While developed economies are moving towards harmonisation of standards for industrial valves, emerging economies seem to be on the opposite trajectory
Standards create simplify distribution, assure security to end-user during procurement and ensure order where otherwise chaos would rule. Standards provide great value for both makers and users of industrial valves. However, emerging economies such as China are working on their own standards which could make things harder in the future for global manufacturers.
Significant economic benefits
Multiple standards that speak different languages can deprive companies dependent on export markets of significant economic benefits. According to the report 'The Economic Benefit of Standardisation: An Actualisation of the 2000 DIN-Report' (Der gesamtwirtschaftliche Nutzen der Normung: Eine Aktualisierung der DINStudie aus dem Jahr 2000), published in 2011, Germany has benefited to the tune of €17 billion thanks to standards.
Additionally, 84% of manufacturing companies received access to the global market by utilising European and international standards. According to the DIN Valves Standards Committee, nearly 90% of DIN's standardisation work takes place on the European or international level. Christoph Pauly, spokesperson of valve and pump manufacturer KSB AG pointed out that compared to rest of Europe, Germany is at a very advanced stage on the harmonisation front.
Long road to global harmonisation
"The DIN area greatly influences the European market, as many countries do not have such a comprehensive scope of standardisation", explained Lars Hennemann, an engineer in Mankenberg's technical department. However, it is still a very long road to common global standards.
In addition to European standards, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards are also in use around the world. Whereas European standards are more of "a technically demanding and comparatively modern creation", ANSI tends to define "minimal standards."
explained KSB spokesperson Pauly. For a lot of manufacturers, there is no way around the US market. Mankenberg as well as many other valve makers, have to intensively implement American standards. LESER also follows this strategy as the company's safety valves are used in large scale energy, oil and gas projects.
"For that purpose, they have to meet additional standards, such as those of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American Petroleum Institute (API)," explained Bernd Jorgensen, head of LESER's technical department.
Valves attached to pumps or compressors need to fulfil both the PED (Pressure Equipment Directive) and the ASME codes.
While harmonisation is taking place in Europe, trouble seems to be looming from a global standpoint as emerging economies like China create their own standards if not influencing international standards. Siemens has placed an emphasis on standardisation in its strategy. "If we ourselves don't set standards, then others will standardise us," said Werner Fischer, head of Siemens' standardisation regulation management department. Siemens AG Austrian office shares its "tested experience" with standardisation committees to help shape market rules.
Companies that don't want to end up on the side lines need to proactively help shape standards. LESER, for instance, participates in national and international standardisation committees, as well as working groups within the German Engineering Federation (VDMA).
Implementation of standards is also of great importance for LESER: "A ruleconsistent function of safety relevant components is decisive for plant operators and boilers in order to control risks for man and nature", said Jorgensen.
Documented fulfilment of legal requirements, internationally recognised standards, sector-specific regimes or own quality requirements create safety and dependability for operators. In addition, safety valves are implemented in areas or plant components that are very hard to reach, or can be reached only with a lot of effort. "Here, a component needs to be dependable, purely out of economic reasons."
Fight against emissions
Standards alone are only one half of the story. Adherence to standards requires control. Through an integrated quality management ranging from choice of supplier to valve testing, "we can ensure that our own demands and those defined by regimes are fulfilled in every step of the process," said Jorgensen. Customers regularly look over LESER's shoulder and scan the production and verification process in the company's plant located in Hohenwestedt, Germany. "We can verify and document a valve's function in our test bay in Hamburg. TUV Nord also checks on LESER's work," said Jorgensen.
A major concern for companies is emissions. Not only are they harmful for man and nature but impact public perception of a company. Leakages are a big cost factor for plant operators. Companies that manage to minimise leakages can save a lot of cash. In turn, valve makers can score points with endusers with efficient valves.
As emissions are within the domain of public interest, legislators always take a close look. In order to limit media emissions, German legislators formulated the TA-Luft, the Technical Instructions on Air Quality, which is the first part of the Federal Emission Control Act. In order to meet the demands of TA-Luft, metal bellows with a back-up gland packing or equivalent sealing systems are required, and these need to be VDI 2440 certified.
"VDI 2440 only specifies the sealing system of the shaft seal, but not the entire valve," said Markus Haffner, head of construction and development at valve manufacturer Armaturenfabrik Franz Schneider. In addition, it is not possible to directly compare various TA-Luft compliant valves.
ISO stricter than TA -Luft
The devil is in the details. Moreover, the ISO 15848 standard also comes into play where emissions are concerned.
ISO 15848 'Industrial valves -- measurement, test and qualification procedures for fugitive emissions' as an international standard "covers the entire valve including housing seal, whereas TA-Luft, in contrast, is only concerned with the sealing system of the shaft seal," explains Haffner.
The stricter ISO standard also has further advantages: valves made by different manufacturers can be compared thanks to classification in tightness and temperature classes. In addition, standards-based comparability helps end users determine which valve to buy whilst also helping the environment.
In order to meet
requirements of TA-Luft, valve makers have to depend on seals that are more often than not the weakest part in the chain. Unsurprisingly, there is a "trend towards higher-quality processing or combination of conventional sealing materials," said Wilfried Ernst, CEO of Kothener Spezialdichtungen. The seals maker has done its homework in the last 20 years: "Products that meet the highest technical requirements such as TA-Luft are available from several companies," explained Ernst. Customers profit from a positive effect: seals makers compete to develop optimal seals in a highly competitive market.
Trends in materials and ecology
An important principle for developing standards is they should be created in line with market requirements and within the proper time frame. Currently, new materials and associated manufacturing processes are an important topic for the NAA. A key focus at the moment is the way hose lines are connected to valves. Ecological and hygienic trends are becoming increasingly important along with the 'Europeanisation in valve standardisation, or the harmonisation of national requirements.'
It is worthwhile for companies to address new developments with the regard to standards as the advantages of doing so are numerous. "Standards maintain quality and product safety on a consistent level," said Lars Hennemann, an engineer working for Mankenberg.
Products can be compared, companies can keep risks stemming from product liability laws manageable and controllable.
According to the NAA, other important advantages of standards include planning reliability and security of investments apart from avoiding roadblocks to trade. As such, the motto can only be "to support a global harmonisation of standards," while avoiding over regulation.
Contributing ideas
Participation in standardisation committees can be advantageous for valve makers as they can contribute their ideas. "Ideas within the market are taken into account," states the NAA. If one considers the activity underway in China and Russia, it will be a struggle to develop global standards but German manufacturers have reasons to be hopeful.
"Chinese standardisation is strongly based on the DIN standard which is very positive for German companies," said Pauly.
No consensus, no standard
Standards as such are not legally binding, implementation is voluntary. They can become legally binding through legal acts of third parties, for instance, if contracts, laws or regulations refer to them.
Standards are continuously adapted.
One basic principle of standardisation is consensus: a standard is only agreed upon, when no party involved in its making has any objections. Furthermore, an emphasis is placed on transparency and neutrality.
(Courtesy: Press Office, Valve World Expo 2014. For more information, email HartmannP@messe-duesseldorf.de)
© Power & Water Middle East 2013
