Historical background
The creation of UNM
After the beginnings of the "Commission Permanente de Standardisation" (1918-1924),
French standardization in mechanical engineering really began in
February 1927, within the industrial federation called "Fédération
des industries mécaniques", with the creation of CNM, "Comité de
Normalisation de la Mécanique", the forerunner of UNM.
This occured shortly after the establishment of AFNOR, "Association
Française de Normalisation", and ISA, International Standard
Association, the ancestor of ISO, in 1926.
In 1977, to meet the mechanical engineering industry's increasing
needs for standards, the "Fédération des industries
mécaniques (FIM) (Federation of Mechanical engineering and
metal working industries) and the Technical Research Centre for Mechanical
engineering industries (CETIM), set up the association UNM, Union
de Normalisation de la Mécanique, which took over from CNM.
Under the decree of January 26th, 1984, UNM was approved as standardization
office for the mechanical engineering and metal working industries.
In 2002, the governing bodies of UNM, of SNCP "Syndicat national
du Caoutchouc et des Polymères" (National Trade Association
for Rubber and Polymers) as well as those of the standardizing system
(Government Authorities supervising standardization, and the board
of directors of AFNOR), decided to extend the scope of UNM to include
standardization for the rubber industry, welding standardization
is part of UNM since 2006.
Evolution of mechanical engineering standards
Standardization is a tool fostering dialogue between manufacturers,
customers and other partners. These jointly define a common vocabulary,
dimensions, characteristics, testing methods, and various rules
to facilitate exchanges, interchangeability of products, and a
reduction in variety to generate economies of scale. The resulting
standards constitute reference documents that everyone can choose
to apply on a voluntary basis.
In addition to dimensional specifications, other characteristics
appeared such as the ability to ensure a function (e.g. mechanical
strength) around 1960, then more complex characteristics such as
safety of machinery at the end of the 1970s, and today the concept
of machine ability to produce parts within given dimensional tolerances.
Right from the start, the mechanical engineering industry recognized
the international aspect of its standardization commitment and actively
worked in the organizations which were set up (ISA in 1926, then
ISO, International organization for standardization, in 1947). The
first published ISO standard relates to mechanical engineering: ISO
1, Standard reference temperature for the industrial measurements
of length.
European standardization developed at the beginning of the 1960s,
and did not at that time really attract the mechanical engineering
industry because of the precedence of the international standardization
work. It was not until the "European single act" and the "New
Approach", instituted in 1985, that impetus was given to a vast
European program of standards, which are a major vehicle for achieving
European technical harmonization.
Mechanical engineering standardization is constantly on the move,
endeavouring to efficiently meet the needs of the industry and of
its partners, always open to reconsideration and review, while preserving
the basic principles on which it was founded and which are still
valid.
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