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• Stora Enso : Standards – Basic pillars of business excellence

•RFID helps blind bus riders

ISO FocusVolume 6, No. 2, February 2009, ISSN 1729-8709

The Magazine of the International Organization for Standardization

MaterialsBuilding blocks of performance

ISO Focus is published 11 times a year (single issue : July-August). It is available in English.

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Contents

February 2009.indd 1 12.02.2009 16:26:58

1 Comment Rob Steele, ISO Secretary-General, Reach high

2 World Scene Highlights of events from around the world

3 ISO SceneHighlights of news and developments from ISO members

4 Guest ViewEija Pitkänen, Head of Sustainability, Stora Enso

8 Main Focus

ISO Focus February 2009

•Survivingspace–Itstartswiththerightmaterials•Afewpaperyissues•Successstory–ISOstandardkeytolegislationbanning

carcinogenic oils in tyres•Savingcosts,ensuringperformance–Wearresistanceoftyres•Fitforuse–Furniturefillings•Versatileandwidelyused–Aluminiumleapsintothe21st century• Allittakesisabitoflight–Purifyingandself-cleaning

photocatalyst materials•Partneringformaterialsmetrology–VAMAS•Weavingasaferfuture–Antibacterialtextiles•Harmonizingtestmethodsforenergyandmoistureperformance

of building materials•Thinksmall,verysmall–Nanomaterials,theelement

of tomorrow•Cork–Natural,renewable,biodegradable•Tremd2010–Optimizingtimberstandards

40 Developments and initiativesRFID technology help blind bus riders • South African students rewarded for work on standardization

44 New on the shelfSafer manufacturing and handling of nanomaterials • Recyclability of earth-moving machinery • A smoother ride for wheelchair users

45 Coming up

Materials

© ISO Focus, www.iso.org/isofocus

Comment

On 29 May 1953, two men stood on the summit of Mount Ever-est ; at 8 848 m the highest point

of our planet. One was Edmund Hillary, who came from New Zealand, a coun-try which then enjoyed one of the high-est per capita incomes in the world; the other was Tenzing Norgay from Nepal, a country with one of the lowest.

They stood there as the result of the efforts of a team of 400 people who had worked to achieve the clear and mutually agreed objective of putting two people on the summit. The team used all the skills and expertise gained from a wide diversity of experience to achieve a goal that would have been impossible for an individual.

Behind this team was an even big-ger pool of people who supported them directly and indirectly. Some contribut-ed their skills and talents, while others contributed to the strong base of infor-mation and experience on which the suc-cessful expedition was built.

But what relevance does this sto-ry have for the first message to the ISO Focus readers of the new ISO Secretary-General, who is neither Edmund Hillary nor Tenzing Norgay ?

Firstly, the story provides a mir-ror to the fact that I inherit a legacy. There is a solid base of achievement that has been built up over the 62 years ISO has been operating, significantly enhanced by the accomplishments of Alan Bryden, our Secretary-General from 2003 to 2008.

I join an organization that has increased both its membership and the number and diversity of subjects cov-ered by ISO standards. At the same time, there is greater awareness among stake-holders of the organization and stand-ards’ users of the strength of the ISO brand. ISO is perceived more and more as a strong partner whose standards can be relied upon to help improve the wel-fare of people and to encourage eco-nomic growth.

Rob Steele

ISO Secretary-General

“ There is a solid base of achievement that has

been built up over the 62 years ISO has

been operating.”

1 Comment Rob Steele, ISO Secretary-General, Reach high

2 World Scene Highlights of events from around the world

3 ISO SceneHighlights of news and developments from ISO members

4 Guest ViewEija Pitkänen, Head of Sustainability, Stora Enso

8 Main Focus

•Survivingspace–Itstartswiththerightmaterials•Afewpaperyissues•Successstory–ISOstandardkeytolegislationbanning

carcinogenic oils in tyres•Savingcosts,ensuringperformance–Wearresistanceoftyres•Fitforuse–Furniturefillings•Versatileandwidelyused–Aluminiumleapsintothe21st century• Allittakesisabitoflight–Purifyingandself-cleaning

photocatalyst materials•Partneringformaterialsmetrology–VAMAS•Weavingasaferfuture–Antibacterialtextiles•Harmonizingtestmethodsforenergyandmoistureperformance

of building materials•Thinksmall,verysmall–Nanomaterials,theelement

of tomorrow•Cork–Natural,renewable,biodegradable•Tremd2010–Optimizingtimberstandards

40 Developments and initiativesRFID technology help blind bus riders • South African students rewarded for work on standardization

44 New on the shelfSafer manufacturing and handling of nanomaterials • Recyclability of earth-moving machinery • A smoother ride for wheelchair users

45 Coming up

Secondly, like the ascent of Ever-est, ISO’s achievements are the result of much more than any individual, or any group. It is a network of member bod-ies from 160 countries providing 50 000 experts for 208 technical committees, 531 sub-committees, 2 378 working groups and 66 ad hoc study groups, sup-ported by a Central Secretariat staff of 153. Their combined efforts contribute to the GDP of countries, reduce suffer-ing and provide practical tools to address the major challenges facing the global community.

Thirdly, the story shows that any-one can make a difference and that eve-ryone is needed to participate to make that difference. In this respect, consulta-tion is about to begin on The ISO Stra-tegic Plan 2011– 2015, a document that will shape ISO and its members’ efforts during a period when the current global economic turmoil may continue ; when global concerns about the environment will certainly continue, as will the global technological revolution that affects the way we live and raises social and ethical issues which require global responses. I urge everyone in the ISO family to par-ticipate in the consultation.

Fourthly, like the Everest expedi-tion, ISO has a wealth of skills and expe-rience to call upon and this puts us in a unique position to explore the art of the possible. Many of the issues and chal-lenges facing the international community cross traditional boundaries and neat cat-egorizations and the proposed outcomes may be controversial, if not diametrically opposed. The outcome of issues for which there is no one obvious or right answer is enhanced if it is exposed to multiple perspectives, and diminished when only one solution is considered.

Finally, the Everest expedition provides an example for ISO in that in order to fulfil our own mission, we need to reach out to an even broader base than we are doing now. The establishment of the World Standards Cooperation with the International Electrotechnical Com-mission (IEC) and the International Tel-ecommunication Union (ITU) is crucial-ly important, while initiatives to broaden stakeholder representation in standards development are vital to ISO’s continu-ous quest to make its standards global-ly relevant.

I feel privileged and honoured to join the ISO team and I look forward to working with you in the coming years sowecanallreachhigh–towardsthesummit of the mountain.

highReach

ISO Focus February 2009 1


World Scenerevise ISO/IEC 17020 (inspec-tion bodies) and ISO/IEC 17024 (personnel certification).

New developments for customs and containers Contracting parties, members of the World Customs Organi-zation and international organ-izations reviewed the status of the 1972 Customs Convention on Containers during the Administrative Committee meeting held in Brussels, Belgium, in November 2008.

The USA representative informed attendants of a new customs and border protection regulation for container seals on maritime cargo adopted by their Homeland Security Department, requiring appli-cation of ISO/PAS 17712 (mechanical seals) for transit in the USA, effective October 2008. ISO/PAS 17712 is referred to in the SAFE Framework of Standards. The standard is being considered for adoption by a European Union working group of experts.

6346 which is universally applied for coding, identifying and marking containers.

Cooperation to ensure safety at sea

security, which is complemen-tary to its own specialized work.

Can ethical consumers make a difference ?Consumer conscience was at the heart of the 10th World Export Development Forum, the flagship event of the Inter-national Trade Centre. Organ-ized in Montreux, Switzer-land, in October 2008, the forum brought together poli-cy-makers, heads of trade sup-port institutions, representa-tives of international agencies and business leaders to dis-cuss how consumers influence exports through environmental and ethical concerns.

Action plan to reinforce accredited certificationThe International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the Interna-tional Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) held joint general assemblies in Stockholm, Sweden, in October 2008 (photo below).

Over 300 delegates including industry, national regulators and intergovernmental organi-zations participated. The ISO Committee on conformity assessment (CASCO) was represented by its Secretary, Sean MacCurtain.

World Scene

Among the main outcomes was IAF’s endorsement of the joint ISO/IAF action plan to monitor and improve the effectiveness of accredited management system certifica-tion. The plan, to be imple-mented over the next few years, will promote relevant ISO standards. The IAF/ILAC/ISO joint working group will monitor progress.

The transition of certification bodies to ISO/IEC 17021, which provides requirements for those bodies certifying management systems, con-cluded successfully.

Both IAF and ILAC have set up a task force to investigate the possibility of a new struc-ture, taking into consideration the needs of stakeholders and industry. The task force will determine whether they should remain as separate organizations or adopt an alternative. Recommendations are expected at their 2009 plenary sessions.

ISO/CASCO provided an update on latest developments including the decision to

In a session on buyer power, Dana Kissinger-Matray (above) Secretary of the ISO Commit-tee for consumer policy (COPOLCO) said “ the integra-tion of the world’s economies and information systems pro-vides unparalleled opportuni-ties for consumers to influence markets.” One way to make an impact is through stakeholder representation in international standardization, as well as by demanding harmonized infor-mation and labeling.

Kevin McKinley, ISO Deputy Secretary-General, participated in a session on environmental standards and their implica-tions for developing countries. He explained that by partici-pating in standardization, developing countries can put their needs on the table. The panel agreed that harmoniza-tion of requirements and the promotion of voluntary standards were an important driver for sustainability.

Capt. Charles H. Piersall (left), Chair of ISO technical committee ISO/TC 8, Ships and marine technology, signed the MoU on behalf of the ISO Secretary-General, with Capt. Esteban Pacha-Vicente, IMSO Director-General.

Discussions took place on the possible use of ISO 1496 on specifications and testing of freight containers, in connec-tion with the convention.

ISO provided an update on the development of ISO/TS 10891 for electronic identification of containers ; the forthcoming publication of ISO 17712 ; radiofrequency identification standards ; the new ISO/PC 246 committee on anti-coun-terfeiting tools, and the proposal for a committee on fraud countermeasures and control.

Among the amendments to the convention that entered into force in 2008 was one promoting the use of ISO

ISO and the International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO) have signed a Memo-randum of Understanding (MoU) approved at the 20th session of the IMSO Assembly in September 2008.

The two organizations have many complementary activities serving the broadest interests of safety at sea, safe naviga-tion and the promotion of safe and efficient maritime transport.

IMSO is an inter-governmen-tal organization responsible for overseeing public interest in the provision of maritime mobile satellite services for the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System and coordi-nates the Long Range Identifi-cation and Tracking of Ships, appointed by the International Maritime Organization.

ISO and IMSO agreed to establish and maintain cooper-ation and to exchange infor-mation and documentation to keep each other fully informed of their activities and programmes in fields of mutual interest, including maritime communications for maritime safety and efficiency of navigation.

One of the factors that has encouraged IMSO to cooper-ate with ISO is the latter’s development of standards for various aspects of maritime

Event Fotografen/R. Hausmann

2 ISO Focus February 2009


ISO SceneDirector of Standards Initia-tives in Hewlett Packard’s Office of Strategy and Tech-nology, was appointed new Chair (subject to ISO/IEC approval).

Which financial planner can you trust ?Advisory service in financial matters is a matter of trust. As the world faces a growing economic crisis, knowing who to rely on is more topical than ever. To ensure the capability of financial planners and to protect their customers, ISO has developed a standard, ISO 22222:2006, which provides specifications for personal financial planners, addressing ability and experience as well as ethical behaviour, and including requirements for conformity.

An International Symposium on ISO 22222 was organized in Vienna, Austria, in Novem-ber 2008, emphasizing the importance of certification to protect consumers. Partici-pants included certification experts from France, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, the United Kingdom and the USA. ON, the Austrian Standards Insti-tute and ISO member for the country, who was actively involved in the development of ISO 22222, hosted the meeting.

At the event, Dr. Peter Jonas, Deputy Director of Austrian Standards plus Certification, spoke on the success of the standard in the country, “ One hundred and seventy-five per-sonal financial planners are already certified in Austria according to the system ‘ ON Certified Person ’ in conformi-ty with ISO 22222. In 2008 alone, certification increased by more than 20 %.”

New IT needs enter the ISO/IEC JTC 1 sceneThe joint ISO/IEC technical committee JTC 1, Information Technology, held its 2008 plenary meeting in Nara, Japan, last November, hosted by JISC, the ISO member for Japan.

A special “ Technology watch session ” provided participants with a snap-shot of the future evolu-tion of infor-mation and communica-tion technolo-gies.

Following this event, the Study Group on Sensor Net-works was re-established to review definitions, visions and requirements for targeted applications. Similarly, the creation of a Working Group on Corporate Governance of IT, and a Study Group on Digital Content Management Protection were approved. The Special Working Group on Planning highlighted the need for “ green IT ”.

In addition, the Maintenance Team for IT vocabulary will now be developed in accord-ance with “ Standards and databases.” The team will be responsible for updating specific terminology in the ISO Concept database.

Daniele Gerundino, Strategic Advisor to the ISO Secretary- General, presented recent developments from the ISO Information Technology Strat-egy Implementation Group (ITSIG) and ISO eServices. ISO/IEC JTC 1 re-affirmed the importance of their rela-tionship with ITSIG and the need to ensure coordinated and timely information exchanges.

Committee members expressed their gratitude to retiring Chair Scott Jameson for eight years of hard work. Mrs. Karen Higginbottom,

The next ISO 22222 interna-tional symposium will take place in Rome, Italy, in May 2009, hosted by UNI, ISO member for Italy, in coopera-tion with ON.

Kazakhstan industry exposed to ISO natural gas standards The 20th plenary of the ISO technical committee ISO/TC 193, Natural gas, took place in Astana, Kazakhstan, in September 2008, and enjoyed wide participation from 50 del-egates representing 15 coun-tries. Hosted by KAZMEMST, the ISO member for Kazakh- stan, the event began with a symposium on the latest developments in the natural gas industry in relation to standardization.

The meeting provided an opportunity to better inform the Kazakhstan natural gas industry about relevant ISO standards, among them, the recent publication of ISO 15112 on energy determina-tion. The ongoing revision of ISO 14532 (natural gas vocab-ulary) was also of interest.

Subcommittees and working groups of ISO/TC 193 held specific meetings, among them, SC 1, Analysis of natu-ral gas, currently revising key standards to determine the calorific value of natural gas–crucialforworldtradeof the resource. The subcom-mittee is also working on

standards for thermodynamic properties.

Subcommittee SC 3, Upstream area, which has recently published its first document, ISO/TR 26762 on allocation procedures, also met up to discuss current work on upstream topics like wet gas measurement.

Where will the road take us ? The ISO technical committee for road vehicles, ISO/TC 22, held its 34th plenary meeting in Seoul, Republic of Korea, in December 2008 (photo below), hosted by KATS, the ISO member for the country.

Participants from China, France, Germany, Italy, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and the United States were in attendance.

The meeting provided an opportunity to review and optimize the work of the committee to address the current period of economic crisis.

Among the many resolutions adopted was the establish-ment of a joint working group with IEC to standardize the communication between elec-tric road vehicles and charg-ing stations. The committee also decided to undertake a revision of major standards.

Kazakhstan’s industry benefited from exposure to the natural gas committee’s plenary meeting.

Participants at the ISO 22222 International Symposium, Vienna, Austria.



