Testing, Inspection & Certification

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Testing, Inspection & Certification

September 17, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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“The Alchemists Laboratory” 1625 | Heinrich Khunrath

The size of the U.S. Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) industry is approximately $48.19 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to about $60.06 billion by 2032.  The industry is driven by factors such as increasing government regulatory action, consumer awareness about safety, and the rising need for quality assurance in various sectors like automotive, healthcare, consumer goods, municipal and campus building construction.  TIC standards are found in design guidelines, construction contracts, building commissioning and acceptance.

Today we focus on the public commenting facilities of the dominant standards developers relevant to our work:

ASTM International

Intertek

International Electrical Testing Association (Portage, Michigan)

NSF International (Ann Arbor, Michigan)

Underwriters Laboratories

Each of the foregoing organizations have global affiliates such as SGS, Bureau Veritas, and TÜV SÜD which we cover in a separate session at some point in the future.  We deal with electrotechnical TIC standards in any of our electrotechnology-oriented sessions every Tuesday.

Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

 

Electrical Commissioning Specifications

September 17, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com

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University of California San Diego Microgrid Installation



The InterNational Electrical Testing Association (NETA) is an association of leading electrical testing companies comprised of visionaries who are committed to advancing the industry’s standards for power system installation and maintenance to ensure the highest level of reliability and safety.  It has launched a new revision cycle to update  the existing Edition of ANSI/NETA ECS Standard for Electrical Commissioning Specifications for Electrical Power Equipment and Systems.  From the standard prospectus:

Scope: It is the purpose of these specifications to assure that tested electrical equipment and systems are operational, are within applicable standards and manufacturer’s tolerances, and are installed in accordance with design specifications.

Project Need: The purpose of these specifications is to assure that tested electrical systems are safe, reliable, and operational; are in conformance with applicable standards and manufacturers’ tolerances; and are installed in accordance with design specifications. These specifications are specifically intended for application on electrical power equipment and systems.

Stakeholders: Commissioning agents, governmental agencies, A&E firms, inspection authorities, owners of facilities that utilize large blocks of electrical energy, electrical testing firms.

This standard is not intended to be submitted for consideration as an ISO, IEC, or ISO/IEC JTC-1 standard.

Revision cycles to other titles in the NETA catalogue:

NETA standards are typically referenced in electrical system construction documents for setting safety criteria before local authorities permit initial system energization and building occupancy.  The NETA suite is also among the constellation of consensus documents that set the standard of care for the safety of building electrical systems across the full span of an electrical system life cycle.

We review the NETA catalog jointly with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee which is the locus of the most informed technical and business opinions on customer-owned electrical power generating facilities for the education facilities industry.   That committee meets online twice today:

Teleconferences | May 22, 2018

All standards dealing with the #TotalCostofOwnership of distributed electrical energy resources are on the standing agenda of our weekly Open Door teleconferences which are hosted weekly on Wednesday at 11 AM Eastern time.  Click here to log in.

Issue:[13-44]

Category: Electrical, Facility Asset Management, #SmartCampus

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jim Harvey, Gary Walls, Glenn Keates

Collaborative Standards Development System

September 17, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com

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UL’s Collaborative Standards Development System Login

Underwriters Laboratories catalog is heavy on product titles (because manufacturers can build the cost of conformance into the product and pass it on to the user) and light on system interoperability titles (our primary concern).  Many titles are US adaptations of IEC, ITU and ISO titles.  We follow a few when they are heavily referenced into the same interoperability titles such as the National Electrical Code and the International Building Code.   We refer most  — but not all — electrotechnology titles to IEEE E&H).  IEEE E&H meets 4 times monthly and is open to everyone.

