Glossary · Safety standards
Standardization
Also known as: Standardisation
German: Standardisierung
Standardization is the activity of establishing, by consensus, documents that provide rules, guidelines or characteristics for common and repeated use; in companies it also means harmonizing internal solutions, such as standard modules, libraries or templates.
- Standards
In one sentence
Standardization means establishing consensus-based rules for repeated use, and in companies harmonizing modules, libraries and templates.
Example
A machine builder standardizes its PLC function block library and HMI templates, so every new machine uses the same tested building blocks.
How it applies
- Public standards: Standards bodies (ISO, IEC, CEN, CENELEC, national bodies) publish standards; in the EU, Harmonized standards can provide a Presumption of conformity.
- Company standards: Standard modules, libraries and document templates reduce errors and make verification reusable, but each application still needs its own assessment.
- Documentation: Standardized topics, terminology and templates are the basis of reuse in technical documentation; the documentation team should align them with the engineering standard modules.
- Participation: Companies can take part in standardization committees through their national bodies.
Standardization vs. normalization
"Standardisierung" or "Normung" means creating standards. "Normierung" in automation usually means converting signal values; see Normalization (signal scaling).
Standards are voluntary unless a law, contract or regulation makes them mandatory; their use does not by itself establish compliance.