Conformity - November 2008 - (Page 6) Editor’s Note The Role of Standards Development Even if you’re just a casual reader of Conformity Magazine, you no doubt already understand and appreciate the important role that voluntary standards play in the development and marketing of electrical and electronic products. Standards not only help to ensure the safety and reliability of the products we design, they serve as the foundation for regulations around the world affecting the sale and marketing of such products. And, internationally accepted standards minimize barriers to trade, thereby speeding the deployment of modern technologies to all corners of the earth. But what you may not appreciate about voluntary standards is the scope and scale of the effort involved in creating and maintaining the tens of thousands of standards currently in place. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), for example, has more than 17,000 standards within its portfolio, with at least 2000 separate standards undergoing revision during any given year. And the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the sister organization to the ISO, says that the development and continual revision of its standards involves approximately 10,000 individual experts in electrical and electronic devices, representing industry, testing laboratories, academia, government and other interested entities. Concerns are sometimes raised that the process of developing and updating voluntary standards is controlled or influenced by parties who have a “special interest” in the outcome. But, when you consider the sheer number of standards involved, such charges are extremely rare. That’s because standards development work is largely selfpoliced by the veritable army of technical professionals who unselfishly volunteer their time and energy to ensure that the products of their efforts are fair and unbiased. The cover story in this month’s issue of Conformity showcases the depth and detail of the work being done by one such standards committee, Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) C63. The article, The State of Antenna Calibration in the United States Using ANSI C63.5, traces the efforts of ASC C63 over a nearly 30 year span to develop this important document, and to maintain its currency in light of technical developments. Conformity november 2008 © Scott Maxwell | Dreamstime.co Dreamstime.com Equally important, readers of this article will also learn how standards development efforts don’t merely reflect the state of our technical understanding of issues but frequently contribute to the advancement of that understanding. The State of Antenna Calibration in the U.S. is the work of three industry professionals, Mike Windler of Underwriters Laboratories, Zhong Chen of ETS-Lindgren, and Dennis Camell of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. But an article of this significance is always a collaboration that extends beyond the authors. Bill DeLisi of Underwriters Laboratories contributed the excellent sidebar on measurement uncertainty. Bill Hurst of the Federal Communications Commission and Dan Hoolihan of Hoolihan EMC provided extensive suggestions and feedback during the article review process. And Don Heirman, chairman of ASC C63, offered generous and invaluable perspective and guidance throughout. Finally, we’d like to acknowledge the special contribution of Janet O’Neil of the IEEE EMC Society for her help and assistance in working with the article’s coauthors, and in coordinating the extensive review and approval process. We would not have been able to publish this important article without her tireless effort. Thank you, Janet! Bill von Achen Managing Editor http://www.Dreamstime.com
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