Guest View

Eija Pitkänenija Pitkänen is Head of Sustainability at Stora Enso. She is

globally responsible for the company’s approach to sustainability, which involves addressing environmental issues, social responsibility and communication.

Ms. Pitkänen joined Stora Enso in 2002. She has extensive experience in corporate responsibility and sustainability management issues. She has worked in the food, biotechnology and forest industries, where she has been responsible for addressing environmental, quality, safety, ethical and social issues as part of the overall concept of corporate responsibility.

Ms. Pitkänen holds a Master of Science in food microbiology from the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Food at Helsinki University.

ISO Focus : With more than 36 000 employees in 40 countries offering a wide range of products, Stora Enso is a truly international com-pany. How do ISO International Standards facilitate your interna-tional operations and what are the main areas of your activity where they are applied ?

Eija Pitkänen : International Standards provide a common global language, for our internal operations as well as our stakeholders. Most of Stora Enso’s units are certified according to ISO 9001 (qual-

“ The implementation of International Standards

provides us with a robust base for

our sales operations and customer service.”

E erence to available ISO standards for paper quality in our product specifications. For units deliver-ing materials for the food pack-aging industry, ISO 22000 (food safety management systems), has been a great support.

In Stora Enso we use standards to establish the “basic principles” for managing our business. They can be seen as basic pillars in our concept of “business excellence” where we integrate business excellence models. Continuous improve-ment is the common theme in everything we do, and we sup-porttheuseofvarioustools–from the simplest to the more structured ones e.g. Six Sig-ma, 5S and Worldclass Man-ufacturing.

ISO Focus : The ISO techni-cal committee for paper, board and pulps, ISO/TC 6,

has produced numerous standards, e.g. to determine paper sizes, opa-city, grammage, gloss, endurance, and so on. Stora Enso refers to many of these ISO standards in the technical specifications of its prod-ucts. What are, for Stora Enso, the advantages of using these Interna-tional Standards and how do they add value in your relations with customers and suppliers ?

Eija Pitkänen : ISO standards are a must. Without standards it would be very diffi-cult to specify products and their techni-cal properties. Standards make compar-isons possible. For example, customers can evaluate and compare the specifica-tions and technical properties of differ-ent suppliers if the organizations have all applied the same standards. The imple-

ity management) and ISO 14001 (envi-ronmental management) and many are also certified to OHSAS 18001 (health andsafety–notanISOstandard).Thesecertificates assure our stakeholders that we have fulfilled the requirements of the appropriate ISO standards.

In addition, our units also apply other International Standards depending on their respective operations and their stakeholders. For instance, we make ref-



mentation of International Stand-ards provides us with a robust base for our sales operations and cus-tomer service.

ISO Focus : What are the main environmental challenges faced by a paper, packaging and for-est products company ? How have standards like ISO 14001 helped Stora Enso tackle some of these issues ? The company has emphasized a commitment to reduce carbon emissions, keep track of carbon footprints and use biomass for energy – areas where ISO has devel-oped or is developing innova-tive standards, such as ISO 14064 and ISO 14065 for greenhouse gas accounting and verification and the future ISO 14067 on the carbon footprint of

products : What value would Stora Enso see in using such International Standards?

Eija Pitkänen : Environmental work in our company consists of a day-to-day focus on using raw materi-als, energy and other resources as efficiently as possible, while at the same time minimizing emissions (air and water) and our impact on soil.

We have implemented and obtained certification for environmen-tal management systems according to ISO 14001 with the aim of sup-porting environmental work with improvement targets at our mills.

Standards like ISO 14001 bring structure to this work. They also facilitate external communica-tion on how we guarantee continuous

improvements in our operations, including measurable emission targets.

Stora Enso headquarters in Helsinki, Finland.

Recovered paper, Langebrugge mill, Belgium.



Cutting down emissions is one of Stora Enso’s key performance indica-tors, which is cascading down to the local mills. Our commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions starts at the root of our operations with our renewable raw mate-rial, wood. Performance is key, our mills strive to improve both production effi-ciency and energy efficiency at the same time by increasing the share of bioener-gy (already high at 70 %) in our internal energy production.

To satisfy our stakeholders’ needs and to be able to make the necessary improvement and take corrective actions, Stora Enso has established greenhouse gas accounting procedures and created a reporting system. When we created these procedures, and as we develop them fur-ther, we build on input from globally rec-ognized standards and tools such as ISO standards, GHG protocols and industry practice.

packaging materials are safe for their intended end use.

ISO Focus : Stora Enso has identi-fied sustainability as one of its key success factors, and in this context emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability both for itself and the companies with which it does business. ISO is currently developing a standard for

Guest View

ISO Focus : Stora Enso produces packaging materials which come into direct and indirect contact with food and pharmaceuticals. To ensure con-sumer safety, Stora Enso has imple-mented ISO 22000 (food safety man-agement systems) in a number of its mills. Can you tell us more about Stora Enso’s decision and efforts to implement this standard and how the company has benefited ?

Eija Pitkänen : Stora Enso produces packaging materials for the food indus-try and its demanding end-users. Food and hygiene management systems have already been essential in the industry for many years. Since Stora Enso considers itself a leading supplier to the food indus-try, it was a natural decision to implement hygiene and food safety systems. In partic-ular, one driver was Japanese liquid pack-aging customers, whose demands for safety and hygiene standards are very high.

Food safety is not a matter of just risk assessment on paper. In Stora Enso, food management systems are enmeshed in pro-duction process and in our employees’ daily work. When our mills were building their food safety management systems and con-ducting risk assessments, employees from production lines actively participated.

With certified food safety and hygiene management systems we can eas-ily show our customers that Stora Enso’s

The Alps.“ The value of ISO 26000 lies in that it will be the outcome of work carried

out by 400 experts from 90 countries representing all

stakeholders.”

Eucalyptus harvesting in Bahia, Brazil.



social responsibility (ISO 26000). What value would Stora Enso see in having an International Standard on this topic ?

Eija Pitkänen : I am privileged as I have been able to follow closely, and partici-pate in, the development of the ISO 26000 standard on social responsibility. I am the Chairofthenationalmirrorcommittee–attheFinnishStandardsAssociation–tothe ISO working group that is develop-ing the standard.

I have to admit that at the begin-ning I was somewhat sceptical of the add-ed value that this standard could bring to companies like Stora Enso, whose sustain-ability management is quite advanced. In particular, I was worried that it was try-ing to take too much in, as the standard covers virtually all areas of sustainabili-ty : ethics, values, principles, governance, the environment, consumption, procure-ment policies, etc.

However, the value of ISO 26000 lies in that it will be the outcome of work carried out by 400 experts from 90 coun-tries representing industry, trade unions, NGOs, consumers, governments, standard-ization bodies, consultants and research-ers. Together, we have been able to agree upon a common perspective and under-standing about the principles and practice of social responsibility.

Another advantage is that the stand-ard is not only meant for the private sector but for all types of organizations, includ-ing the public sector, NGOs and other stakeholders.

It is important to note that ISO 26000 will not include requirements, and will thus not be a certification standard. As such, it is not intended to replace other existing standards, codes of conduct, con-ventions or legislation. The main idea will be to give guidance on concepts, definitions, methods of evaluation and implementation to all types of organizations.

Stora Enso Paper, packaging and

forest products

Stora Enso is an integrated paper, packaging and forest products company producing newsprint and book paper, magazine paper, fine paper, consumer board, industrial packaging and wood products.

Stora Enso’s sales totalled EUR 11.8 billion in 2007. The Group has some 36 000 employees in more than 40 countries on five continents. Stora Enso has an annual production capacity of 13.1 million tonnes of paper and board and 7.5 million cubic metres of sawn wood products, including 3.2 million cubic metres of value-added products. Stora Enso’s shares are listed in Hel-sinki and Stockholm.

Stora Enso serves mainly business-to-business customers through its own global sales and market-ing network. Customers include publishers, printing houses and merchants, as well as the pack-aging, joinery and construction industries – and are mainly con-centrated in Europe and Asia. The Group has production facilities in Western and Eastern Europe, as

well as in Russia, Latin America and Asia.

A Stora Enso product – The discbox slider.



Materials

Main Focus



Materials

Surviving space – It starts with the right materials

Guy Turzo, Convenor, ISO/ TC 20/SC 14/WG 6, Materials and processes

Nowhere is the importance of stand-ards for materials more clear than with aircraft and space vehicles.

To successfully cross the atmosphere at mind-numbing speeds through extreme temperatures requires high precision at all stages of the space project. And when the craft is designed to carry passengers, how careful must you be ?

Space projects can cost millions of dollars. With such high stakes involved, it is important to ensure that everything works out smoothly. The materials cho-sen and used to build these craft play a crucial role in the success of the mis-sion. Not only must they keep the object together as it cruises across the bound-aries that separate the Earth from outer space, but they must also enable the vari-ous processes and activities that the craft was designed to perform. Clearly, it is fundamental to have stringent require-ments that ensure the safety, reliabili-ty and interoperability of the materials and processes in space systems.

Looking out for the newThe technical committee dedi-

cated to the standardization of materi-als, components, and equipment used in aircraft and space vehicles is ISO/TC 20, Aircraft and Space Vehicles. With-in it, working group WG 6 of ISO/TC 20’s subcommittee SC 14, Space sys-tems and operations, deals specifically with materials and processes.

The working group must take into account the interaction of materi-als, processes and environmental and operational aspects. Its standards aim to provide designers with requirements and guidelines on the availability of mate-rials, their characteristics with respect to their application, recommendations for their usage and examples of space applications.

The standards and their requirements are continuously evolv-

ing in par with space programmes and technology. Materials specifications may not be the same for different launchers, satellites, exploratory probes or long-term manned structures.

Significant effort has been put into the development of new advanced materials that provide the high strength, stiffness or dimensional stability neces-sary to withstand the required environ-mental conditions, as well as to increase compatibility with the space environ-ment, and the lifespan of devices.

The working group studies mate-rials which are currently in use and well-known, such as metallic, composite, elastomeric or thermal protection mate-rials. It also looks at new and advanced materials like refractory metals, glass and ceramic, carbon-carbon composite, very specific materials (super alloys, magnesium alloys), technical textiles, foams and others.

Not a simple lifeMaterials selected for space

projects must be subjected to a range of environments, to reflect the require-ments they must meet throughout their lifecycle as part of a space vehicle.

Main Focus

To begin with, the craft and its components must survive the launch phase. This involves:

• sustaining the launch with important mechanical and thermal loads ;

• demonstrating compatibility with electrical and chemical domains.

Once in space, during the orbit-al phase, the craft must :

• sustain lower mechanical loads and cyclical thermal loads ;

• demonstrate compatibility with the space environment ;

“ Nowhere is the importance of standards for materials more clear than with aircraft and

space vehicles.”



Main Focus

• demonstrate debris mitigation after high velocity impact ;

• for manned missions, demonstrate compatibility of materials and chem-ical products with human beings.

If the object is to return to Earth, it must be able to resist the high tem-peratures of the re-entry phase. Final-ly, it should have the capability of being repaired during the maintenance phase.

Any selected material must be appropriately characterized to ensure that it can meet these requirements throughouttheentiremission–forboththe required cycles and duration.

Don’t burst into flamesThe current projects of WG 6 aim

to fill identified gaps to address the needs of space activities. One such standard is ISO 14624-1:2003, Space systems – Safety and compatibility of materials, Part 1 : Determination of upward flam-mability of materials.

The upward flammability test is conducted in the most severe flam-ing combustion environment expected in the spacecraft. Part 1 of ISO 14624 specifies a method for determining the flammability of aerospace materials by upward space flame propagation. This test determines if a material, when exposed to a standard ignition source, will self-extinguish and not transfer burning debris which can ignite adja-cent materials.

A revised version of this stand-ard to be proposed in the near future will increase the number of test sam-ples from three to five, to enable a more reliable interpretation of results. This is the best compromise between statisti-cal reliability and practical application. Burn length and ambient conditions will be more precisely defined.

Orbital collisionsAnother important standard cur-

rently under development is ISO 11227, Space systems – Test procedure to eval-uate spacecraft material ejecta upon hypervelocity impact.

Throughout its orbital lifetime a spacecraft is exposed to the risk of colli-sion with orbital debris and micro-mete-oroids. Damage by meteoroids or debris can in turn generate small debris, which can result in mission failure and failure to perform post-mission disposal.

Because such collisions take place at high velocities, an object much smaller than the spacecraft may cause significant damage or even fragmenta-tion. Although the impact ejecta released from spacecraft surfaces is a contribut-ing source of small debris, other surface release mechanisms such as UV degra-dation, thermal cycling and atomic oxy-gen erosion are also relevant.

ISO 11227 will outline a stand-ard approach for assessing the behav-iour–underorbitaldebrisormeteor-oidimpacts–ofthematerialsthatareused on the external surfaces of space-craft. The standard will cover all kinds of orbit (low, medium and high earth orbits) and propose a methodology in three steps.

The first step is to accurately assess the behaviour of the materials under impact. The second step is to set up a database for these materials. Step

three aims to determine the production of small debris throughout the lifetime of a spacecraft due to meteoroid and debris impact.

The standard will establish the requirements for the test methods to be used to characterize the amount of ejecta produced upon impact of a high-velocity projectile. The goal is to eval-uate the ejecta total mass over projec-tile mass ratio and the size distribution of the fragments.

About the author

Guy Turzo is Convenor of ISO/TC 20/ SC 14/WG 6, Materials and processes. He is a mechan-ical engineer within the French Space Agency (CNES).

About the author

This standard will help in the selection of materials for spacecraft, which must pass a flammability test conducted in a quiescent environment subjected to the highest expected oxy-gen concentration to ensure their safe-ty in space.

“ The standards and their requirements are

continuously evolving in par with space programmes

and technology.”

“ If the object is to return to Earth, it must be

able to resist the high temperatures of the

re-entry phase.”

In order to fulfil this objec-tive, precisely-defined impact tests are required using readily available impact test ranges. The results will be used to create an accessible database concern-ing the behaviour of the materials upon hypervelocity impact.

This standard is being developed with the cooperation of the orbital debris coordination working group.



Materials

Thermo-optical propertiesWG 6 has also a number of new

projects, among them the measurement of thermo-optical properties of thermal control materials. The proposed standard would describe the methodology, instruments, equipment and samples for calculating the thermo-optical properties of thermal-control materials. A round-robin exercise has been performed as a preliminary step to justify the requirements included in the proposal for the standard.

The following test methods will be detailed in the standard, including configuration of samples and calcu-lations :

• solar absorptance using spectrometer (αs) ;

• solar absorptance using portable equipment (αp) ;

• infrared emittance using thermal test methods (εh) ;

• infrared emittance using IR spectrom-eter (εh) ;

• infrared emittance using hemispher-ic collector optics (εn) ;

• infrared emittance using portable equipment (εn).

A good coat of paintA proposal is also underway for

a standard on the general requirements of paint thermal regulating coating. Such a standard would define the classifica-tion of paint thermal regulating coating to be used as a passive and active ther-mal-optical subsystem for thermal reg-ulation of spacecraft devices, their gen-eral properties and the special charac-teristics describing application in space environment influence.

Thermal regulating coating refers to the elements of passive and active thermal-optical subsystem for thermal regulation of spacecraft devices. It is applied on the external surfaces and sep-arate units of a device in order to mini-mize the risks of degradation.

The standard would contain spe-cial recommendations for the prepara-tion of surfaces, application of coating, hardening and test methods. Its aims would be to support the management, engineering, control and product assur-ance of space projects.

