More than 100 ISO standards for aluminium production on new CD-ROM

02-05-2008: ISO has just launched the new ISO Standards collection on CD-ROM - Materials for the production of primary aluminium. It contains the full collection of 108 ISO standards for materials used in the production of primary aluminium, including standards for alumina, pitch, coke, electrodes, ramming paste and fluorides.

The primary aluminium electrolysis industry produces about 30 million tonnes of aluminium a year with a total value of USD 80 billion. About 60% of the production cost is in materials. The ISO standards for this sector help professionals involved in the production of primary aluminium to make sure that the quality and the consistency of these materials are met, while the CD-ROM makes the standards available in a convenient, economical and easily accessible form, including a numerical index and full-text search.

Aluminium production takes place at 960° C in an extremely corrosive environment. The quality and consistency of the materials used in production are essential for a successful process. These materials are sold on world markets between suppliers and customers on the basis of test results. Before ISO started its work, these test results were based on internal company test methods or national standards that could give different test results for the same properties.

The aim of ISO technical committee ISO/TC 226, Materials for the production of primary aluminium, is to provide the industry with a comprehensive set of internationally harmonized standard test methods, developed with the input of both suppliers and customers. ISO/TC 226 is responsible for the 108 International Standards (including two technical specifications) included on the new CD-ROM.

The test methods which it has standardized are useful for quality control, contracts and for development work. They have been developed from the existing base of company methods and national standards used by material suppliers and aluminium producers, along with additional input from test laboratories and universities.