NFPA Hosts 2017 Spring ISO/TC 131 Meetings

NFPA recently hosted a week-long group of 40+ delegates representing the U.S. and other International Standards Organization (ISO) member bodies from around the world in San Antonio, Tex. There were 15 U.S. experts from various U.S. Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) attending on behalf of the U.S. fluid power industry. The remaining delegates came from China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Along with the TC 131 plenary meeting, subcommittees and working groups met individually to discuss ongoing projects, systematic reviews of older standards, and proposals on new areas of work on topics such as energy efficiency, water hydraulics, and fluid power terminology.

Meeting Highlights

In the working group on positive-displacement pumps, motors, and integral transmissions – method of testing, Jack Johnson from the U.S. addressed many concerns resulting from a recent new work item proposal ballot mathematical models for positive displacement pumps. This standard is being proposed by the U.S. to become a starting point for efficiency standards in hydraulics, much like there are in the electric industry. The experts agreed that there was merit in using a model to reduce the number of testing points and decrease manufacturing costs. However, they felt that additional research needed to be done in this area before an actual standard could be developed. They have asked the U.S. experts to provide further information to the mirror technical advisory groups in other countries so that individual countries could have a national discussion prior to the next international meeting.

The working group on fluid power vocabulary continues to add to and revise the “living” standard (ISO 5598) on fluid power terms, symbols, and definitions. This standard, currently at 190 pages, continues to grow along with the industry. Group discussion included how to manage changes, number the clauses, and the possibility of eventually having an electronic version of the standard.

In the pneumatic-control products committee, the work continues on the measurement of minimum shifting operating pressure of pneumatic valves and the measurement of shifting time of pneumatic poppet valves. In the TC 131 plenary meeting, the delegates listened to two new proposals regarding EPPR valves for excavators from South Korea and the need for ADS (water hydraulics) standards from Japan. Upon a lengthy discussion and many questions from the experts, neither proposal garnered approval to move forward.

Continued Progress

The next ISO/TC 131 meetings are scheduled for October 9-13, 2017 in Winterthur, Switzerland. The following subcommittees and working groups will have meetings:

• TC 131/WG 1 – Accumulators
• SC 1/WG 1 – Graphic symbols and circuit diagrams
• SC 3/WG 1 – Hydraulic cylinders mounting dimensions
• SC 3/WG 2 – Pneumatic cylinder mounting dimensions
• SC 3/WG 4 – Cylinder identification code
• SC 4 – Connectors and similar products/components
• SC 4/WG 1 – Port and fitting end
• SC 4/WG 2 – Flange port connectors
• SC 4/WG 4 – Hydraulic quick-action couplings
• SC 4/WG 6 – Hose couplings and tube connection methods
• SC 4/WG 9 – Pneumatic Connectors
• SC 5/WG 5 – Treatment of air
• SC 6 – Contamination control
• SC 6/WG 1 – Sampling, contamination analysis, and reporting
• SC 6/WG 2 – Filter and separator evaluation
• SC 6/WG 3 – Component and system cleanliness