The new frontierISO/TC 20/SC 14 is responsi-

ble for 140 standards, of which 40 are assigned to WG 6. Already the links between WG 6 and other ISO/TC 20/SC 14 working groups have been clear-ly identified and this has fostered effi-cient cooperation.

The next step is to emphasize links between the work of WG 6 and that of other technical committees, since most materials used in space pro-grammes also have applications in other fields. Cooperation with other technical committees would allow completion of the ISO/TC 20/SC 14/WG 6 work plan and framework.

Teamwork out of this world

Since its establishment six years ago, working group WG 6, Materials and processes, of ISO/TC 20/SC 14, Space systems and operations, has enjoyed a constant level of participation with a wide international diversity.

Many WG 6 projects are closely linked to the activities of the other ISO/TC 20/SC 14 working groups, so that a strong cooperation exists among them.

In addition to WG 6, ISO/TC 20/SC 14 working groups include :

•WG 1 : Design engineering group ;

•WG 2 : Interfaces ;

•WG 3 : Operations ;

•WG 4 : Space environments ;

•WG 5 : Programme management ;

•ODC WG : Orbital Debris Coordination.



Paper commanding a premium price should deliver measurably supe-rior performance. It may appear whiter, perhaps more glossy and it should not curl at the edges when coming out of a copier or laserjet printer. Much of the price, however, is associated with its ability to enable a high-fidelity print-ed image.

Whiter under the sun

Similar considerations must be taken into account when quantifying the perceived whiteness of paper. In fluorescent fine papers, whiteness is strongly related to the degree to which the ultraviolet light in the room excites fluorescence in the paper.

Appreciating this sensitivity of whiteness, brightness and colour of flu-orescent paper in relation to ultraviolet light, ISO/TC 6 led the way in embed-ding in its standards a calibration sys-tem for the strength of ultraviolet light in the measuring colorimeter.

The committee has also struggled with the observation that the dominant standard illuminant for colorimetry in other industries is CIE 1) D65, which cor-responds to outdoor daylight and excites twice as much fluorescence as the more relevant indoor lighting. Therefore, paper may often appear whiter when viewed closer to a window.

We now have a choice of separate ISO standards to measure whiteness for viewing under outdoor or indoor condi-

“ The way ingredients are put together makes the difference between ordinary and premium paper that may cost six

times as much.”

A few papery issuesby Byron Jordan, Chair, and Maureen O’Neill, Secretary, ISO/TC 6, Paper, board and pulps

Look closely at the magazine you are reading. See the colour fidel-ity of the images, feel the heft of

the paper and caress it for smoothness. Tilt the paper to appreciate its glossi-ness and as you bring it closer to a win-dow watch out for any increase in appar-ent whiteness.

What does it mean when we say that ISO Focus is printed on qual-ity paper ?

Paper is a highly engineered mate-rial made from self-adhering bleached wood fibres, powdery mineral filler to scatter light, and dyes and fluorescent whitening chemicals to control col-our. It is also given a surface treatment to control porosity, gloss and surface chemistry.

The way these ingredients are put together makes the difference between ordinary office paper and premium paper –whichmaycostsixtimesasmuch–and paper for printing photographs, which may cost over twenty times the price of ordinary office paper ! 1) International Commission on Illumination

The ISO technical committee ISO/TC 6, Paper, board and pulp, has developed measurement standards to address the many strength and appear-ance attributes of paper. Throughout its work, the committee must consider the relevance of each measurement with the end-use utility and value of the prod-uct in mind.

A combination of dyes and fluorescent whiteners can produce a wide range of paper colours, although the apparent colour may change with viewing angle or access to window light.


Main Focus


Materials

About the authors

Byron Jordan has only recent-ly been appoint-ed Chair of ISO/TC 6, Paper, board and pulp, but he has been con-tributing to the work of its vari-ous working

groups for more than 30 years. He has a Ph.D. in physics and has specialized in colour physics and the relationship between optical measurements and the underlying materials science of paper

Maureen O’Neill is Secretary of ISO/TC 6, and has 36 years’ research experi-ence at FPInnovations measuring a wide range of paper properties. Current work focuses on quantifying print quality.

tions. This will become more important as energy efficiency and climate change concerns motivate the increased use of light emitting diodes for indoor light-ing, because these lights excite little or no fluorescence in paper.

“ Here, match this ”End use is also a consideration

for measuring the colour of newsprint. Newspapers may mix rolls of paper from different regions so that adjacent pag-es in a newspaper may originate from opposite ends of a continent.

For us not to notice the differ-ence, the various suppliers would need to match a target colour closely. This would require their instrumentation to be calibrated to identical parame-ters. Newsprint is not stable enough to simply say “ Here, match this.” So the paper industry developed a system of absolute colorimetry, where the num-bers from standard measurements are matched instead of directly matching the paper itself.

Deceptive dryingAdherence to standards is as

crucial for the pulp industry as for the paper and paperboard industry.

Take for example the ISO bright-ness measurement, which indicates progress in pulp bleaching. The stand-ard calls for a pad of pulp to be dried

overnight before its ISO brightness is measured. However, impatience moti-vates many mills to accelerate the dry-ing process with heat, which may dark-en the pad. The mill might then need to double its chemical usage to compensate for the misleading darkening.

ly crosses borders. When products are shipped internation-

ally in boxboard, the strength of those boxes and the friction that keeps them from sliding during transport need to be specified in an internationally rec-ognized manner.

The wide world of paper, board and pulp reflects the versatility of a pop-ular material. To ensure the perform-ance, quality, safety, and environmen-tal impact of this product, it is impor-tant to have International Standards as versatile as the material itself. This is what ISO/TC 6 is all about.

“ Environmental impact is taken very

seriously.”

Doubling the chemical usage has serious environmental and finan-cial implications. And environmental impact is taken very seriously. A sub-stantial proportion of the standards pro-duced by ISO/TC 6 are therefore con-cerned with quantifying aspects of envi-ronmental impact.

Global natureThe global nature of the pulp and

paper industry requires that we quanti-fy our product quality and environmen-tal measurements in an internationally recognized manner. Many of the larger producers have mills in several countries and need Interna-tional Standards even to communicate and control quality specifications within their own organizations.

Furthermore, a substantial quan-tity of both pulp and paper regular-

The structure of paper is engineered for particular properties. The newsprint in the top image has a rough and porous surface. The paper in the middle image is more compressed and smooth, and contains mineral pigments to scatter light and make it more opaque. The paper in the bottom image is smoothest and least porous because it has been painted with a coating layer. (Micrographs courtesy of R. Allem at FPInnovations)

“ The global pulp and paper industry requires that we quantify quality

and environmental measurements in an

internationally recognized manner.”

during a long research career at FPInno-vations. Dr. Jordan is Fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science and also of the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry.



Main Focus

Success story – ISO standard key to legislation banning carcinogenic oils in tyres

by Francis Peters, Convenor, ISO/TC 45/SC 3/WG 5, Synthetic rubber

I t has nothing to do with smell. The so-called highly aromatic extender oils (HA-oils) have been used in tyre

manufacture for years for their ability to improve performance and safety. But these oils, which have now been iden-tified as carcinogenic, can over time have some serious environmental con-sequences.

In July 2006, the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers Association (ETRMA) wrote the following position statement about carcinogenic HA-oils in tyres:

“When the discussions on the potential environmental impact of the so-called highly aromatic extender oils (HA-oils) used for the production of tyres started in the mid 90’s, the BLIC 1) tyre members launched an ambitious program to search for substitutes.

“ The process of replacing the HA-oils by the alternative oils presented a great challenge for industry because it is of key importance that the tyre performance (wet grip, braking dis-tance, etc.) and road safety are assured. Therefore, the process not only requires chemical re-engineer-ing, extended laboratory tests and complete tyre tests, but also adapta-tions of the production process.

“This ambitious program was undertaken in cooperation with the synthetic rubber producers and the oils suppliers. The tyre industry publicly announced in June 2003 that it will pursue a precautionary approach and committed to phase out the use of the HA-oils before December 2009.

“In the context of assuring a level playing field, ETRMA is supporting the European Directive on the restric-tion of the marketing and use of cer-tain PAH containing extender oils used in tyre production (Directive 2005/69/EC).”

A decision is madeThe above-mentioned Directive

2005/69/EC restricts both the placing on the market and the use of extend-er oils (HA-oils) for the production of tyres or parts of tyres when the extend-er oil contains :

• more than 1 mg/kg BaP (benzo(a)pyrene) ; or

• more than 10 mg/kg of the sum of all listed PAHs 2).

This applies to tyres produced after 1 January 2010. Moreoever, all tyres retreaded after 1 January 2010 should use new tread not containing the above defined HA-oils.

Although the text of the directive no longer exists in its initial form today, it has been included in the European Community regulation REACH 3).



Materials

Aguas de Santiago ISO 24510 implementation project team

1) BLIC (Bureau de liaison de l’industrie de caoutchouc) became ETRMA as of May 2006.

2) Benzo(a)pyrene, Benzo(e)pyrene, Benzo(a) anthracene, Chrysene, Benzo(b)fluoranthene, Benzo(j)fluoranthene, Benzo(k)fluoranthene, Dibenzo(a,h) anthracene.

3) See page 439 of the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances (REACH). REACH is a new European Community regulation on chemicals and their safe use that entered into force in June 2007.

4) DT Coker, AG King, DL Mumford and CS Nessel, “ Carcinogenis assessment of petroleum products by nuclear magnetic resonance ” Analytical communication May 1997, vol 34 (137-140).

About the author

Francis Peters is the Head of the French dele-gation to ISO/TC 45/SC 3, and the Convenor of ISO/TC 45/SC 3/WG 5, Synthetic rubber. After completing chemical studies,

he joined the Michelin group in 1976, starting from fundamental research on vulcanization of rubber, then moving on to diffusion of gas and on degradation of rubber. After a few years of working with new concepts, he joined in 2000 the raw material department of the Michelin group as Technical Director.

About the author

Investigation starts To be applicable, the legisla-

tion needed a standard able to demon-strate whether a tyre contains HA-oil or otherwise.

ISO subcommittee SC 3, Raw materials (including latex) for use in the rubber industry, under the techni-cal committee ISO/TC 45, Rubber and rubber products, provided this much- needed support.

Firstly, it investigated the appli-cability of an existing analytical meth-od based on gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), which unfortunately in this specific case did not prove to be an efficient method, due

to the many interferences with other components contained in both oil and rubber compounds.

Then, starting from a publication by DT Coker et al. 4), a method based on bay proton measurement by nuclear magnetic resonance (NRM), was suc-cessfully tested and proposed as the source of a standard to be developed by ISO/TC 45/SC 3 working group WG 6, Non-black ingredients.

This method provides a general procedure using NMR for the

selective determination of aromaticity of oil in vulcanized rubber compounds. The standard was published in 2006 as ISO 21461, Rubber – Determination of the aromaticity of oil in vulcanized rub-ber compounds.

Upholding the lawAn inspection and test plan per-

formed by ISO demonstrated the accu-racy of the method, and convinced the European legislator to cite ISO 21461 in the above-mentioned regulation. The standard would be used as the reference method to demonstrate whether a tyre is infringing the law.

In 2008, ISO/TC 45/SC 3/WG 6 complemented the original ISO 21461 standard with an amendment outlining

Figure 1 – Example of Tyre construction.

A – Tread ; B – Sidewall ; C – Innerliner and carcass ply ; D – Bead filler/Apex ; E – chafer compound/abrasion gum strip ; F – Under-tread ; G – Rubberized belts.

“The standard would be used as

the reference method to demonstrate whether a tyre is

infringing the law.”

AG

E

B

C

D

E

F



Main Focus

rules on the correct way to take samples from a tyre for the application of the NMR method.

Sampling of compounds from tyres is complicated by the intrinsic complexity of their construction, which includes many different components. In addition, the visual inspection of tyre sections also requires some degree of skill for the identification of the vari-ous components. The aim of the 2008 amendment is to provide the analyst with basic instructions for the sectioning and recovery of compound specimens.

Figure 1 provides an example of the main components of a tyre, but many more components may be present or absent depending on its particular design. A visual inspection of a clean cut of a cross-section, conducted with the help of a magnifying glass, is use-ful and is recommended to reveal the actual structure of the tyre before the start of the sampling operations.

Figure 1 – The Laboratory Abrasion Tester 100 (including principal components).

Saving costs, ensuring performanceAn innovative laboratory method to predict wear resistance of tyres

by Michael Heinz, Convenor of ISO/TC 45/SC 2/WG 3, Degradation tests

The “ magic triangle” of tyre performance can be said to encom-pass wear during service, wet traction and rolling resistance. When produc-ing summer tyres for passenger cars, it is crucial to ensure an excellent compromise between all three char-acteristics.

The abrasion or wear resist-ance of tyres is a difficult parameter to measure, but it is a key considera-tion for developing new compounds. However, the cost of testing this prop-erty on actual roads is enormous, mak-ing a laboratory-based test that does not require actual tyres indispensable for the industry.

Eureka !Research work over several

years has finally resulted in a phys-ics-based test procedure, the necessary equipment and an evaluation for reli-able quality control of existing com-pounds. This has led to the development of a trustworthy tool for evaluating the wear performance of newly developed compounds in laboratories.

The loss in mass due to abrasion is determined through the slip caused by setting different slip angles and rotational speeds between a wheel-shaped rubber test piece and an abrasive disc, rotating in planes at right angles to each other and pressed against each other with a specified load (see Figure 1). The test

result can be reported as the loss in mass per unit running distance and/or as an abrasion resistance index compared to a reference compound. Thus, an accurate simulation of a tyre’s road behaviour is now possible.

“The laboratory method can thus be considered

to be as reliable as road testing for ranking passenger car tyres.”

The 2008 amendment explains to the user of ISO 21461 the right way to get samples for measurement (see example in Figure 2).

And now ?The legislation for the use of

HA-oils in tyres will enter into force in Europe on 1 January 2010. With the contribution of ISO/TC 45/SC 3, it will be possible to prove whether a tyre put on the market respects the leg-islation or not.

Figure 2 – Samples for tyre measurement.

Repeated investigations on passenger car tyre tread compounds using this laboratory test equipment (known as LAT 100) were found to be consistent with several years’ worth of road test results. The laboratory method can thus be considered to be as reliable as road testing for ranking passenger car tyres (Figure 2).

The attractive correlation results convinced numerous tyre producers, as well as their suppliers, to install these test facilities in their laboratories. To facili-tate the process, a proposal for an Inter-national Standard providing requirements for this method was submitted to ISO technical committee ISO/TC 45, Rubber and rubber products. The idea received wide approval. Today the subcommittee responsible for developing the standard, ISO/TC 45/ SC 2, Testing and analysis,



Materials

Figure 2 – Correlation of the rating of wear resistance for passenger car tyre treads (road results versus laboratory results).

Dr. Michael Heinz studied Physics at the University of Karlsruhe and obtained his Ph.D. at the Max Planck Institute for Steel Research in Düssel-dorf, Germany. In 1987 he joined Degussa AG as the Head of the Rub-ber Laboratory. Between 1994 and 2002 he was the Head of the Refer-ence and Development Laboratories and since 2003, he has been Manager for Rubber Filler Characterization at Evonik Degussa GmbH. Dr. Heinz actively participates in the work of ISO/TC 45, and is Convenor of ISO/TC 45/SC 2/WG 3, Degradation tests.

has finalized ISO 23233, Rubber, vul-canized or thermoplastic – Determi-nation of resistance to abrasion using a driven, vertical abrasive disc, which should be published in 2009.

