Experimental Standard

[shorion]

Hi all,

Does anyone know if theres a standard or Australian standard relating to the approval of something if you build it experimentally.

I remember it had something to do with the number of units you produce which determined the factors you apply.

I cant for the life of me remember where I saw it or when.

Thanks

 

[tbuelna]

What is the device and what application is it intended for?

Normally, qualification or certification testing must be performed using a test article that conforms to the production design and manufacturing process. I've never seen a situation where a product was qualified/certified based simply on how many units get built. How do you validate the design and manufacturing process that will be used without testing some representative sample before production parts are delivered to customers? How will you establish any meaningful quality or reliability data based on random inputs from customers using the product in uncontrolled conditions?

There are QA requirements that get reduced over time as the number of components produced without quality issues grows. This is common with components produced in large batches/lots using a tightly controlled process. The inspection process might start out with a sample rate of 10 parts from a lot size of 100 parts, and eventually drop to a sample rate of 2 parts from a lot size of 1000 parts. In the US, there are detailed MIL-SPECS for QA of almost anything you can imagine. MIL-STD-105 is a great example.

 

[BrianPetersen]

There are many things that require individual approval to the same standards, even if the quantity being built is one.

 

[racookpe1978]

There are definite differences (exceptions to the usual certification) for certain things.

"experimental vehicles" like solar-powered cars or a club-built car for a particular competition would not normally be required to meet the "consumer" standards for a road vehicle. An experimental airplane falls (sometimes literally) under the same rule: "You build it, you DON'T sell it to the public, you DON'T fly it for the public transportation, you fly it away from regional airports ...." But even home-builts need FAA (US) inspections.

A personal-built bicycle would probably fall under that type of rule - but it's local. You have GOT to get a local ruling. My judgement here is worthless.

An experimental pressure vessel or building or laser or bomb or gas generator or boiler? If at a university, check your legal dept. If at a company, check your legal dept. That's what they are there for. To get you in trouble on premises before you get in trouble off of premises.

 

[shorion]

Its a crane bearing pad made from plastic.

Obviously steel standards don't work and there are not many plastic design standards especially for fatigue. Or for design.

So the other option I'm working on is experimental. Build a prototype and just see how long it lasts. If theres a standard covering that.

Any pointing in any direction would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Ron]

Assuming you are considering these as outrigger pads or similar, you might start with this standard....similar intent:

ASTM D4014-03(2012) Standard Specification for Plain and Steel-Laminated Elastomeric Bearings for Bridges

 

[3DDave]

There is unlikely to be a standard for doing something non-standard. The problem faced in this undertaking is that sufficient, well understood, and cost effective answers exist for the particular problem. In similar situations the maker of the product will do a lot of testing, produce a specification, and work to get it adopted.

It's how there are specific standard screw threads in the U.S. today - because a guy named William Sellers wanted to sell thread making equipment. "To aid their adoption throughout the United States, the Institute lobbied the U.S. Army, Navy (whose Bureau of Steam Engineering was a leading mechanical innovator), and the master mechanics of America's largest railroads."

https://www.asme.org/about-asme/who.../234-the-united-states-standard-screw-threads

 

[MintJulep]

Is there a standard for "crane bearing pads"?

When trying to build a better widget you first need to know what standard widgets do.