In recent years softwood lumber has often accounted for as much as four-fifths of the total production of lumber in the United States. The lumber specification mentioned above covers species, classes, grades, material, workmanship, methods of inspection, and packing. This specification lists a number of national and regional trade associations which are actively cooperating with the Government in grading and inspection work to increase business efficiency and secure and hold the confidence of Government purchasing agencies and the consuming public in the integrity of the association's efforts to sell lumber which conforms to the high standards agreed upon. This Federal Specification states in part: The grading rules of the following manufacturers' associations are published upon the basis of the American Lumber Standards. Among the associations cooperating with the Government on this particular Federal Specification are the California Redwood Association. Northern Pine Manufacturers Association. West Coast Lumbermen's Association. The National Hardwood Lumber Association is composed of firms which prepare lumber from various species of hardwood trees. It reported that its standardization program has "enabled all hardwoods to meet in common markets on a price competitive basis." The Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association reported that its activity in standardization work was brought about by the public demand for standardized products in the construction field and by competition of other standardized lumber. The result of the work of this association is increased demand for the inspected and graded products of its members and increased public confidence in its products, since consumers now know what to expect when they specify a particular standardized product. The Rubber Manufacturers Association has coordinated, to a high degree of efficiency, the standardization and simplification work of the rubber industry. This industry is characterized by a small number of large firms. The Rubber Manufacturers Association reports that large sums have been saved through reduced inventory and production costs, and also by public acceptance of standardized rubber products, such as rubber automobile tires. The Soft Fiber Institute is one of the large number of associations utilizing the facilities of the American Society for Testing Materials, and representatives from this institute are members of textile and other industrial committees of the American Society for Testing Materials. Laboratory tests are constantly carried on to determine the relative efficiency of various types of yarns. The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute has cooperated with the Ordnance Department of the Federal Government in the standardization of its products, and has for years carried on various tests at the National Bureau of Standards. It reports that there has been marked success in eliminating odd weights and sizes of ammunition, which has simplified manufacturing, wholesaling, and retailing practices in this industry. The American Institute of Steel Construction, Associated General Contractors of America, Construction League of the United States, National Association of Builders Exchanges, National Association of Master Plumbers, National Lumber Manufacturers Association, Portland Cement Association, Structural Clay Products Institute, as well as the American Institute of Architects and other professional organizations and public officials such as building inspectors, and the National Association of Housing Officials are cooperating with the National Bureau of Standards in the preparation of building and plumbing codes, carefully developed so as to be suitable for general adoption by State and municipal agencies. The National Paving Brick Association, a pioneer association in simplified practice work, was organized in 1905 and in 1939 had about 75 percent of the industry's firms in its membership, representing about 85 percent of the Nation's total production of that industry. This association is active in standardization work and has a research laboratory. It is allied in various programs with the Structural Clay Products Institute, whose membership includes manufacturers of common brick, face brick, tile, and similar products. The benefits of simplification were enumerated in a recent report on vitrified paving brick which emphasized the accomplishment of this association in confining most of its production to comparatively few sizes and types. The Porcelain Enamel Institute has developed several effective standards for both products and processes which are extensively used in the porcelain enameling industry. The managing director states— The Porcelain Enamel Institute has issued a standard fineness test for milling enamels under the title, "Tentative Screen Test for Wet-Milled Porcelain Enamel." It has also issued a pamphlet on architectural standards, entitled, "Recommended Materials and Practice for Architectural Porcelain Enamel." Standards have been issued for the following: (1) "Test for Resistance of Porcelain Enamels to Surface Abrasion." (A tentative standard.) (2) "Test for Acid Resistance of Porcelain Enamels." (3) "Reflectance Test for Opaque White Porcelain Enamels." Standards are not used by this industry as a basis for selling and contractual relations because sufficient research work has not yet been done to make all factors subject to standard grading." The American Institute of Steel Construction is primarily concerned with rolling mill steel, semifinished for use. The membership of this institute is composed of companies engaged in the fabrication and construction of steel for bridges, buildings, and other structures. The purposes of the institute are To further better methods and elimination of waste in the design, fabrication and erection of structural steel, through a cooperative effort based upon simplification and standardization, as suggested by the United States Department of Commerce, to the end That the institute's activities may promote greater efficiency in production and selling, and that the mills, architects, engineers, contractors, the public, and members of the structural steel industry, may derive equal benefits therefrom. That the institute's standard specification, prepared to further uniform practice, may contribute to the public the material reduction in building costs that result from its application; 13 Letter by C. S. Pearce, managing director, Porcelain Enamel Institute, Inc., Chicago, Ill., December 5, 1939. That both buyer and seller may profit from the Code of Standard Practice, recognition of established ideals, and better ethics as applied to all trade relations; 14 * The institute is engaged in research