About the author

Fit for use – Furniture fillings

by David King, Convenor of ISO/TC 45/SC 4/WG 8, Flexible and Semi-rigid Cellular Materials

Upholstered furniture and bed mat-tresses represent the predominant use for flexible polyurethane foam.

Historically, the market has existed for around half a century, and makes up an important percentage of manufacturing in the world’s industrial nations.

The ISO technical committee ISO/TC 45, Rubber and rubber products, has produced a wide portfolio of standards. Here, ISO 5999:2007, Flexible cellular polymeric materials – Polyurethane foam for load-bearing applications excluding carpet underlay – Specification, has a pivotal role to play in the fitness for pur-pose of furniture items.

Polyurethane foam is available in a wide variety of density variants, typically between15–100kg/m3. Although this is a substantial numerical and technological spread, the product group is still charac-teristically lightweight by polymer stand-ards, as this equates to a specific gravity of0.015–0.10.Themajorcontentofanycomponent is therefore fresh air.

It is commonplace for manu-facturers to offer each density grade at several different levels of firmness, and to optimize comfort, performance and cost. Furniture seen in the high street will usually contain a variety of such grades.

Foamy issues – Density is not enough

Suppliers of foam components and furniture manufacturers alike need material specification parameters to give consumers the kind of durability they expect. At a fairly unsophisticat-ed level, this can entail simply a series of agreed density specifications. Pro-vided that the material has a polymer content of 100 %, it can be a good fit-ness for purpose indicator, with high-er density foams likely to confer bet-ter durability. Established furniture manufacturers will usually have good durability track record information to support their purchasing strategy and provide confidence in their favoured foam grades.

However, flexible foams of the 21st century do not always have a poly-mer content of 100 %. Consumer fire safety legislation in some countries such as Ireland, the United Kingdom and the USA, requires the addition of flame retardants/combustion modifiers.



Main Focus

About the author

David King has been Convenor of the ISO working group ISO/TC 45/SC 4, Products (other than hos-es), WG 8, Flexible and semi-rigid cellu-lar materials,

since 1997 and is also Chair of the mir-ror committees at British Standards Institution (BSI) and the European Com-mittee for Standardization (CEN). He obtained a doctorate in chemistry from Manchester University in the United Kingdom (UK) and has 38 years experi-ence in various technical positions with-in the flexible PU foam industry. He plays an active role in the UK and Euro-pean PU foam trade associations.

The key standards

ISO 1798:2008 Flexible cellular polymeric materials – Determination of tensile strength and elongation at break

ISO 1856:2000 Flexible cellular polymeric materials – Determination of compression set

ISO 2439:2008 Flexible cellular polymeric materials - Determination of hardness (Indentation technique)

ISO 2440:1997 Flexible cellular polymeric materials – Accelerated ageing tests

ISO 3385:1989 Flexible cellular polymeric materials – Determination of fatigue by constant-load pounding

ISO 5999:2007 Flexible cellular polymeric materials – Polyurethane foam for load-bearing applications excluding carpet underlay – Specification

ISO 8307:2007 Flexible cellular polymeric materials – Determination of resilience by ball rebound

Class Type of Service Indentation Hardness loss (%)

X Exceptionally severe

0 to 12

V Very severe 12 to 22

S Severe 22 to 32

A Average 32 to 39

L Light 39 to 45

Class Recommended application

X Heavy-duty seats in continuous use by the public (contract furniture)Heavy-duty public transport seats

V Private and commercial vehicle drivers’ seatsPublic transport vehicle seatsCinema and theatre seatsOffice furniture seats or seats used by the public (contract furniture)

S Private and commercial vehicle passenger seatsDomestic furniture seatsPublic transport seat backs and armrestsContract (commercial) furniture backs and armrests

A Private vehicle seat backs and armrestsDomestic furniture backs and armrests

L PaddingScatter cushions or throw pillowsOther pillows

Elsewhere, formulations may contain fillers for high load-bearing, recycling or cost reduction. Under these circumstances, polymer content may be significantly reduced, so that published density specifications no longer reflect real polymer densities.

Unfortunately, such detailed information is the intellectual property of the foam manufacturer and, unless there is downstream sharing, compo-nent purchasers will have no apprecia-tionofrealpolymerdensity–theoldfitness for purpose rule of thumb will then lack robustness.

The effect of such diluents on load-bearing properties will depend on various factors, including their concen-tration. While rarely catastrophic, it will always be to some extent negative and in need of quantification.

Real durability Against this background, ISO

5999:2007 constitutes an extremely val-uable tool by making recommendations on the back of more specific durability properties, and avoiding any attempt at a density link.

Foams undergo some soften-ing and thickness loss during extended use because of physical changes with-

Figure 1 – Classes and intended type of service in ISO 5999.

Figure 2 – Recommended applications in ISO 5999.



Materials

in the cellular network, and the ISO 5999 standard uses these for material classification.

In-use wear (fatigue) of foams can be simulated in laboratories by applying ISO 3385 (for full titles, see Box). Indentation hardness is measured using ISO 2439, both before and after repeated indentation for 80 000 cycles at applied force 750N.

The aim is to replicate the effect of a person of average weight repeat-edly sitting on the material over a con-densed time frame. The resultant sof-tening is partially reversible with long recovery periods, but ISO 3385 uses a standard (if nominal) 10 minute recov-ery period. Resultant hardness loss is imported into ISO 5999 and classified as shown in Figure 1.

“Suppliers of foam components and furniture

manufacturers need material specifications to give consumers the durability they expect.”

Typical end-use applications for each class of material are shown in Figure 2.

Fatigue classifications are under-pinned by a series of subordinate requirements, namely tensile strength and elongation at break (ISO 1798), both before and after heat and humidi-ty ageing (ISO 2440) and compression set (ISO 1856).

The latest edition of ISO 5999, published in 2007, contains, for the first time, performance requirements for so-called “viscoelastic” or low resilience foams, which are increasingly used in various types of furniture. They are defined in the standard by their ball rebound characteristics (ISO 8307).

ISO 5999 therefore provides a broad portfolio of criteria to support manufacturing specifications, materi-als sourcing and design. It is a power-ful tool for ensuring that substandard materials do not enter the marketplace. Integration into manufacturers’ quality control systems can help to maximize consumer satisfaction.

Versatile and widely used – Aluminium leaps into the 21st century

by Michel Canton, Chair, and Hélène Cros, Secretary, ISO/TC 79, Light metals and their alloys

Aluminium is the most recently dis-covered of all metals, long after copper, iron, gold and lead, which

have been used for thousands of years.In 1854, during the French Second

Empire, the chemist Henri Sainte-Claire Deville “ freed ” aluminium. Napoleon III, not hiding his admiration for this discov-ery, required that aluminium ingots be displayed on the French exhibition stands of the 1855 Paris World Fair.

Over the next few years, alumini-um production increased from 500 kg in 1860 to three tons in 1890. France had a virtual monopoly over the production of this promising metal. Often regarded as a precious metal, its price was as high as silver, and it was fashionable to wear all sorts of creations designed by gold-smiths, jewellers and luxury good manu-facturers. In 1893, Paul Héroult, inventor of aluminium electrolysis, built a plant in Gardanne, in the south of France, in order to produce aluminium in “ indus-trial quantities ”.

World War I boosted aluminium production, which soon found military applications, such as in the emerging aircraft industry.

The tremendous development of energy since the mid-20th century has directly impacted electrolytic alumini-um production capacities. In the 1950s, 50 000 amp cells with a production capac-ity of approximately 16 000 tons of alu-minium per year were created. Today, 500 000 amp cells can produce four tons of the metal per day.



Main Focus

Delivering on its promises

The world’s aluminium produc-tion has now exceeded 30 million tons, with main applications concentrated in the fields of transport, building and con-struction, packaging, electric equipment, and consumer goods.

Due to its many qualities, alu-minium is the most widely used metal after iron in terms of tonnage and value. It is used in industries as wide ranging as, for example :

• transport (aircraft, trucks, cars, trains, boats, bicycles, etc) ;

• packaging (canned food, foil, cans, beverage brick packs, food trays, aer-osol containers, etc) ;

• building and construction (façades, windows, doors, gutters, guardrails, balconies, etc) ;

• consumer goods (electric and elec-tronic equipment, kitchenware, inte-rior design, furniture, etc) ;

• electric wires and cables, conducting bars, electronics, DVDs, CDs, etc.

with different regional standards (e.g., for Europe, North America, Asia). The harmonization of these regional stand-ards would facilitate international trade on a massive scale, bringing cost sav-ings for all stakeholders.

A world of standardsThe early 1950s also saw the cre-

ation of technical committee ISO/TC 79, Light metals and their alloys, which has since developed over 100 Interna-tional Standards in its field.

All ISO standards undergo peri-odic review to ensure they are relevant and up to date with new developments. Following review, standards may be confirmed, revised or withdrawn. ISO/TC 79 subcommittees have undertak-en to update several of their published International Standards, and all stake-holders have an interest in supporting such a task.

In the worldwide aluminium mar-ket, exporters must currently comply

About the authors

Michel Canton is Industrial Property and Standardization Manager within Alcan Engineered Products. He has gained appreciation and a thorough knowledge of the aluminium industry thanks to his exten-sive background and experience within different businesses, such as foil, strip, sheet, plates, and within special applications such as circle, roll-bond, high purity, automotive, finstock, extruded products, and more recently aerospace, transport and industry. Mr. Canton has been Chair of ISO/TC 79, Aluminium and aluminium alloys, since 2007.

Hélène Cros has been Standardization Project Manager for the Association française de normali-sation (AFNOR) since June 2000. She has been the secretary of several ISO technical committees in the industrial engineering field, and is currently

Secretary of both ISO/TC 79, Light metals and their alloys, and ISO/ TC 79/SC 6, Wrought aluminium and aluminium alloys.

“Often regarded as a precious metal, its price was as high as silver.”

Overhaul to be wroughtOver the past year, ISO/TC 79/

SC 6, Wrought aluminium and alumini-um alloys, has begun the revision of sev-eral standards developed in the 1980s. With Japan as the project leader, revi-sions of each of the four parts of the ISO 6361 series of standards on sheets, strips and plates have been registered in the SC 6 work programme. Further, a new fifth part on chemical composi-tion is being developed. The aim is to update this series to take into account the developments within the aluminium industry of the last 30 years.

Revision of the five-part ISO 6362 series of standards on extruded rods/bars, tubes and profiles has been registered in the subcommittee’s work programme at a preliminary stage. For this series, two additional parts are pro-posed: one to address tolerances on shapes and dimensions of tubes, and one on chemical composition. The pre-liminary stage will allow SC 6 to pro-pose updated draft standards in the first term of 2009.

The subcommittee has also decid-ed to re-organize the standards for cold drawn rods/bars, tubes and wires. This entails revision of the ISO 6363 series (five parts), which will be redesigned as a new series to be consistent with ISO 6361 and ISO 6362. As such, the new ISO 6363 series will also super-sede the existing ISO 5193 on drawn round bars and ISO 6365-1 on cold drawn wire. It is expected that updat-ed draft standards will be prepared for discussion within the subcommittee in September 2009.

Adding to this ambitious work programme, SC 6 has also made a pro-posal to revise ISO 7271:1982, Alumini-um and aluminium alloys – Foil and thin strip – Dimensional tolerances.

“Aluminium is the most widely used metal after

iron.”



Materials

Reactivated and raring to go

ISO/TC 79/SC 2, Anodized alumin-ium, was reactivated at the beginning of 2007. The subcommittee has been stand-ardizing the performance requirements and test methods of anodized alumini-um, excluding non-porous oxide coat-ings of the barrier layer type and oxide coatings intended merely to prepare the substrate for subsequent application of organic coatings or electrodeposition of metals.

Since its reactivation, SC 2 has decided to revise 22 of the 25 published International Standards under its respon-sibility. Of these revisions, 20 are being developed under the Vienna Agreement 1). Listings of all the published standards and current work programme can be found on the ISO Web site by follow-ing the ISO/TC 79 link from www.iso.org/iso/list_of_iso_technical_commit-tees.htm.

Excellent opportunityWith more and more developing

countries becoming active in the alu-minium industry, it is important for ISO/TC 79 to involve them in its standardiza-tion activities. It is equally important for them to participate. The updating of these ISO/TC 79 standards provides an excel-lent opportunity for them to get involved –asitdoesforallstakeholders.

1) Agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN (European Committee for Standardization).

“The updating of these ISO/TC 79 standards provides an excellent

opportunity to get involved.”

All it takes is a bit of lightPurifying and self-cleaning photocatalyst materials

by Koji Takeuchi, Convenor of ISO/TC 206/WG 37, Test methods for photocatalytic materials, and Tai Kyu Lee, Chair of ISO/TC 206, Fine ceramics

We probably all wish that building façades would resist dirt, staying as clean

as the day they were finished. And if all it took was just a bit of light, how wonderful would that be ? Fortunately, thanks to the application of photocatal-ysis–theaccelerationofaphotoreac-tioninthepresenceofacatalyst–thisthought can become a reality.

Despite rapid commercialization of this technology, however, there are no standard testing methods available for photocatalysis. And since it is so new, there is no specific ISO technical committee for the field. Photocataly-

sis is therefore being addressed from a material perspective within ISO/TC 206, Fine ceramics.

Against contaminants and bacteria

Some solid inorganic compounds can activate electrons by absorbing light energy (photons). This is a characteris-tic of semiconductors that is common-ly applied to electronic devices such as photo sensors.

Figure 1 – Concept of air purification by photocatalysis. Air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are oxidized by photocatalysis and removed from the atmosphere.



Main FocusMain Focus

About the authors

Dr. Koji Takeuchi is a principal research scien-tist at the National Insti-tute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

(AIST). His main research interest is in protection of the atmospheric environ-ment. Since 2006, he has been the Convenor of ISO/TC 206/WG 37, Test methods for photocatalytic materials.

Dr. Tai Kyu Lee, Chair of ISO/TC 206, Fine ceramics, since 2006, is President and CEO of Nanopac Co. Ltd., Korea. One of his business fields

is the synthesis and application of nano-materials, including photocatalysts.

If environmental contaminants come in contact with a semiconductor in the presence of light, they will be reduced or oxidized as they respective-ly gain or lose electrons. This system is what we call photocatalysis, and it can promote desirable chemical reactions with the aid of light.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2)

is the most widely used photo-catalyst for this purpose because of its high activity, chemical and physical stability, harmlessness and low price.

TiO2 is activated by

sunlight–moreprecisely,byultraviolet (UV) light of wave-lengthsshorterthan400nm–and produces active oxygen spe-cies (free radicals) in ambient conditions.

Since most organic com-pounds ultimately oxidize to form carbon dioxide, semi-conductor photocatalysis can decompose contaminants in air and water, bacteria and fungi, and even dirt and stains that contain oily substances (Figure 1). TiO

2 also has hydrophilic

surfaces under photo-irradia-tion, which serves to keep sur-faces clean.

Good prospects, but ...

Many products based on photocatalysis are already on the market, as shown in Table 1 (page 24). Building materials designed for self-cleaning are the major application (Figure 2). Total sales in Japan in 2007 amounted to EUR 540 million, and global sales were estimated at about EUR 800 million. There are good prospects that photocatalysis will create a new indus-try in this age of environmental aware-ness because it offers energy-saving and labour-saving benefits.

