ISO Standards Development Continues in Switzerland

The Swiss Association for Standardization (SNV) in Winterthur, Switzerland was the host of the fall TC 131 fluid power systems ISO standards development meetings. Two subcommittees (Connectors and Contamination Control) and 11 working groups met to further the developmental progress on new work item proposals, systematic reviews of published standards, interlaboratory testing to validate current standards, and to discuss possible new areas of work within the fluid power industry.

More than fifty committee members from all over the world attended. Ten U.S. experts from NFPA member companies that participate on various U.S. Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs), attended on behalf of the U.S. fluid power industry. The remaining delegates traveled from China, Japan, Belgium, Italy, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Meeting Highlights

The Subcommittee (SC) on connectors is led by chairman Lou Moreiras (U.S.), a consultant for Parker Hannifin. The SC heard updates from each of the Working Group (WG) convenors and approved via resolution to revise the standard on fluid power systems for connectors and associated components having to do with nominal pressures. The committee also approved moving forward on a revision of a standard on the test methods for metallic tube connections in hydraulic fluid power connections.

Ted Amling (U.S.) of Parker Hannifin is the convenor of the Working Group for methods of connecting hose fitting and tubes to connectors. The working group revised and published several ISO standards this past year, including standards on hydraulic hose assembly test methods and hose fittings with face seal ends. Work continues on projects revolving around test methods for tube connectors and 24-degree cone connectors.

The SC on contamination control is chaired by Barry Verdegan (U.S.) of Cummins Filtration. This SC is focusing on a number of standards that will need revision as a result of a change in a test fluid for the calibration of automatic particle counters for liquids. Two interlaboratory tests are slated to begin in January. The committee also heard a presentation from one of the Chinese experts on regression techniques of automatic particle counters. The group encouraged the expert to begin a new work item proposal to begin the standardization process.

In the Working Group on filter and separator evaluation, convenor Bruce Shane (U.S.) of Parker Hannifin led discussions about the protocol for an interlaboratory test on filter multi-pass test under cyclic flow conditions that will be conducted beginning in early 2018.

Continuing the Development Process

NFPA members are encouraged to participate in fluid power industry standards development. Whether at the national and/or international level, your engineering expertise is needed

• to help influence global technology;
• give expert input;
• be a part of the U.S. voice in an international arena.