and assembles and distributes data and information for the use of architects and engineers in preparing engineering plans for structures in which structural steel is used. The activities of the institute are mainly of three general types: The simplification of sizes (these have been reduced over 33 percent in recent years); the standardization of uses of steel in construction; and the development of standards of practice, and of codes of safety in steel construction, including fire safety. The major factors considered in standardization as related to public interest are safety, economy, and efficiency. Standards developed by the institute have general interest and wide use. Many of the members of the institute are serving on standardization committees of the American Society for Testing Materials, the American Welding Society, the National Bureau of Standards, and the American Standards Association. The institute is sponsor of the Committee on Structural Steel and Iron for the American Standards Association. The institute publishes "Steel Construction," 15 a manual which is an indispensable tool for those concerned with drawing up specifications for any type of structure in which steel construction is employed. This manual gives dimensions, weights, strength, and related facts for all standardized structural steel. The standards of the American Society for Testing Materials are used in designating physical and chemical characteristics of structural steel. Matters related to use of sheet steel and steel sheets in small buildings, including residences, have been transferred by the American Institute of Steel Construction to the American Iron and Steel Institute. The American Gas Association (A. G. A.) includes in its membership companies engaged in the production, distribution, and sale of manufactured and natural gases, and some companies manufacturing and elling gas appliances, equipment, and accessories. This association is conducting extensive research in the field of production, distribution, sale, and use of gas, in its own and commercial laboratories, and in various educational institutions. Research associates are maintained at the National Bureau of Standards. Since 1924, the association has Sponsored a program for standardization of gas-burning appliances used in the household. The work of the association in this field is outstanding. The standardization program has included the creation of a main cooperative committee, designated as the "Approval Requirements Committee"; affiliated technical committees; "and a system of legislation whereby minimum requirements for the safe and satisfactory construction and performances of gas appliances and accessories and installation thereof could be developed." is The A. G. A. Testing Labora "Steel Construction," p. 15, American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc., New York, N. Y., June 1939. Steel Construction: A Manual for Architects, Engineers, and Fabricators of Buildings Other Steel Structures," 398 pp., American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc., New Terk, N. Y., 3d ed., 1939. Product Standardization," lecture by R. B. Harper, 16 pp.. mimeographed, National Institute of Commercial and Trade Organization Executives, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., August 19, 1939. tories in Cleveland, Ohio, with a branch in Los Angeles, Calif., have contributed an essential part to the program of the association by "examining various gas appliances and accessories, as submitted by the manufacturers thereof under contractual arrangements, and determining whether or not these meet the stipulated requirements, and may therefore bear the A. G. A. seal of approval. Certificates of approval are issued to the manufacturers for the type and size of products which have been found to comply with the requirements." 17 The present Approval Requirements Committee, which is also constituted as the Committee on Approval and Installation Requirements for Gas-Burning Appliances of the American Standards Association, has 25 members representing gas utilities, manufacturers, trade associations in related fields, Governmental agencies (U. S. Bureau of Home Economics, National Bureau of Standards, Bureau of Mines, and U. S. Public Health Service) and the American Home Economics Association. Standards have been established for nearly all types of gas-burning household appliances and for some types of gas-burning commercial equipment. At present 26 standards for gas appliances have been approved by the American Standards Association as "American Standards." These standards are for such appliances as domestic ranges; water, space, and private garage heaters; hot plates and laundry stoves; clothes dryers; gas refrigerators; draft hoods; conversion burners; and various accessories. The Approval Requirements now in effect represent minimum standards of performance, safe operation, and substantial and durable construction. While the question of safety has always been regarded as of paramount importance in the gas industry, much attention has been paid to the establishment of suitable standards governing details of performance, depending on the class of equipment under consideration. It has been estimated that approximately 95 percent of all domestic gas-burning appliances offered for sale in the United States meet the Approval Requirements of the American Gas Association. In order to illustrate the development of standards by trade associations, chart XIII, outlining the standardization procedure of the American Gas Association, is given. The numbers in parenthesis in the following description of procedure for the preparation, revision approval, and publication of requirements, correspond to the numbers in the chart. The Approval Requirements Committee of the American Gas Association considers requests for standardization from various sources (1) and decides the necessity for standards. This committee authorizes the appointment of subcommittees; the chairman appoints the subcommittee members who have been previously nominated by gas utility executives, by the Association of Gas Appliance and Equipment Manufacturers, and by Governmental bodies and national organizations concerned with standardization. Each subcommittee prepares or revises requirements of standards (2), requests special investigations or research to be made by the American Gas Association Laboratories if necessary (3) and (4), and sends its tentative requirements to the members of the gas industry and others for 17 "Product Standardization," lecture by R. B. Harper, 16 pp., mimeographed, National Institute of Commercial and Trade Organization Executives, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., August 19, 1939. |