Current standards on metals and metal working
Utilisation
Metals can be used universally. High-rise buildings, bridges, plants and machinery, roofs as well as jewellery would not be possible without metal.
From its utilisation to recycling, this raw material is covered in detail in international, European and Austrian standards.
- Credit: ASI prm
A harmonised designation
Harmonised designations form the foundation of free trade in goods. What a product contains and the purposes for which it can be used is expressed by its name.
This name is made up of a combination of letters and numbers whose meaning and uniform use is guaranteed by standards. From manufacturing to processing, trade in metals is subject to standardised documentation.
Metals - designations (examples):
ÖNORM EN 10027 (two parts): Designation systems for steels
ÖNORM EN 1412: Copper and copper alloys: European numbering system
ÖNORM CEN/TS 13388: Copper and copper alloys - Compendium of compositions and products
ÖNORM EN 573 (four parts): Aluminium and aluminium alloys;
Part 1: Numerical designation system;
Part 2: Chemical symbol based designation system
ÖNORM EN 10204: Metallic products - Types of inspection documents
- Credit: ASI prm
For each production method and metal
There are specific standards for each product manufactured by the metal industry. For sheets, plates and profiles, the focus is on tolerances, properties, terms of delivery and composition.
But that does not only apply to steel and steel grades. While European standardisation concentrates on steel, Austrian standards also cover other metals.
Steel and more (examples):
ÖNORM EN 10025: Hot rolled products of structural steels (six parts): Technical delivery conditions for different products
ÖNORM M 3410: Lead
ÖNORM M 3460: Tin
ÖNORM M 3404: Wrought copper alloys; copper-zinc alloys (brass, special brass)
ÖNORM M 3406: Wrought copper alloys; copper-tin alloys (tin bronze)
ÖNORM M 3407: Wrought copper alloys: copper-nickel-zinc alloys (nickel silver)
- Credit: ASI prm
Precious and good
Metals are not only in high demand for components and large objects. Precious metals and jewellery making can also rely on international and European standards.
Europe has agreed on ring sizes and gold colours. In international trade, standards help the market actors to verify the contents of important elements in precious metals.
Jewellery standards (examples):
ÖNORM EN 28653: Jewellery - Ring sizes - Definition, measurement and designation
ÖNORM EN 28654: Colours of gold alloys - Definition, range of colours and designation
ÖNORM EN 29202: Jewellery - Fineness of precious metal alloys
ÖNORM EN ISO 11489: Determination of platinum in platinum jewellery alloys
ÖNORM EN ISO 11490: Determination of palladium in palladium jewellery alloys
- Credit: pixelio.de
Priority to health
Foils, cans and lids made of metal have to meet strict criteria. Contact with foodstuffs is always an issue of relevance to health and thus a concern for final consumers.
If too much metal enters the foodstuffs, this could endanger human health. At the European level, standards define the specifications for packaging made of metal.
Foodstuffs and metal (examples):
ÖNORM EN 541: Aluminium and aluminium alloys: Rolled products for cans, closures and lids - Specifications
ÖNORM EN 14392: Aluminium and aluminium alloys: Requirements for anodised products for use in contact with foodstuff
ÖNORM EN 546 (four parts): Aluminium and aluminium alloys - Foils
- Credit: pixelio.de
Recycling
The production of metal involves intensive efforts. Therefore, this precious material should not be dumped after use. That is the unanimous opinion all over our continent.
As a result, aluminium, copper and other metals are collected and recycled Europe-wide. The grades of scrap are determined with the help of European standards.
Recycling of metals (examples):
ÖNORM EN 12861: Copper and copper alloys - Scrap
ÖNORM EN 14290: Zinc and zinc alloys - Secondary raw material
ÖNORM EN 13920 (16 parts): Aluminium and aluminium alloys - Scrap
- Credit: ASI prm
Special products made of metal
Transparency and quality prevail in the metal industry. When new products succeed in the market, standards soon follow in order to guarantee high quality and specific properties for the customers.
Metals - special products (examples):
ÖNORM M 3285: Steel bars - Forged round and square steel bars - Dimensions and permissible deviations
ÖNORM M 3286: Steel bars - Forged flat steel bars - Dimensions and permissible deviations
ÖNORM E 7400: Wrought coppers for electrical purposes - Technical terms of delivery
On account of sophisticated production procedures, metals can be used for varied applications. This diversity is supported by standards at all levels.