The technology however has at this point certain drawbacks. For instance, photocatalysis works slowly and gently only during the period of time that it is exposed to UV light. Photocatalytic per-formance is also not easily observed, even in the case of self-cleaning appli-cations.

Moreover, it is not easy to make highly active materials, either by coat-ing or mixing photocatalysts on or in a substrate material, because the TiO2 can damage the original materials if they are organic. These limitations led to some low-quality products being introduced in Japan and other Asian markets.

B

A



Materials

Dependent performanceIn Japan, as an atmosphere of cri-

sis enveloped the industry, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) established the Photocatalyst Standard-ization Committee in 2002. This com-mittee set out to develop test methods for photocatalytic materials.

Several test methods are function-specific, as shown in Table 2, since photo-catalytic performance is largely governed

by the affinity between the photocatalyst and the contaminant to be treated. In fact, performance depends on surface properties such as acidity, porosity and hydrophilicity, as well as the types of contaminant.

Another issue is that the perform-ance of a photocatalyst varies accord-ing to the environment where it is used, resulting in “best-effort” products. For the basic test methods, the commit-

tee thus decided to prepare methods in which UV irradiance and other conditions would not be a bot-tleneck, allowing the maximum perform-ance of the photo-catalytic material to be evaluated.

ISO techni-cal committee ISO/TC 206 was chosen to develop Interna-tional Standards for photocatalytic mate-rials, since its scope includes “specific functional applica-tions” of “ceramic materials including powders, monoliths, coatings and com-posites”. The task

before ISO/TC 206/WG 37, Test meth-ods for photocatalytic materials, is to remove any remaining problems to gain consumers’ trust and foster new market development in this area.

The first standard concerning air purification was published in 2007, and others are being discussed. Standardiza-tion in photocatalysis has also stimulat-ed the overall activity of ISO/TC 206, as measured by the number of P-member countries (fully participating members, currently 18 countries).

Figure 2 – Photocatalyst-based self-cleaning materials used in Japan. (a) Membrane structure (tent), (b) exterior tile, (c) exterior wall, (d) glass window, and (e) highway guardrail 9 months after

C E

D

painting (left part, photocatalytic paint, right part, conventional paint). Photos courtesy of Taiyo Kogyo Corp., TOTO Ltd., Panasonic Electric Works Co., Nippon Sheet Glass Co. and Okitsumo Inc.



Main Focus

On track for a bright future

The working group has encour-aged analytical laboratories to become qualified for the test methods developed in ISO/TC 206 (called the JNLA system in Japan) to ensure laboratory-independ-ent test results. A reliable laboratory net-work can be extended worldwide based on ISO 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and cali-bration laboratories, and agreements on mutual recognition.

“ Many products based on photocatalysis are already

on the market.”

“ WG 37’s task is to remove any remaining

problems to gain consumers’ trust

and foster new market development.”

The test methods do not specify criteria or recommended values for per-formance (except in the case of antibac-terial activity testing), although such cri-teria and specifications are major con-cerns for consumers. In 2006, Japanese manufacturers established the Photoca-talysis Industrial Association of Japan (PIAJ) to conduct this work. They have already determined some performance criteria, such as PIAJ product stand-ards and a labelling system to certify performance. Industrial associations of China, Korea and Taiwan are separate-

Products Functions expected

Sales (%) in Japan (2007)Category Typical products

Exterior material

Tile, glass, paint, film, tent, membrane structure, sign, etc. Self-cleaning, antifungal

59.5

Interior material

Venetian blind, wallpaper, paint, coating agent, tile, etc. Self-cleaning, air purification

8.0

Road construc-tion material

Paving block and other material, sound insulation panel, paint, lighting apparatus, traffic sign, mirror, etc.

Air purification, self-cleaning

2.3

Purification instrument

Air purifier, water treatment system, filter unit. Air and water purification

22.2

Home appliance Aerosol, antifogging film and other consumables. Self-cleaning, antibacterial

1.6

Others Automobile and transportation (paint, glass) ; agriculture, gardening (greenhouse, film).

Self-cleaning, etc.

6.4

Function Test method ISO No.

Self-cleaning H2O contact angle ISO 27448-1*

Methylene blue ISO 10678*

Antibacterial, antifungal

Antibacterial ISO 27447*

Antifungal ISO/NP 13125**

Air Nitric oxide ISO 22197-1:2007

Acetaldehyde ISO 22197-2*

Toluene ISO 22197-3*

Formaldehyde ISO/NP 22197-4**

Methylmercaptan ISO/NP 22197-5**

Water Dimethylsulfoxide ISO 10676*

Others Light source ISO 10677*

ly preparing similar systems. Discus-sions on developing a common system have begun.

European countries are eager to deal with photocatalytic products. Both the French Federation of Photocatalysis (FFP) and the European Committee for Standardization’s CEN/TC 386, Photo-catalysis, were established in 2008.

ISO/TC 206/WG 37 is delighted with the increasing focus on photocatal-ysis. We believe that this increased col-laboration with our European colleagues

Table 1 – Products based on photocatalysis and their sales in Japan.

Table 2 – Summary of standardization of test methods.

will stimulate future demand for stand-ardization and thus enhance the indus-try and market.

* Projects under development.

** New proposals under discussion.



Materials

nomic issues now involve more than the original G7 1) coun-

tries, as demonstrated by the emergence of a G20 2) grouping. In addition, the Euro-pean Union has greatly expanded its mem-bership in the last few years.

In reviewing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the initial participating countries at the time of its creation, VAMAS confirmed its original aim of enabling world trade through the take-up of advanced materials. However, to implement this aim in the new world order, the organization recognized the need for wider representation on its Steer-ing Committee. The MoU was therefore

Partnering for materials metrology – VAMAS

by Graham Sims, Chair, and Sam Gnaniah, Secretary of VAMAS

The main objective of the Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS) is to support

trade through international collaborative projects aimed at providing the techni-cal basis for harmonized measurements, testing, specifications and standards for advanced materials.

The scope of the collaboration embraces many aspects of measurement, including the development of test meth-ods, participation in intercomparisons, pro-duction and validation of reference mate-rials and materials databases, as well as establishing agreement on nomenclature –itemsthatareoftenrequiredasapre-cursor to the drafting of standards.

International membershipSince the formation of the VAMAS

organization more than 25 years ago, the economic atlas of the world has changed significantly. Discussions on global eco-

“ VAMAS’ main objective is to support trade

through international collaborative projects.”

2) Comprising 19 of the world’s largest national economies plus the European Union.

1) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, USA.

Meeting of CIPM ad-hoc Working Group on Materials Metrology at NPL.



Main Focus

rewritten to allow new countries to join the Steering Committee and take part in the technical work.

As a result, Australia, Brazil, Chinese-Taipei, India, Korea, Mex-ico and South Africa have recently joined VAMAS. These are increas-ingly important economies, with the capability to contribute to the VAMAS technical work. Most of them are members of the G20 grouping.

High-level liaisonsVAMAS has high-level liaison status

with both ISO and the International Elec-trotechnical Commission (IEC). Under a Memorandum of Understanding conclud-ed between ISO and VAMAS, ISO may publish Technology Trends Assessments (TTAs) based on the work of VAMAS. Cur-rently, four new TTAs are being developed, covering cryogenic testing and full-field non-contact strain mapping. This coop-eration and publication of TTAs is par-ticularly useful in areas where there is no directly relevant ISO or IEC committee to review a pre-standard document (as in the case of strain mapping, which technical-ly falls between optics and non-destruc-tive evaluation).

Continuing its policy of collabora-tion, VAMAS has recently signed a Mem-orandum of Understanding with the World Material Research Institute Forum (WMRIF) to be responsible for the standardization activities of this association. WMRIF is dedicated to the promotion of materials science and materials scientists.

The case for materials metrology

VAMAS’ wider global member-ship has reinforced an initiative undertak-en during the past few years: in 2005, the VAMAS Steering Committee identified that a need existed to apply the best met-rological practice to the measurement of material properties.

Following a case made by the VAMAS organization to the Comité Inter-national des Poids et Mesures (CIPM) on the importance of improving the reliability of material property data measurements, CIPM agreed to establish an ad hoc work-ing group on materials metrology, that is, on “ the metrology applied to the measure-ment of material properties ”.

About the authors

Graham Sims is the current Chairman of VAMAS, past-Chairman of VAMAS TWA 5 on polymer composites, Convenor of ISO/TC 61/ SC 13/WG 2 on

composite pre-pregs and laminates, NPL Fellow and Divisional Knowledge Leader for the Industry and Innovation Division at the National Physical Laboratory, United Kingdom.

Sam Gnaniah is the current VAMAS Secre-tary and research scientist at the National Physical Labo-ratory, special-izing in the application of thermal analysis

to the measurement of materials proper-ties relevant to polymer and composite processing and use.

“ It identified the important role that materials

properties play in enabling innovation, trade and the

fulfilling of regulatory requirements.”

The working group com-prised experts from the national metrology institutes (NMIs) and other institutes, and VAMAS rep-resentatives drawn from 10 coun-tries. The agreed role of the working group was to identify those material properties for which internationally comparable, traceable measurement results were important for science, engineering and manufacturing tech-nology. This would lead to establish-ing the user needs and defining the aims, objectives and initial activities for an ongoing research programme

in materials metrology.Figure 1 – Schematic of the traceability aspects related to the metrology of materials property measurements.

The working group assessed a wide range of materials properties, stud-ying the need for improved traceability, data comparability, as well as the availa-bility of appropriate reference materials. The five task groups which were estab-lished (mechanical, multifunctional, ther-mal, microstructure and electrochemistry) reviewed different classes of material prop-erties. A summary of the traceability issues can be seen in Figure 1.

A world of measurementThe working group’s report made

several recommendations for future interac-tion between VAMAS and CIPM. It iden-tified both the important role that mate-rials properties play in enabling innova-tion, trade and the fulfilling of regulatory requirements (e.g. European Directives), and the need to develop mutual recogni-tion of each other’s measurements.

This work resulted in an agree-ment being signed between VAMAS and the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM), on behalf of CIPM, in 2008. Liaisons are being established with the aim of developing interaction with a number of CIPM consultative committees (CC), such as CCT-temperature, CCM-mass and CCL-length.



Materials

The preparation of pilot studies is most advanced for the measurement of modulus and glass transition temperature (Tg). The modulus pilot study is consider-ing a round-robin using a Nimonic mate-rial already certified for tensile strength and creep properties. The programme for Tg would validate a temperature reference specimen fabricated from a high-temperature carbon-fibre/ polyetheretherketone (PEEK) laminate with an indium insert encapsulat-ed. A possible future topic is length meas-urements for features observed in scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Metrologists in other consultative committees (e.g. CCEM-electrical and magnetic properties and CCAUV-acous-tic, ultrasound and vibration properties), NMIs and research institutes are encour-aged to consider these new measurement

areas and outstanding issues where opportu-nities exist for collab-

oration with materials scientists.

Fostering workable standards

VAMAS’ activity emphasises col-laboration on pre-standards measurement research, intercomparison of test results, and consolidation of existing views on priorities for standardization. As a result of these activities, VAMAS provides an internationally harmonized methodology that may be taken as recommendations by the standards development organiza-tions, thereby fostering the development of agreed and workable standards for advanced materials.

VAMAS – The works

The work of VAMAS is undertak-en in technical working areas (TWA), which are closed following successful completion of their work. To date, a total of 34 TWAs have been created, of which 15 are currently active :

• TWA 2, Surface chemical analysis ;

• TWA 3, Ceramics for structural applications ;

• TWA 5, Polymer composites ;

• TWA 16, Superconducting materials ;

• TWA 20, Residual stress ;

• TWA 22, Mechanical proper-ties of thin films and coatings ;

• TWA 24, Performance related properties of electroceramics ;

• TWA 26, Full field optical stress and strain measurement ;

• TWA 28, Spectrometry of synthetic polymers ;

• TWA 29, Nanomechanics applied to scanning probe microscopy ;

• TWA 30, Tissue engineering ;

• TWA 31, Creep, crack and fatigue growth in weldments ;

• TWA 32, Modulus measurements ;

• TWA 33, Polymer nanocomposites ;

• TWA 34, Nanoparticle populations.

The Chair and Secretariat of VAMAS alternates on a three-year cycle between the United Kingdom and the USA. The Secretariat returned to the Unit-ed Kingdom in June 2008 for three years.

For further information on VAMAS and participation in its pre-normative collaborations, visit www.vamas.org.



Main Focus

Weaving a safer future – Antibacterial textiles

by Dr. Kourai Hiroki, Convenor of ISO/TC 38/WG 23, Testing for antibacterial activity

T extiles are one of the most heavily traded commodities. The industry encompasses many activities from

the treatment of raw materials, through production of knitted or woven fabrics, finishing activities, such as bleaching, dyeing, or printing, to transformation into garments, home textiles or indus-trial/technical textiles.

Innovation is a strong driving force in this competitive market, and con-sumers increasingly look for additional functional properties, like waterproofing, fire-resistance, antistatic and anti-UV, along with antibacterial finishes.

Technical committee ISO/TC 38, Textiles, is structured to develop speci-fications and test methods for the wide variety of textiles and textile products generated by the market. Its work pro-gramme includes standards pertaining to practically the entire supply chain : from fibre through fabric to final product.

Among the more than 300 Inter-national Standards developed by the com-mittee are test procedures for evaluating important basic aspects such as colour fast-ness, dimensional stability and strength, as well as functional properties, such as burning behaviour and antibacterial activ-ity–thesubjectofthisarticle.

Above – Luminescence by enzyme reaction in flask.

Left and right – Antibacterial textile products.

1) 1822-1895.

Dead or alive ?Until recently, the antibacterial

activity of antibacterial finished textile products has been assessed with the colony count method, which requires experience and an extended culturing period. Since the days of Louis Pasteur 1), this method has involved culturing bacteria on agar plates and counting the number of bac-terial colonies formed. Depending on the nature of bacteria to be tested, the meth-od requires at least 24 to 48 hours before cultured bacteria form colonies.

Generally speaking, when bacte-ria are exposed to an antimicrobial agent or another form of stress such as heat or environmental change, some will die while others survive unscathed. How-ever, in reality, some bacterial cells go into a transitional state. While still alive, they either have a severely compromised growth rate, or have become incapable of propagating on agar plates.

As its name implies, the colony count method can only measure bacteria that manage to form colonies, neglecting the presence of those with a compromised growth rate or those incapable of form-ing colonies. This reduces the precision of the colony count, and scientists have long searched for a new method that can accurately measure the number of both active and stressed bacterial cells.



Materials

rial finished textile products, including nonwovens. Depend-

ing on the intended application and on the environment in which the textile prod-uct is to be used, the user can select the most suitable method for determination of antibacterial activity :

• Absorption method – testbacterialsuspension is inoculated directly onto samples ;

• Transfer method– testbacteriaareplaced on an agar plate and trans-ferred onto samples ;

• Printing method – testbacteriaareplaced on a filter and printed onto samples.

These three test methods vary both in the way bacteria are inoculat-ed on samples and the conditions under which the bacteria are grown, including humidity, culture medium type, nutrition-al condition and culturing time.

