Research Guides: BMEG360: Engineering Junior and Senior Design: Searching for a Specific Standard(s)

Specific Standards Development Organizations

This section includes select, major standards bodies related to engineering and technology. It contains a large number of professional societies that have multiple functions and develop standards as part of their organization's mission. The focus here is only on their standards work. Individual, full-text standards in print and/or digital formats are available for purchase from every standards body listed.

ASTM International (formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials) ASTM develops and publishes national and international standards for materials, products, systems, and services. ASTM standards are used in a variety of industries, including aircraft, chemical, construction, consumer product, energy, highway, metals, testing solutions, automotive, health care services, technology, and textiles. ASTM offers institutional access to their standards, other ASTM publications, and standards from other standards bodies (AASHTO, etc) through the online platform ASTM Compass.

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
AASHTO sets standards that are used in highway development. Topics covered include the design and construction of highways and bridges, the materials used, etc. AASHTO works as a liaison between state departments of transportation and the federal government.
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
As the only accreditor of U.S. voluntary consensus standards bodies, ANSI facilitates the approval of American National Standards (ANS). It is the "sole U.S. representative and dues-paying member of the two major non-treaty international standards organizations, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and, via the U.S. National Committee (USNC), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)" (ANSI 2017). Through ANSI or the USNC, U.S. standards are often submitted to ISO and IEC to be used in whole or in part as international standards. ANSI offers institutional access to their approved standards, as well as U.S. and international standards from many other standards bodies, through the online platform ANSI Standards Connect ET.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
ASME is an international developer of standards for mechanical engineering. ASME develops standards for a wide variety of areas, including nuclear plants, pressure technology, performance testing, elevators, escalators, pipelines and piping, pumps, valves, fittings, gaskets, and hand tools. ASME is well known for its Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) body of standards. ASME offers institutional access to their standards collections through the online platform ASME Standards Collection.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
IEEE develops standards through the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA). IEEE-SA develops industry standards in a range of technologies, including aerospace electronics, health care IT, wired and wireless communications, computer technology, nanotechnology, nuclear power, and transportation. IEEE offers institutional access to their standards and other IEEE publications through the online platform IEEE Xplore.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
ISO is an independent, non-governmental, international organization that develops and publishes consensus-based international standards. ISO publishes standards in almost every industry for materials, products, processes, and services.
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International)
SAE develops standards for mobility engineering around the world. Standards are developed for aerospace, aerospace materials, ground vehicles, and the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR). SAE offers institutional access to their standards and other SAE publications through the online platform SAE Mobilus.
UL (formerly Underwriters Laboratories)
UL standards are used to assess products, test components, materials, systems and performance. UL creates or revises standards through their Standards Technical Panels (STPs). The UL listing and classification marks from UL's testing and certification programs are widely recognized on consumer products.
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
ASCE is the oldest engineering society in the United States. They develop and publish standards for the built environment. ASCE standards are applied in the areas of infrastructure, such as water irrigation and drainage, design loads, electricity and power transmission, retaining structures, tunnels, and underground construction. ASCE offers institutional access to their standards and other ASCE publications through the online platform ASCE Research Library.