Non-electrotechnology titles):

3600 Standard for Measuring and Reporting Circular Economy Aspects of Products, Sites and Organizations (December 6)

Electrotechnology titles: Workspace re-organization should be complete by end of 2022

489 Standard for Molded-Case Circuit Breakers, Molded-Case Switches and Circuit-Breaker (January 16)

1778 Standard for Safety for Uninterruptible Power Systems (January 16)

2201 Standard for Safety for Carbon Monoxide (CO) Emission Rate of Portable Generators (December 19)

 3600 Standard for Measuring and Reporting Circular Economy Aspects of Products, Sites and Organizations (December 6)

62990 Standard for Safety for Workplace Atmospheres (October 9)
– 217 Standard for Safety for Smoke Alarms (August 28)
– 1480 Standard for Safety for Speakers for Fire Alarm and Signaling Systems, Including Accessories (November 27)
– 231-202x, Standard for Safety for Power Outlets (September 25)
268 Standard for Safety for Smoke Detectors for Fire Alarm Systems (November 13)
– 283 Standard for Central-Station Alarm Services (May 10)
– 325 Standard for Safety for Door, Drapery, Gate, Louver, and Window Operators and Systems (October 3)
– 347A Standard for Safety for Medium Voltage Power Conversion Equipment (April 3)
1004-5 Standard for Safety for Fire Pump Motors (September 12)
– 1072 Standard for Safety for Medium-Voltage Power Cables (September 11)
1998 Standard for Safety for Software in Programmable Components (November 6)
– 2251 Standard for Safety for Plugs, Receptacles, and Couplers for Electric Vehicles (October 10)

– UL 2580 Standard for Safety for Batteries for Use in Electric Vehicles (April 24)

– Standard for Photovoltaic (PV) Modules – Type Approval, Design and Safety Qualification – Retesting (national adoption with modifications of IEC 62915).  The revisions appear to be largely harmonization revisions; updating normative references.  (March 20)

– 2800 Standard for Safety for Medical Device Interoperability.  Referred to IEEE E&H (April 3)

– 347A Standard for Safety for Medium Voltage Power Conversion Equipment (April 3)

– 414 Standard for Safety for Meter Sockets (April 3)

– 347 Standard for Safety for Medium-Voltage AC Contactors, Controllers, and Control Centers (August 14)

– 1996 Standard for Safety for Electric Duct Heaters (August 21)

– 6142 Standard for Small Wind Turbine Systems (August 21)

– 8801 Standard for Safety for Photovoltaic (PV) Luminaire Systems (May 10)

– 61800 Standard for Safety for Adjustable Speed Electrical Power Drive Systems (April 24)

– 60950 Standard for Safety for Information Technology Equipment (May 9)

– 1480 Standard for Safety for Speakers for Fire Alarm and Signaling Systems, Including Accessories (July 26)

– 2200 Standard for Stationary Engine Generator Assemblies (June 19)

– 2388 Standard for Safety for Flexible Lighting Products (June 20)

2900 Standard for Safety for Software Cybersecurity for Network-Connectable Products (October 11)

The Business of Standards Never Stops

September 17, 2024
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ASTM International (formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials) is a globally recognized organization that develops and publishes technical standards for a wide range of products, systems, and services. These standards are used by manufacturers, regulatory bodies, and other stakeholders to ensure that products and services are safe, reliable, and of high quality.

In the field of measurement science, ASTM plays an important role in developing standards and guidelines for measurement techniques and practices. These standards cover a wide range of topics related to measurement science, including the calibration of instruments, the characterization of measurement systems, and the validation of measurement results. They are used by researchers, engineers, and other professionals in academia, industry, and government to ensure that measurements are accurate, precise, and reliable.

ANSI Public Review

 

ASTM standards for measurement science are developed through a process that involves input from experts in the field, including researchers, industry professionals, and regulatory bodies. These standards are updated regularly to reflect advances in measurement science and technology, as well as changes in industry and regulatory requirements.  This is a far better way to discover and promulgate leading practice.  In fact, there are regulations intended to restrain the outsized influence of vertical incumbents in legislative precincts where market-making happens.

Federal Participation in Consensus Standards

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Fellows Coffee Shop

September 16, 2024
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“I have found that it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk

that keep the darkness at bay.”

— J.R. R. Tolkein

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tolkien, author of “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit,” completed his studies at the University of Birmingham in 1915. He graduated with first-class honors in English Language and Literature. After graduation, Tolkien went on to serve in World War I before embarking on his distinguished career as a writer and academic.

Roger Scruton “Why Intellectuals are Mostly Left”


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Human Resources 100

September 16, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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Office in a Small City 1953 Edward Hopper

 

“Choose a job you love,

and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

Kong Fuzi, Confucius

 

Today we dwell on titles that inform management of the education industry in the United States specifically; but also more generally in global markets where the education industry is classified as a Producer and a User of human resources.  It is an enormous domain; likely the largest.