High energy countsA new method has now been

developed. Defined in ISO 20743:2007, Tex-

tiles – Determination of antibacterial activity of antibacterial finished prod-ucts, it measures adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP), a high-energy storage compound found in all living bacterial cells that provides accurate measurement of bac-terial count. The ATP content of bacte-rial cells is measured using an enzyme reaction. Compared to the colony count method, this one is much simpler to oper-ate and offers significantly higher pre-cision in quantifying the level of anti-bacterial activity.

Although with variations accord-ing to bacteria’s type and growth envi-ronment, individual bacteria grown under an identical set of conditions have a set amount of ATP in the cell. Dead bacte-rial cells contain almost no ATP, while stressed cells have a reduced amount of ATP in proportion to the level of stress applied. In addition, the ATP level in bac-terial cells is proportionate to the bacte-ria’s level of activity.

Because of this, measuring intra-cellular ATP levels produces a more precise evaluation of the antibacterial activity of antibacterial finished textile products compared to the colony count method.

“ The ATP method has an extremely small margin of error compared to the colony count method.”

Ingenious reactionsThe ATP measuring approach

employs the same principle as that of firefly luminescence, which is based on highly ingenious enzyme reactions. The luminous intensity of this reaction depends on the amount of ATP, and can be quantified to represent the bacterial count and activity level.

Characteristics of the ATP meas-uring method are :

• the use of plain enzyme reactions sim-plifies the measuring operation ;

• the elimination of the culturing time for colony formation enables shorter measurement time ;

• the method makes comprehensive assessment of both normal cells and cells stressed due to exposure to an antimicrobial agent ;

• the method has an extremely small margin of error compared to the col-ony count method.

To each use, its methodThe method has been included in

ISO 20743:2007, Textiles – Determination of antibacterial activity of antibacterial finished products. The standard specifies quantitative test methods to determine the antibacterial activity of antibacte-

About the author

Dr. Hiroki Kourai assumed professorship at the Institute of Technology and Science, University of Tokushima Graduate School, in 1995, and has under-

taken research based on the quantitative structure-activity relationship of bio-cides and disinfectants, and research of the mode of antimicrobial action. He teaches bioorganic chemistry, microbiol-ogy and environmental and biological engineering at the Department of Bio-logical Science and Technology, Faculty of Engineering. He is Convenor of ISO/TC 38/WG 23, Testing for antibacterial activity.

About the author



Main Focus

The absorption method is suita-ble for evaluating overgarments, under-wear and socks worn in medium humid-ity, whereas the transfer method is ideal for fibre products used in high humid-ity. The printing method is suited for medical robes and partitioning drapes for hospitals, which are used in a dry environment.

The absorption method and print-ing method are quoted from the Japanese standard JIS L1902 (1998), which defines the Japanese methods for quantitatively evaluating the antibacterial activity of antibacterial finished textile products, while the transfer method is quoted from the French standard XPG39-010.

Enhanced living environment

In antibacterial activity assess-ment, the preparation of bacteria to be inoculated on samples requires the same amount of time for both the colony count and ATP method. However, while the con-ventional colony count method requires 48 hours to culture bacteria before colo-nies are formed, the ISO 20743 approach measures the ATP level, thereby avoid-ing time required for colony formation. This means that, so long as bacteria sus-pension is prepared for inoculation, the results of antibacterial activity assess-ment can be returned in approximate-ly one day.

The dramatic reduction in testing time and the simple procedures involved make this approach suitable, not only for the quality control of antibacterial finished textile products, but also for controlofmanufacturingprocesses–thus providing a valuable contribution to improving product quality.

A resulting mass production and worldwide consumption of high-quali-ty antibacterial finished textile products is expected to substantially improve the clothing environment and enhance sanita-tion of the general living environment.

Harmonizing test methods for energy and moisture performance of building materials

by Arne Elmroth, former Chair and Margareta Andersson, former Secretary of ISO/TC 163, Thermal performance and energy use in the built environment

I t is widely recognized that one of the most important factors in mak-ing buildings more sustainable is to

improve their energy performance. To that effect, ISO/TC 163, Thermal per-formance and energy use in the built environment, has developed a family of standards for determining energy-related properties for entire buildings. The most

important of these is ISO 13790:2008, Energy performance of buildings – Cal-culation of energy use for space heat-ing and cooling.

To a large extent, the quality of the calculated energy performance depends on the reliability of input parameters. This means that the hygrothermal (heat and moisture) properties of the materi-als and products forming the building envelope must be appropriate, as must the energy performance of the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and cool-ing (HVAC) systems. All the elements of a building interact with one anoth-er, and comparable and reliable data on materials, products and systems are prerequisites for consistent calculation procedures.

Widest applicationSince ISO/TC 163 was created

some 30 years’ ago, its task has been to prepare horizontal test and calculation methods that can be applied regardless of how or from which materials various products are made. Fair market competi-tion is encouraged by the application of the same methods in product standards,

About the authors

Prof. em Arne Elmroth (right)served as Chair of ISO/TC 163, Ther-mal performance and energy use in the built environ-ment, from 1986 until 2008. He was Professor in Build-ing Physics at Lund University, Sweden, and is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. Prof. Elmroth is a senior advisor to, among others the Swedish Energy Agency, the Swedish National Testing and Research Institute, SKANSKA AB, Swegon AB and Rockwool International, Denmark, on energy matters and is often invited to international conferences, universities and companies to give lectures on build-ing physics, building technology and energy use in buildings. He is the author or co-author of numerous papers and

reports in the field of building technology. His latest books are “Building and energy – a systematic approach” (co-author) and a guide to the Swedish building regulations on “Ener-gy management” (in Swedish only).

Margareta Andersson (left) is a build-ing engineer. She has worked most of her life with standardization and was the Secretary of ISO/TC 163 from the creation of the committee in 1975 until 2007. She has also been the Secretary of the European technical committee CEN/TC 89, Thermal performance of build-ings and building components, and the national Swedish standards committee on Internal environment and energy use in buildings.



Materials

With a view to optimum harmo-nization, existing material or product-specific test methods should be gradu-ally replaced by the horizontal methods produced by ISO/TC 163 and its sub-committees.

Coordinating roleThe same principle applies to the

calculation methods prepared by ISO/TC 163/SC 2, Calculation methods. Wher-ever possible, these are horizontal meth-ods, which are to be employed when deter-mining energy and hygrothermal proper-ties of materials, products and systems to be used in the built environment.

It is of utmost importance that the properties of building materials and products, as well as of HVAC systems in buildings, are reported in a coordinat-ed way, so that the energy use in build-ings can be calculated as accurately as is possible. This means that rounding rules and safety factors must be treated sys-tematically throughout the entire chain, from materials, products and HVAC sys-tems, to complete buildings. If the input parameters are not comparable, the cal-culation results will be misleading. For this reason, ISO/TC 163 has been given a coordinating role within ISO on thermal and hygrothermal performance.

In the same vein, product specifi-cations should, as far as possible, be mate-rial independent. Although such stand-ards are currently drafted by a number of material-related committees, the nat-ural committee to take responsibility for standards covering all types of thermal insulation is ISO/TC 163/SC 3, Thermal insulation products.

and by harmonized reporting of prop-erties. Material properties and product information to be used as input to calcu-lations must also be comparable.

As well as being horizontal in nature, the ISO standards elaborated by ISO/TC 163 are performance-based. They can be applied to new, innovative, ener-gy-efficient products and buildings, giv-ing them market credibility. Being inter-national, an additional advantage is that the standards help to avoid technical bar-riers to fair competition and trade.

Horizontal harmonizationISO/TC 163’s subcommittee

SC 1, Test and measurement methods, has produced a number of test methods to determine hygrothermal and other properties of a wide range of building materials. The subcommittee’s current work programme comprises yet anoth-er set of horizontal methods.

Clearly, if all ISO committees dealing with hygrothermal properties of building materials and products were to prepare their own test and calculation methods, the ISO system would con-tain several test methods that overlap, duplicateor–evenworse–contradictone another.

Thus, of course, the work on hor-izontal test methods should be made in close cooperation with other ISO com-mittees preparing specifications for the materials and products concerned. By the same token, committees having an interest in this topic should consult with ISO/TC 163 before getting involved in any projects that may already be with-in its scope.

All those prepar-ing product speci-fications for insula-

tion materials, whether factory-made or formed in situ, should make use of the horizontal methods developed with-in ISO/TC 163, such as, for example, ISO 10456, Building materials and prod-ucts – Hygrothermal properties – Tabu-lated design values and procedures for determining declared and design ther-mal values.

These horizontal methods are also for application when drafting standards for other building materials and products. Thus, ISO technical committees preparing standards for building products should address their needs for methods related to hygrothermal properties through ISO/TC 163 and its subcommittees.

Standards for many uses and many users

There are many good reasons for the use of horizontal standards. Correctly drafted and applied, they provide com-parable properties which can be used in choosing materials and products in trade and design. This, in turn, leads to improved market competition and cost effectiveness.

Ideally, the different interests aris-ing from materials, production methods and installation methods should be han-dled in a neutral fashion. To achieve this, representatives of different material groups are encouraged to participate in the work of ISO/TC 163 with horizontal methods related to hygrothermal properties, rather than prepare test and calculation methods for specific materials and products.

All interested committees are invited to send experts or comments to ISO/TC 163 and its relevant work-ing groups engaged in preparing hygro-thermal standards for many uses and for many users.

“ Fair market competition is encouraged by application of the same methods in product standards, and by harmonized reporting

of properties.”



Main Focus

1) Working definition of nanotechnology adopted by ISO/TC 229, resolution 28/2008.

2) Terminologies : ISO/TS 27687:2008, Nanotechnologies – Terminology and definitions for nano-objects – Nanoparticle, nanofibre and nanoplate, and draft ISO/TS 11751, Nanotechnologies – Terminology and definitions for carbon nano-objects.

Think small, very small – Nanomaterials, the element of tomorrow

by Dr. Peter Hatto, Chair ISO/TC 229, Nanotechnologies

Nanotechnology generates signif-icant interest for its potentially groundbreaking applications in

all fields. It will enable, among other things, inexpensive water purification systems, sustainable energy produc-tion, enhanced diagnostics, improved drug delivery and next-generation bio-medical devices.

Defined as “ the application of scientific knowledge to control and uti-lize matter at the nanoscale, where size-related properties and phenomena can emerge ” 1), nanotechnology deals with materials in dimensions ranging from approximately 1 nm (one billionth of a metre) to 100 nm 2).

The term “ nanomaterial ” may be applied to objects that exist only at nanoscale dimensions, such as single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes and fullerenes, to nanoparticles, with three external dimensions in the nanoscale, and to conventional materials that display unique properties at the nanoscale, such as cadmium selenide quantum dots.

Along with enormous promise, some properties of nanomaterials also raise concerns about possible negative health and environmental effects. For example, there is evidence that some nanoparti-cles can enter the brain via the olfactory bulb, enter the blood via the lung alve-oli, and possibly penetrate the skin. On

the other hand, it is precisely properties such as these that make nanomaterials so interesting for medical applications, which are expected to provide some of the most significant innovations for nan-otechnology in coming years.

Predictable and unpredictable

While ISO/TC 229, Nanotech-nologies, is not a materials committee as such, nanomaterials constitute an impor-tant part of its work, including :

• naming and describing their forms, properties and behaviour (joint work-ing group JWG 1) ;

• developing test methods for measur-ing nanoscale phenomena and char-acterizing the properties of nanoma-terials (JWG 2) ;

• developing standard methods for eval-uating and mitigating environmental, health and safety impacts of nanoma-terials (working group WG 3) ;

• providing specifications for different nanomaterials (WG 4).

Although some nanomaterials exist only with nanoscale dimensions, the vast majority of nanomaterials are nanoscaleforms–nanoparticles,nanofi-bres or nanoplates (collectively known asnano-objects)–ofexistingmateri-als. By reducing material dimensions to the nanoscale, their characteristics may change in both predictable and unpre-dictable ways.

An example of the first is the sig-nificant increase in surface area-to-vol-ume ratio of particles, usually expressed as specific surface area. Since chemical reactions occur at surfaces, their high specific surface areas can result in nano-materials reacting far more readily and completely than their more convention-al counterparts. This property is exploit-ed in, for example, nanomaterial-based high-energy propellants and explosives, and in nanoparticle-based environmen-tal remediation.

However, it is the unpredictable changes in behaviour that make nano-materials particularly interesting, but which may also provide cause for con-cern. These changes in behaviour are the result of quantum effects, which typically,



Materials

About the author

Dr. Peter Hatto has been Chairman of ISO/TC 229, Nanotechnol-ogies, since it was established in June 2005, and has recent-ly been appoint-ed chairman of

the equivalent European technical com-mittee, CEN/TC 352. He is also chairman of the British Standards committee in the area, NTI/1, a position he has held since its inception more than four years ago. Dr. Hatto is Director of Research for IonBond Ltd, a leading producer of advanced, thin film, ceramic coatings.

though not exclusively, occur in materi-als confined to dimensions towards the lower limit of the nanoscale.

Examples include the giant mag-neto resistance effect, put to widespread commercial use in the read-write heads of computer hard discs, the ballistic con-duction of carbon nanotubes, and the cat-alytic behaviour of gold nanoparticles with a diameter of around 3 nm.

Not as new as you thinkA good deal of excitement is gen-

erated by the seemingly limitless poten-tialapplicationsofnanomaterials–fromhigh-strength composites based on car-bon nanotubes, ultrahigh capacity stor-age media for computers, new diagnostic and medical treatments, particularly for cancers, to nutra-ceuticals, cosme-ceuti-cals, and nutra-cosmetics, anti-counter-feiting measures, forensic techniques, and advanced food packaging materials. However, the deliberate production of nanomaterials is by no means new.

Indeed, some forms have been in use for considerable periods of time. For example, the red colour in medieval stained glass is due to the properties of nanoscale gold particles. Yet other forms are wide-ly used in many conventional products, from car tyres, in which nanoscale car-bon black and nanoscale silica are used to control wear and rolling characteris-tics, to inks, paints and varnishes.

However, what is new is our abil-ity to image, analyse, control and engi-neer nano-objects and other nanomate-rials to produce properties that cannot be obtained with conventional materi-al forms.

Atomic pick and placeNanomaterial production methods

fallintotwogroups–top-downandbot-tom-up. In the former, macroscale forms of the material of interest are progressively reduced to the nanoscale by attrition tech-niques, such as grinding, milling or crush-ing. Such top-down processing is used in the production of many commodity nano-materials, such as nanoclays.

ifying the behaviour of nano-objects. Such functionalization can

consist of, for example, the addition of surfactant molecules to reduce the ten-dency of all nanoparticles to agglomer-ate, or of attaching antibodies that bind to particular biological entities, e.g. can-cer cells, for use in search-and-destroy pharmaceutical treatments.

Scientific endeavour or science fiction ?

While most of these exciting appli-cations of nanomaterials have yet to be realized, a large and growing number of consumer and other products containing nanomaterials are already on the market. For some, these represent an inevitable outcome of scientific endeavour and inno-vation, whilst for others, they raise con-cerns not unlike those portrayed in sci-ence fiction novels.

Although many nanomaterials have been in use for significant periods of time with little evidence of harm, it has to be recognized that our new abili-ty to manufacture materials of nanoscale dimensions with intended, and possibly also unintended, properties requires care-ful consideration.

