Bolt Standards: What Are the National and International Standardization Bodies?
Consciously choosing the correct fastening and bolting products means having knowledge of the current regulatory framework and thus of the bolt standards.
Before delving into the description of the standards and standardization bodies, it's useful to highlight that a standard is a document aimed at defining the requirements that products and services must meet.
The definition of standard characteristics facilitates the free exchange of goods and exports, in addition to providing a guarantee of their quality.
Over time, the need for standardization has become increasingly necessary because, with the development of the mechanical and metallurgical industry first and the end of the Second World War later, an economy based on international exchanges was spreading. This led to the need to standardize various industries and materials with national and international technical regulations, to therefore meet the need for common rules.
What are the most important standards for bolting?
Bolting that adheres to common rules is a guarantee for the components of the supply chain, from the manufacturer to the supplier, through the retailer and the end customer. Any product that meets certain standard criteria will be secure for everyone. These criteria are defined through specific regulations that, in addition to establishing a precise nomenclature for screws and bolts, indicate the characteristics of standard products.
Specifically, the main regulations for bolting are EN 15048 and EN14399 - aimed at defining two types of structural bolting in relation to the type of assembly to be made - and UNI EN ISO 898-1, a standard that regulates the mechanical and physical characteristics of bolting and distinguishes between high-strength and medium/low-strength bolting.
Among the most common prescriptions, some regulate the processes to which bolting should be subjected. Among these, for example, UNI EN ISO 1461, a regulation that governs the thickness of galvanization.
Moreover, the regulatory framework is completed by some mandatory certifications for the manufacturer including certification 3.1 - which attests to the conformity of the material based on tests performed on the used batch - and UNI EN 1090 certification, recognized internationally, which regulates the marketing of construction products and structural components in steel and aluminum.
Thus, the numerous regulations to adhere to serve to create, market, and use cutting-edge and unified products at a national, European, and global level. But what is the process that leads to the determination of a regulation and who sets the standards to comply with?
What are the national standardization bodies?
The entity that develops, with logical and shared criteria, the standards and possesses the authority to enforce them is the standardization body.
The first standardization bodies were born at the turn of the 20th century, coinciding with industrial development. Thus, in America were born:
AISI, American Iron and Steel Institute;
ANSI, American National Standard Institute. It is this body that has been issuing national technical standards since 1916.
In Italy, in 1928, UNI – Italian National Unification – was born, a body that met the post-war need for a structure that set equal standards for everyone and fostered collaboration between companies.
During the same period, each European country took care of drafting national standards to refer to. For example, were founded:
BSI, British Standard Institute;
AFNOR, Association Francaise de Normalisation;
DIN, Deutsche Institut fur Normung.
Both across the ocean and in Europe, specific bodies specialized in technical uses in particular fields were established. Among these, we remember:
ASTM, American Iron and Steel Material - especially for American companies, in relation to the classification and definition of materials;
ASME, American Society of Mechanical Engineers – a body that defines standards for design criteria and definition of materials;
CEN, European Committee for Standardization – a standardization body recognized by the EU as responsible for defining and developing standards at the European level. The issued standards, bearing the EN abbreviation (e.g., EN 15048), are references for regulations and directives issued by the European Parliament.
Certification bodies in Italy
The emergence of various standardization bodies and the spread of standards led to the creation of a new form of technical institution: the certification bodies. These autonomous institutes are accredited by national bodies that attest to their reliability and qualification. These bodies have the task of verifying and guaranteeing compliance with standards at the production level, and thus, that technical products are manufactured in accordance with the prescriptions.
In Italy, the government has assigned this verification task to Accredia, an entity aimed at attesting to the competence, impartiality, and independence of certification bodies as well as calibration testing laboratories. It is Accredia that attests to the suitability and conformity of products and services, according to mandatory standards.
Global standardization bodies
As described in the previous paragraphs, by the mid-20th century, the European regulatory framework was quite nationalized. A particularly significant historical moment occurred after the end of the Second World War. During this period, international exchanges became increasingly foundational for various economies, and so the ISO – International Organization for Standardization was born.
Established in 1947, this body increasingly assumed a central character and became the main reference for the unification of countries. Today ISO has the membership of 168 countries (data updated to 2023) and develops standards that are studied and defined by expert technicians appointed by the member constituents. The process for developing a regulation, from the initial proposal to publication, normally involves 3 years of work.
Among the most relevant ISO certifications is ISO 9001, a certificate of conformity of business processes and management systems to specific standards.
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