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Mechanical Engineering: Standards

What are standards?

SES - The Society for Standards Professionals - have a useful FAQ explaining what a standard is, and the terminology used by standards organizations.

Where to find standards

Abbreviation Sources

API Recommended Practice ###

API Standard YYYY-####

American Petroleum Institute publications.

Read only versions of these are available on the API website.  Create an account at http://publications.api.org/Default.aspx .  Then login and browse to the standard.

Some older API standards are available on paper in the Edinburgh campus library.

ANSI American National Standards Institute - contact the library for advice.
ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers - contact the library for advice.
ASTM American Society for Testing Materials.  If you are a member of IMechE you can get ASTM standards through the IMechE library.  Otherwise, contact the Heriot-Watt University library for advice.

BS ####-#:YYYY

BS EN #####:YYYY

BS ISO ####:YYYY

BS IEC #####-#:YYYY

British standards available from British Standards Online.
Eurocodes Available from British Standards Online .  See the Eurocodes guide.
EN #####:YYYY EN standards are European Standards from CEN, CENELEC or ETSI.  Many of these have a BS equivalent - try searching British Standards Online
IEC #####-#:YYYY Many IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standards have a BS equivalent - try searching British Standards Online

IEEE Std ####-YYYY

IEEE P###.###

IEEE standards are available from IEEE XPlore.
ISO ####:YYYY Many ISO (International Standards Organisation) standards have a BS equivalent - try searching British Standards Online

SD 2##

SD 5##

BREEAM Technical Standards and Environmental and Sustainability Standards are available from the Construction Information Service (info4education).

The Society for Standards Professionals has links to many more standards providers, including government and trade-related bodies.  You can use this page to decode unfamiliar abbreviations.

Academic Support & Liaison Librarian

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Lucrezia Gaion
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