Such a review is currently being carried out by the Working Party on Man-ufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 3). One element will be the extensive study of health and environmental impacts of a representa-tive set of 14 manufactured nanomateri-als that are currently in, or about to enter, commerce.

Besides producing detailed data on these different materials, the WPMN study will provide valuable information about the evaluation of manufactured nanoma-terials with the OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals.

ISO/TC 229 is cooperating close-ly with the work of the WPMN and is developing protocols for physico-chem-ical characterization of nanomaterials prior to environmental and health test-ing, guidance on occupational exposure and on risk assessment.

3) For more information : www.oecd.org/env/nanosafety.

The alternative approach, bottom-up, starts with the material constituents in atomic or molecular form and uses molecular self assembly to construct the desired product. While this might appear to be an entirely new approach to material production, the term also cov-ers a large number of conventional pro-cesses, such as chemical and physical vapour processing, laser ablation, sol-gel, electro and electroless plating, and various other wet chemical techniques. In its ultimate form, it consists of con-structing nano-objects and other nano-materials by manipulating individual atoms using an atomic pick-and-place technique.

Surface functionalization– theattachment of functional groups to surfaces –providesanadditionalmeansofmod-

“ Although some nanomaterials exist only

with nanoscale dimensions, the vast majority

of nanomaterials are nanoscale forms of existing materials.”



Cork is produced by stripping the bark of trees.

Testing wine stoppers.

Main Focus

Cork – Natural, renewable, biodegradable

by Miguel Elena Rosselló, Chair of ISO/TC 87, Cork

Cork-related economic activities are highly diverse, dating as far back as the appearance of cork

oaks (Quercus Suber, L) in Mediter-ranean forests. The various products derived from cork are used in more than 150 countries.

Cork-producing trees abound along the western Mediterranean shores, but they do not withstand travel or transplantation to different latitudes. Seven nations, including four Europe-an countries (France, Italy, Portugal, Spain) and three North African coun-tries (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia), are home to 2.7 million hectares of cork-oak forests, producing 250 000 tonnes of cork by stripping the bark of trees at 9 to 12 years of age.

growth of protective, non-living tissue. This results in a natural product, offer-ing optimal performance in terms of ther-mal, acoustic and vibration insulation. It also exhibits high compressibility and elasticity qualities, as well as excellent resistance to fire and humidity.

Even in spaceSome 1 100 companies are direct-

ly involved in cork processing activities and in the marketing of cork products all overtheworld–andevenbeyond,sincemost spacecraft use cork for insulation and protection.

The cork industry represented an economic value of EUR 1,7 billion in 2007, providing direct employment to 30 000 people and indirect employ-ment to 75 000 people in Europe and North Africa.

The chief product is the wine stop-per, which represents more than 75 % of the final value. From 1760 onwards, cork has been exploited on an industrial basis and has been associated with growth in the use of glass bottles in the wine sec-tor. It has been used ever since to stop glass bottles of wine and spirits in the form of natural cork, agglomerated cork or technical cork stoppers, which are the subject of a large body of standards.

In the aerospace industry, cork offers thermal and anti-vibration protec-tion. The automotive industry uses it for cylinder-head gaskets for internal combus-tion engines. However, it is in the build-

ing and interior design industry that its applications have the best potential for growth, with thermal and acoustic insu-lation materials, floor and wall coverings and design accessories. An interesting chapter is the shoe and fashion indus-try, including handbags and accessories made of cork fabric. This overview of cork industrial applications would not be complete if we failed to mention the seals used to control vibrations in roads, bridges and railways.

Not easy to sampleA key feature of standardization

in the cork industry lies in the fact that it is a natural product which does not require felling trees for harvesting but simply stripping the bark off trees every 9 to 12 years during a productive life of about 150 - 200 years. As a natural prod-uct, it is characterized by the irregularity of some parameters and, consequently, it is difficult to establish sampling pro-cesses. Indeed, one of the major difficul-ties in cork standardization work results from the great variation in values.

The ISO technical committee developing standards in this field is ISO/TC 87, Cork. Although rather small, with fiveparticipantmembercountries–Asoci-ación Española de Normalización y Cer-tificación (AENOR), Spain, Association française de normalisation (AFNOR), France, Instituto Português da Qualidade (IPQ), Portugal, Instituto Argentino de Normalización y Certificación (IRAM),

Cork material is the result of tree self-protection against exposure to extreme conditions, including tem-perature variations between + 50 º C and -15 º C. This species can be found from sea level up to 2 000 metres in the Atlas Mountains. Environmental contrasts like these are overcome by Quercus Suber’s phellogen–thecelllayerresponsiblefor



Cork viewed through a microscope.

ISO/TC 87 has developed numerous testing standards for cork and its derived products (e.g. wine stoppers).

Materials

Argentina, and Ente Nazionale Italiano di Unificazione(UNI),Italy,–aswellas15 observer countries, the committee has already developed over 45 standards.

Contact with foodstuffsThe European Council Directive

89/109/EEC aims to achieve free move-ment of materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs in Europe.

Cork and the environment

This is a priority concern for the future of the cork industry, since con-sumers demand guarantees that products are sustainable in terms of raw materi-als and manufacturing process as well as distribution channels. Few products on the market have so many advantages : a product of natural origin that is eco-logical, renewable, and biodegradable. Additionally, cork promotes biodiversi-ty, has CO

2 sequestration capacities, and

is reusable and recyclable.The challenge is now to convert

this scientific and technical rationale into a standards corpus able to contrib-ute to user protection and to better meet requirements of a society increasingly tuned to the future.

About the author

Miguel Elena Rosselló is an Agricultural Engi-neer and holds a doctorate in development eco-nomics. He has worked for the Mediterranean forest since 1975 either by conduct-

ing research in Spain or within the scope of missions as a FAO expert in Africa. He has headed the Institute of Cork, Wood and Charcoal of the Junta de Extremadura in Mérida (Spain) since 1994. In his capac-ity as Chair of ISO/TC 87 since 2000, he has acted as an interface between the cork industry and standardization bodies.

“ A key feature of standardization is that cork is a natural product which

does not require felling trees for harvesting.”

The specific directive for cork stoppers will be the outcome of a proc-ess initiated by the Council of Europe in collaboration with C.E.Liège (Con-fédération Européenne du Liège) and ISO/TC 87 to establish the determi-nation of global migration of the var-ious molecules of cork stoppers. ISO 10106:2003, Cork stoppers – Determi-nation of global migration, is a contri-bution to this effort.

In this spirit, standards are mov-ing toward improved chemical, micro-biological and toxicological control of stoppers, from preparation of the raw material to the final control of ready-to-use stoppers.



Main Focus

Trend 2010 – Optimizing timber standards

by Mykola Vedmid, Chair, and Ivan Derevyanko, Secretary, ISO/TC 218, Timber

Timber is produced from the trunks of growing trees and used for man-ufacturing a variety of products.

Standardization in this area not only helps improve production and marketing of products, but also takes into account envi-ronmental concerns of the resource.

ISO technical committee ISO/TC 218, Timber, is responsible for the development of International Standards on forest products. In the past few years the committee, under the responsibility of the Ukrainian ISO member, has been exceptionally active, elaborating a scien-tifically-based development plan to opti-mize the efficiency of its standards.

Timber or lumber ?At the heart of standardization is

communication. It is crucial that manufac-turers, suppliers, researchers and scientists can understand each other across countries and regions. European timber or American lumber ? Synonyms, homonyms, language and regional barriers are the first hurdles that standardization aims to overcome.

• trees at all stages of their life cycle, from reproduction through to sec-ondary use as, and including, derived objects containing wood ;

• conditions for the use of wood depend-ing on its purpose, for example, the raw material used for heating is called “ firewood ”, whereas the raw materi-al for chemical manufacture is known as “ balances ”.

Standardizing terminology is a daunting task. Take “ specialist ” and “ professional ” for example. Though many dictionaries consider these syn-onyms, for ISO/TC 218, the specialist is the person possessing the knowledge and skills pertaining to the entire man-ufacturing and production process of a specific project, whereas the profes-sional is the qualified person who uses the equipment, tools, materials and con-trol facilities in the practical implemen-tation of a project.

In ISO/TC 218, working group WG 1, Terminology, has the vitally impor-tant task of addressing these issues.

In the case of wood, terms are defined for :

• specialists, for example, silvicultur-ist or joiner ;

• processes for the transformation of wood as it progresses from one con-dition to another, each giving rise to specific new objects and terms ;

“ It is not difficult to see that the cost of

standardization is not huge, whereas the benefits can

be enormous.”



Materials

How many is enough ?The committee processes have

been improved. A Chairman’s Adviso-ry Group (CAG) has been created as the scientific-methodological centre. CAG’s functions include theoretical and meth-odological provisions for future devel-opment and the organization of confer-ences on issues encountered in timber standardization.

In the Ukraine, the number of standards related to wood totals some 110 international, 300 European, 600 national, plus a considerable number of corporate standards. Is that too many or not enough ? In fact, it is both !

For example, there are probably too many in the area of testing of mate-rials and products, whereas there are clearly not enough in the area of forestry, cutting of timber and primary processing of wood. Further, there are cases where standards at different levels duplicate or contradict one another.

Harmonization and a systematic approach are needed to avoid inconsist-encies and to ensure that users of Interna-tional Standards are able to address their needs in a simple and effective way.

Interaction with related technical committees is important. As we know,

A plan for the houseWood is a complex material. No

construction enterprise will build a house without a plan. And just like humans had to invent and learn how to use tools before they could take wood from a growing tree, prior development of a special methodolo-gy was necessary to create adequate inter-national standards for timber.

Statistical methods were used as a basis. The need to reflect the physical structure of the world (Figure 1) and the empirical evolution of knowledge was also crucial.

ISO’s strategic plan provided an example for developing ISO/TC 218’s long-rangeplan“Trend–2010”,whichattempts to present and prioritize the prob-lems facing timber standardization in a sys-tematic way (Figure 2, overleaf ).

In particular, the greatest challenge was the original absence of clear rules for structuring subjects within timber stand-ardization. Fortunately, nature itself pro-vides guidance, and a study of the inter-actions of all components of the ecologi-cal system enabled the structure of timber standards to be defined.

About the authors

Professor Mykola Ved-mid is the Vice-President of the Ukrainian State Committee of Forestry. His professional experience extends to the areas of forest-

ry, primary processing of timber, inter-national contacts, research work and standardization in forestry in the Ukraine. His scientific interests are development of scientific bases for wood policies in Ukraine, history of for-estry and agrosilviculture, improvement of tree plantation reconstruction meth-ods, creation of adaptive technologies for the cultivation of multipurpose woods, application adsorbents in forest-ry and cultivation of landing material on the basis of modern technologies.

Doctor Ivan Derevyanko is Chairman of the Ukrainian Asso-ciation of Mem-bers of Techni-cal Committees on Standardiza-tion of Timber and Wood Prod-ucts, and heads

the National Technical Committee of the Ukraine on Standardization of Wood Resources. Head of scientific research in the field of standardization theory and methodology, his activities in the field of standardization cover logging, wood-working and the plywood industry, as well as manufacture of wood-based pan-els and building details from wood. Dr. Derevyanko is the author of Method-ology which is a basis for creation of a global system of timber standardization.

Figure 1 – Simplified scheme of the physical structure of the world.

Geosystem

Ecosystem

Material resource

Habitat energy



Main Focus

there are 192 technical committees in ISO, of which some 85 refer to wood in their standards. It is clear that cooperation must be ensured to guarantee the quality of the standards being developed.

Global conceptThe secretariat of ISO/TC 218 has

addressed all the above issues by revising the committee’s structure. Two new work-ing groups (WG) have been created so that four WGs now form the macrotechnologi-cal process of the life cycle of wood :

• WG 2, Round timber ;

• WG 3, Sawn and processed timber ;

• WG 6, Wooden products ;

• WG 7, Wood resources.

Coordination of the groups’ activ-ities in borderline areas has been assigned to the CAG, which has developed a long-range plan. The result is the establishment of a global system for timber standardiza-tion coordinating the activities of all play-ers in timber standardization.

The technical committee’s next task is to expand and strengthen contacts with international and regional technical committees. This is especially important with regard to the equivalent European (CEN) technical committee. It is also key to involve relevant international organiza-tions in development and discussion of new projects concerning forest and wood.

is carried out by the right players. How important this is can be seen by consid-ering the following example on the pro-duction of wooden windows in the coun-tries of the Commonwealth of Independ-ent States (CIS).

Ideally a standard on wooden win-dows should define :

• for whom the document was devel-oped ;

• what are the needs of the user and, separately, what are the requirements for the windows ;

• what type of construction and from what material must the windows be made ;

• in what conditions is the window to be used.

Not only would this allow manu-facturers to narrow their scope of activity to the requirements of concrete consum-ers, but it would also ensure that products are better matched to the use for which they are designed. This would help them meet the demands of their customers and address different purchasing powers and tastes in the most efficient manner, but

Making a matchAnother crucial issue is providing

concrete information on who should use these standards. Was it developed with con-sumers, traders, technologists or managers in mind? This has considerable importance for production management systems.

By including targeted definitions of who should use the standard, the com-mittee will ensure that implementation

Figure 2 – The Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle often viewed as the optimal process for establishing needs.

Participants at the 4th international conference on timber standardization (Malaysia).

What do you want ?

4. Conditions – means of changing the object to satisfy the user’s needs

2. Requirements – needs, including products from wood

1.

The

user

– in

divi

dual

or

or

gani

zatio

n

3. O

bject of standardization – capable of satisfying the user’s need, including objects connected to w

ood

Is it feasible ?

What do you have ?

Implement

Is it necessary ?

What is needed ?

Self-contained process



today, such standards do not contain these specific requirements.

This has resulted in the prolifera-tion of plastic windows. However, indi-vidual plastic products can emit small quantities of harmful substances. For this reason, it is wise not to use a lot of these products in a small space, such as chil-dren’s rooms, bedrooms and small offices. On the other hand, wooden windows and solid wood doors are not the most suita-ble for kitchens, bathrooms and wherev-er the environment could cause wood to crack or warp.

Manufacturers of plastic and wood-en buildings have been affected by the lack of specifications, but it is the con-sumer of these products who has suffered the most.

When a little means a lot

What is needed for timber stand-ardization to work effectively?

Very little! It is only necessary to be aware of the place and role of stand-ardization in a management system. Once this is understood, it is not difficult to see that the cost of standardization is not huge, whereas the benefits of its correct imple-mentation can be enormous.

Materials

Mountain forests of Carpathian mountains (Ukraine).



Over the past decade the ISO and Inter-national Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) joint technical committee JTC 1, Information technology, has developed International Standards for a variety of RFID frequencies and applications.

Existing and proposed RFID standards deal with the air interface protocol (the way tags and readers com-municate), data content (the way data is organized or formatted), conformi-ty (ways to test that products meet the standard) and applications (for exam-ple, on shipping labels).

Development and InitiativesIndependent and mobile – RFID technology helps blind bus riders

by Maria Lazarte, Acting Editor, ISO Focus

A lready, radio frequency identi-fication (RFID) is being used to track animals and products,

facilitate payments, increase passport security and improve library services. But the rapid proliferation of this tech-nology would not be possible without the International Standards that behind the scenes facilitate market penetration, promote the transfer of knowledge and increase global interoperability.

With the help of ISO standards, RFID is increasingly being applied to a variety of innovative uses with wide implications for our quality of life. Among these is a Swiss initiative which employs an RFID system to help the vis-ually impaired use public transport in an easy and convenient way.