Human Resources 100 covers skilled trade training in all building construction disciplines.

Human Resources 200 covers the range of skills needed to manage the real assets of educational settings — school district properties, college and university campuses

Human Resources 300 covers higher level management of these settings.  (Representative Organization Charts)

Human Resources 500 covers everything else

Human Resources 500

Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

Engineering a Fair Future: Why we need to train unbiased AI

Recommended Reading:

“The Human Side of Enterprise” 1960 by Douglas McGregor | MIT Management Sloan School

University of Chicago Press: Readings in Managerial Psychology

 

 

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Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice

“Google’s Ideological Echo Chamber” James Damore

 

Qualification Standard for Power Plant Operators

September 16, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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EPRI is an independent, nonprofit organization that is primarily funded by its member utilities. These member utilities are typically electric power companies, and they contribute financially to EPRI to support its research and development activities.

While EPRI is not directly funded by the government, it does collaborate with various government agencies on research projects and receives funding for specific initiatives through government grants and contracts. Additionally, some of EPRI’s research and development efforts align with government priorities in areas such as renewable energy, environmental sustainability, and grid modernization.

Qualification Standard for Power Plant Operators

EPRI 2024 Research Portfolio: Building on Success to Drive Progress

Electrical inspectors (See NFPA 1078) typically do not have jurisdiction over electrical power plants. Electrical power plants, especially large-scale utility power plants, are subject to much more stringent regulations and oversight than regular electrical installations. The responsibility for inspecting and ensuring the safety and compliance of power plants falls under various government agencies and organizations.

In the United States, for example, power plants are subject to federal regulations set forth by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for nuclear power plants or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for fossil fuel power plants. Additionally, state regulatory agencies and utility commissions may have their own specific requirements and oversight for power plants within their jurisdictions.

Power plants typically undergo rigorous inspections and audits to ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and operational standards. These inspections are conducted by specialized teams of engineers, experts, and representatives from relevant regulatory bodies and utilities.

While electrical inspectors may not have jurisdiction over power plants, they play a crucial role in inspecting and ensuring the safety of electrical installations in other settings, such as smaller power generation facilities (i.e. district energy plants) that are not exempted by self-assessment charters granted to many large university power plants.

Gallery: School, College & University Electric Systems

 

Certifying the Certifiers

September 16, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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Accreditation and certification are relatively modern concepts that have evolved over time as formalized methods of establishing and maintaining standards in various fields. The concept of accreditation or certification, as it is understood today, may not have existed in the same form in the distant past. However, there were likely individuals or groups who played roles similar to that of accreditation or certification specialists in history, although the formalized systems of accreditation or certification that exist today were not present.

For example, in ancient times, there were guilds and associations in various professions that set standards for their members, oversaw training and apprenticeship programs, and ensured the quality of their work. These guilds and associations, which existed in various civilizations such as ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, could be seen as early forms of accreditation or certification bodies.

Similarly, in religious contexts, there were individuals who held authority to certify or accredit others. For instance, in medieval Europe, there were religious orders, such as the Knights Templar, who were known for their specialized skills and were often called upon to certify the expertise of others in their areas of knowledge, such as architecture or finance.

In the field of education, ancient universities and centers of learning, such as the ancient Indian Nalanda University or the Islamic madrasas, could also be seen as early forms of accreditation or certification bodies, where scholars were recognized and certified based on their knowledge and expertise.

However, it’s important to note that the formalized systems of accreditation or certification that we are familiar with today, with standardized processes, documentation, and oversight, have developed over time and are relatively modern phenomena. The history of accreditation or certification is complex and multifaceted, with various practices and traditions that have evolved and influenced the modern systems we have today.

Abiit sed non oblitus | James Earl Jones

September 16, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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Encyclopedia Britannica

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Born in Tate County Mississippi. His family moved to Manistee County Michigan during the Great Northward Migration of 1910-1970 and where he began his career in the dramatic arts as a stage carpenter at the Ramsdell Theater Regional Center for the Arts. He graduated from Dickson Brethren Agricultural High School and the University of Michigan School of Music Theater and Dance, Class of 1955

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