards.

Standardization at the National Level

The work of national-level standardization is dealt with by national organizations established in over 120 countries around the world. All of these are members of the ISO. The National Standards organization of India was established as a registered society in the year 1947 as the Indian Standards Institution (ISI).

Definition of Indian Standard

As per BIS, an "Indian Standard," as defined in the BIS Act, 2016, means: "the standard including any tentative or provisional standard established and published by the Bureau, in relation to any goods, article, process, system or service, indicative of the quality and specification of such goods, article, process, system or service."

Main Functions of BIS

• To formulate Indian Standards and promote their implementation;
• To operate product certification;
• To operate quality system certification;
• To establish, maintain, and recognize laboratories for the purpose of standardization and quality control.

The Process of Standards Formulation

• By submitting a written request to the Bureau, any Ministry of the Central Government, State Governments, Union Territory Administrations, consumer organizations, industrial units, industry associations, professional bodies, and members of the Bureau and its technical committees may propose the establishment of a standard or the revision, amendment, or cancellation of an existing standard.
• When the relevant Division Council is confident that the need for standardizing has been established as a consequence of its own considerations or upon inquiry and engagement with interested parties, the job of formulating standards on any particular subject begins.
• Multidisciplinary fields like energy conservation, environmental protection, rural development, and safety are given particular focus.
• The relevant Technical Committee then completes the draft standard while taking any suggestions into consideration. The proposed standard, after due approval by the Sectional Committee, is delivered to the concerned Division Council’s chairman for adoption.
• At least once every five years, all established standards are examined to see if they need to be revised or withdrawn. The Section Committee reiterates standards that, in its opinion, do not require revision or modification.

Sectors for Indian Standards Formulation

BIS is engaged in the formulation of Indian Standards for the following sectors:

• Chemicals
• Civil Engineering
• Electronics and Information Technology
• Electrotechnical
• Food and Agriculture
• Basic Concepts and Methods
• Mechanical Engineering
• Management and Systems
• Medical Equipment and Hospital Planning
• Metallurgical Engineering

The Concept of Standardization Space

In order to get a correct perspective on the aims and functions of standardization, it is important first of all to examine the inter-relationship of the various attributes of standards. This could be done conveniently by considering what may be called "Standardization Space" depicted in Figure 1.2, with 'subject', 'aspect', and 'level' constituting the three axes of reference.

Primary Aims of Standardization

The aims of standardization in general, applicable to all levels individually and collectively, may be listed as follows:

1. 18 To achieve maximum overall economy in terms of: (i) cost; (ii) human effort; and (iii) conservation of essential materials as opposed to more readily available materials.
2. To ensure maximum convenience in use. It is this objective of standardization that leads to simplification, rationalization, interchangeability of parts, and the freezing of dimensions of components. Increased productivity, elimination of unnecessary waste, and shortening of inventories are the consequential benefits.
3. To adopt the best possible solutions to recurring problems, taking into account all available scientific knowledge and up-to-date technological developments.

Key Benefits of Standardization

Basic Concepts and Methods: Standardization is an effective management tool for achieving cost reduction, productivity, quality control, interchangeability, consumer protection, etc. Its implementation in industry leads to substantial benefits in one or more of the following ways:

• Standards set the recognized level of quality, the basis for building domestic and export markets, and develop goodwill and prestige for manufacturers.
• Standards provide a framework for increasing productivity through mass production, variety rationalization, and the simplification of production processes.