RFI…what ? RFID refers to a wireless tech-

nology that uses an interrogating device to detect and communicate with embed-ded electronic tags.

Similar to the ubiquitous bar codes, the system can carry and trans-mit identifier data and other informa-tion, including product descriptions. Unlike bar codes however, RFID does not require physical contact between the tag and the reader. It also allows over-writing of data as items move through the process.

Standards are critical to many RFID applications, such as payment systems and tracking goods or reusa-ble containers in open supply chains.

“ Not looking like a cowboy…”

Among its many applications, RFID technology is notably being used to simplify devices for the visually impaired. Chips containing details about the col-our of a piece of clothing, for instance, can help the blind get dressed. Similar-ly, tags applied to medication packages can provide product data and prescrip-tion instructions.

Now, a Swiss public transport agen-cy, Verkehrsbetriebe St. Gallen (VBSG) is implementing an RFID-based system in St. Gallen, Switzerland, to help visu-ally impaired bus riders read timetables on the spot, board buses and identify bus stops in a simple and effective way.

(Above) St. Gallen, Switzerland.

(Inset) Passengers simply need to wave the device at the RFID-enabled information points.



1) Contactless smart cards can be carried easily in purses or wallets and used, for instance, to grant access to places, goods or services or if attached to objects like bags and valuable items, to track them down whilst in the vicinity of a reading device.

This innovative project is a first of its kind. It uses a system named PAVIP (personal assistant for visually impaired people) developed by Bones Inc., a Swiss manufacturer specialized in RFID-ena-bled devices. PAVIP works with a hand-held device known as the Bones Mile-stone, which communicates with vehi-cles and bus stops by using passive and active RFID mechanisms.

The system can transform and sig-nificantly improve the bus riding experi-ence of blind passengers. All they require is the small handheld device which comes with a high frequency RFID reader and an ultra-high frequency transceiver, a digital voice recorder and an audio player.

Stephan Knecht, Managing Direc-tor of Bones comments on the practical-ity of the Milestone : “ What’s important for the blind is not to have 20 gadgets on a belt which might make them look like a cowboy with guns. The blind want to be independent and mobile.”

Bridging the divide between creativity and supply

The Milestone contains an RFID interrogator supporting passive 13.56 MHz tags complying with the ISO/IEC 15693 series of standards (Identification cards – Contactless integrated circuit cards – Vicinity cards) which define dimensions, power and other requirements enabling the use of contactless cards 1).

The device also supports tags in accordance with the ISO/IEC 14443 standards (Identification cards – Contact-less integrated circuit cards – Proximity cards), which provide specifications for characteristics, radio frequency power and more, of proximity cards.

Mr. Knecht says : “ One of the big-gest advantages of using the RFID fre-quency of 13.56 MHz is its worldwide standardization in tags, namely through ISO/IEC 15693 and ISO/IEC 14443. This enables our customers to purchase tags according to their needs, anywhere in the world.”

The Bones Milestone also com-plies with ISO/IEC 18000-3, Information technology – Radio frequency identifica-tion for item management –Part3:Param-eters for air interface communications at 13,56 MHz. This standard provides a

framework to define common communi-cations protocols for internationally use-able frequencies for RFID, and can help reduce problems related to migrations between frequencies, minimize software and implementation costs, and enable a common system management and con-trol and information exchange.

Mr. Knecht adds : “ The value of ISO standards for Bones is that it decouples supply issues from research and development. When we create a product complying with the standards, we know that we don’t have to bother about the supply chain aspect of RFID tags afterwards.

“ The ISO/IEC standards for RFID tags also increase the efficiency of the tag industry, as they can focus on spe-cific technical requirements to provide cost effective solutions, instead of eco-nomically expensive customer specific solutions,” concludes Mr. Knecht.

A new way of seeing The Milestone device is easy to

use. Passengers simply have to wave it in front of the printed bus schedule, which has been equipped with a passive RFID tag holding data about buses passing through the stop. The portable device then reads the information to the user.

As the bus approaches, the device informs users about the line number and destination and asks if they would like to board. Visually disabled users then need to only press one button to let the driv-er know that they would like to board. The device can even tell its users when the next bus will arrive.

St. Gallen’s entire fleet of 70 bus-es has been fitted for this purpose with RFID modules that can both receive and transmit data. Bus stops all over the city have been equipped with RFID tags.

The project has already been test-ed with 15 blind riders in St. Gallen. After the initial trial, a full-scale pilot with over 200 users was launched in the second half of 2008.

Cheap, safe, and it worksThis initiative follows a move

from national and European Union reg-ulations requiring that public transport operators in Europe facilitate access to information for visually impaired users within the next few years.

Bones saw the advantage in RFID’s versatility “It was the easiest thing to put on a bus stop ”, says Mr. Knecht “ because it is cheap, it works, it is safe against van-dalism and it’s very well suited to the needs we have, which is to store infor-mation.”

Managing Director of VBSG, Ralf Eigenmann, says : “ I don’t expect any maintenance costs. For us, we just have to place the RFID chips and the technology in the buses. If we build new stops, we’ll integrate these chips into the new stops.”

VBSG might also think about using RFID to implement ticketless travel in buses. Bones already applies RFID tech-nology to a variety of uses, for instance, in tags for medicine packages or bot-tles that can record pharmacist instruc-tions. Already over 3 000 users are tak-ing advantage of this technology. As ISO standards continue to promote interop-erability of RFID systems, we can cer-tainly expect to see many more innova-tive ideas come to fruition as products and services.

The Bones Milestone can communicate with RFID tags complying with ISO/IEC 15693.



Julius Okiror, winner of the SABS Essay Competition

(centre) holding his certificate, together with SABS Standards Executive, Dr. Geoff Visser (left) and SABS Council

Member, Ignatia Sekonyela.

South African students rewarded for work on standardization

M any are the technical fields that require young professionals to have a solid knowledge of Inter-

national Standards. To promote standardi-zation in higher education, the South Afri-can Bureau of standards (SABS) launched an essay competition for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

The competition aims to create awareness about standards development among young professionals, inform stu-dents about their benefits and encour-age research projects at a higher edu-cation level.

The winners of the 2008 competi-tion were: Julius Okiror (University of the Western Cape); Sagren Munsamy (Uni-

versity of Natal) and Andrew Dickson (University of the Witwatersrand).

Julius Okiror, who received first prize for an essay on standards and ener-gy efficiency, said “ I intend to pursue a career involving understanding the role that standards play in our economy, I am confident that this award will assist me in this goal. I have learnt a great deal about standards and how their use can create a more energy efficient environment.

Furthermore, I have learnt that stand-ards also perform a myriad of functions in today’s modern economy.”

After the competition, Sagren Munsamy who won second prize for an essay on the use of standards towards energy savings commented “ I feel more motivated than ever to contin-ue the pursuit of my interests in engi-neering and standardization.”

Winner of the third prize for his work on engineering Andrew Dickson also commented “ I hope that [the award] creates more awareness and interest among young engineers to use and get involved in the development of local and international standards.”

Development and Initiatives



New on the shelfNew ISO technical report for safer manufacturing and handling of nanomaterials

by Sandrine Tranchard, Communication Officer, ISO Central Secretariat

The field of nanotechnologies is advancing rapidly and is expect-ed to impact virtually every fac-

et of global industry and society. Inter-national standardization contributes to realizing the potential of this technolo-gy for the betterment and sustainability of the world through economic devel-opment, improving the quality of life, and for improving and protecting pub-lic health and the environment.

ISO has just published new ISO/TR 12885:2008, Health and safety prac-tices in occupational settings relevant to nanotechnologies, which focuses on the manufacture and use of engineered nanomaterials. The technical report is based on current information about nan-otechnologies, including characteriza-tion, health effects, exposure assess-ments, and control practices.

Broadly applicable across a range of nanomaterials and applications, the technical report provides advice for com-panies, researchers, workers and oth-er people to prevent adverse health and safety consequences during the produc-tion, handling, use and disposal of man-ufactured nanomaterials.

Dr. Peter Hatto, Chair of ISO tech-nical committee ISO/TC 229, Nanotech-nologies, comments : “ The introduction of new engineered nanomaterials into the workplace raises questions concerning occu-pational safety and health that should be addressed, as appropriate, by International Standards. While such standards are being developed, it is important, through ISO/TR 12885:2008, to assemble and make avail-able to users, useful knowledge on occu-pational safety and health practices in the context of nanotechnologies.”

The technical report will be revised and updated and new safety standards will be developed as knowledge increases and experience is gained in the course of tech-nological advance.

ISO/TR 12885:2008, Health and safety practices in occupational settings rel-evant to nanotechnologies, was developed by ISO/TC 229, Nanotechnologies.

It is available from ISO national member institutes. It may also be obtained directly from ISO Central Secretariat, through the ISO Store (www.iso.org) or by contacting the Marketing & Communi-cation department ([email protected]).

New ISO standard tackles recyclability of earth-moving machinery

by Janet Maillard, Assistant Editor, ISO Focus

Over the years, earth-moving machinery reaching the end of its useful life has significant-

ly contributed to the total volume of waste needing to be treated or disposed of. For this reason, end-of-life recycling has today become a market requirement and an integral phase of a machine’s life cycle.

To ensure environmentally sound treatment of a machine and all its compo-nents when the time comes, it is essen-tial that eventual recovery issues are already taken into account during the design phase, along with safety, emis-sions, fuel consumption and other design considerations.

ISO 16714:2008, Earth-moving machinery – Recyclability and recover-ability – Terminology and calculation



method, will provide manufacturers with a much needed and internationally agreed tool to evaluate the ability and potential of new machines to be recovered and/or recycled.

The standard is applicable to machinery designed to perform excavation, loading, transportation, drilling, spread-ing, compacting or trenching of earth, rock and other materials, as defined in ISO 6165:2006, Earth-moving machinery – Basic types – Identification and terms and definitions.

The specified method of calculation is based on four main stages reflecting the typical treatment of end-of-life machines. As noted by Mr. Nobukazu Kotake, Chair of ISO/TC 127/SC 3, “ ISO 16714 will help manufacturers to calculate the reuse and recycling percentage of machines, their components and materials before they are put on the market. Dismantlers and recy-clers will also find this standard useful to help identify what parts of a machine are recoverable, with a view to recycling or reusing the materials or components for new applications.”

ISO 16714:2008 was developed by subcommittee SC 3, Machine char-acteristics, electrical and electronic sys-tems, operation and maintenance, of tech-nical committee ISO/TC127, Earth-mov-ing machinery.

The outstanding achievements and international expertise of ISO/TC 127 were publicly recognized in Octo-ber, when the technical committee was presented with the 2008 edition of the Lawrence D. Eicher Leadership Award at the 31st ISO General Assembly in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Every year, the award provides recognition for superior performance by one of ISO’s standards development groups.

ISO 16714:2008, Earth-moving machinery – Recyclability and recovera-bility – Terminology and calculation meth-od, is available from ISO national mem-ber institutes and from the ISO Central Secretariat through the ISO Store or by contacting the Marketing & Communica-tion department ([email protected]).

New on the shelf

A smoother ride for wheelchair users with new ISO standard

by Maria Lazarte, Acting Editor, ISO Focus

Uneven terrains, door thresholds, kerbs, changes in pavement heights and driving surfaces can pose some

serious challenges for wheelchair users. A new ISO standard will measure the abil-ity of electrically powered wheelchairs, including scooters, to safely climb and descend such obstacles.

ISO 7176-10:2008, Wheelchairs –Part10:Determination of obstacle-climbing ability of electrically powered wheelchairs, provides a reliable method for determining the obstacle-climbing and descending ability of electrically powered wheelchairs intended to carry one person. The standard specifies requirements for test equipment, outlines test procedures, and provides specifications for report-ing test results.

“ This new standard will help users select the most appropriate wheelchair where obstacle climbing is important for access and safety,” says Dev Banerjee, Chair of the committee that developed the standard. “The tests included in this

standard will provide very useful infor-mation for both operators and prescrib-ers of wheelchairs, and will facilitate the comparison of products manufactured and sold in different countries.”

ISO 7176-10 is part of a series of standards on wheelchairs (ISO 7176) which addresses, among other topics, stability, effectiveness of brakes, ener-gy consumption, dimensions, mass and manoeuvring space, speed and acceler-ation, impact and fatigue strength, and control systems.

ISO 7176-10 was prepared by ISO technical committee ISO/TC 173, Assis-tive products for persons with disability, subcommittee SC 1, Wheelchairs. ISO/TC 173 has developed numerous stand-ards for persons with disability, ranging from aids for ostomy (surgical opening for discharge of waste) and incontinence to assistive equipment helping people with a visual impairment use pedestrian crossings, to hoists for transferring per-sons, among others.

ISO 7176-10:2008, Wheelchairs, Part 10 : Determination of obstacle-climb-ing ability of electrically powered wheel-chairs, is available from ISO national member institutes. It may also be obtained directly from the ISO Central Secretariat, through the ISO Store or by contacting the Marketing & Communication depart-ment ([email protected]).



Main Focus

SustainabilitySustainability has been defined as the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. With a global economic crisis and the impending threat of climate change, never has this issue been more pressing. As environmental degradation starts to take its toll, and the economic model falters, we must take action now to safeguard our interests and that of the future.

Behind the idea of sustainability lies the notion of collective responsibility. To make a difference, the global com-munity must get involved. As compa-nies reach out to international markets, they are increasingly aware of the need to reconcile and optimize competitive-ness, profitability and sustainability. In this context, ISO has an important role to play by responding to market requirements with globally relevant practical tools that promote economic development and sustainability.

The March issue of ISO Focus looks at sustainability from a practical perspective. It presents the big picture,

but more specifically, focuses on a number of selected examples where ISO standards are making a difference.

The issue highlights topics that are commonly associated with sustainabil-ity, such as environmental challenges, as well as tackling some unexpected subjects and the contribution they can make, as with health informatics.

Indeed, ISO is in an ideal position to support sustainability due to the wide spectrum of fields it covers. Traditionally associated with technical concerns, ISO standards are increas-ingly valued for their added societal, economic and environmental benefits. From energy and renewable sources to social responsibility to building design to transport on air, sea and land and much more; the scope is vast, and so is their contribution.

In our next issue, find out what ISO is doing in the here and now, as the global debate on sustainability continues.

Developments and Initiatives

Davos 2009, World Economic ForumFor the fourth year running, ISO par-ticipated in the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), this time through the active involvement of ISO Deputy Secretary-General Kevin McKinley in many sessions where International Standards offer solutions to address global challenges.

As a panelist in a session entitled “ Mending holes in the food safety net ” he commented on global food safety challenges facing both devel-oped and developing countries and described to global leaders how multi-stakeholder, consensus-based volun-tary standards can complement food safety measures taken by governments and implemented by industry. Learn all about this event in our next issue of ISO Focus.

The theme of the WEF 39th annual meeting, held from 28 January to 1 February 2009 in Davos, Switzerland, was “ Shaping the post-crisis world ”. The objective was to catalyze a more inclusive, integrated and systematic approach to improving the state of the world.

This year’s forum attracted some 2 500 participants from 96 countries, including 41 heads of state or govern-ment and a record number of more than 1 400 chief executives and chairpersons from the world’s leading companies. Don’t miss out on our next issue of ISO Focus to find out more.

Coming up



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Materials - ISO · 2016. 7. 13. · technological revolution that affects the way we live and...

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