Generalities, Terminology, Standardization, and Documentation Standards Summary - May 2025

Looking back at May 2025, the field of Generalities, Terminology, Standardization, and Documentation saw the publication of five significant standards. This retrospective overview examines the pivotal developments across several domains—including process equipment data, optical tolerancing, archival media, and supply chain material declaration. For industry professionals, quality managers, engineers, and documentation specialists, understanding these updates is crucial for maintaining compliance, optimizing documentation workflows, and driving organizational efficiency.

Whether your focus is on electronic data exchange, document preservation, technical drawing, or regulatory transparency, this roundup will help you synthesize the latest best practices and emerging themes from the sector’s newest standards.

Monthly Overview: May 2025

May 2025 proved to be an active and diverse month for the Generalities, Terminology, Standardization, and Documentation category. The standards released during this period reflected an ongoing effort to harmonize international practices, clarify technical terminology, and support traceability and durability in both products and data.

Notably, the range of topics addressed—from the nuanced tolerances in optical components to the precise requirements for archival papers and the advanced models for digital data structures—underscored the sector's foundational role in supporting reliability and interoperability across industries. Compared to earlier months, the breadth of publication indicated an emphasis on both technical rigor and practical usability. By refining specification details and reinforcing linkage between documentation and physical product integrity, these standards set the bar for best practices in compliance, record management, and data integration.

For organizations and professionals, adopting these standards serves not only to meet regulatory demands but also to enhance the clarity, exchange, and longevity of information at every stage of the value chain.

Standards Published This Month

EN IEC 61987-41:2025 - Data Structures and Elements in Process Equipment Catalogues - Part 41

Industrial-process measurement and control - Data structures and elements in process equipment catalogues - Part 41: Lists of properties (LOPs) of process analysers for electronic data exchange - Generic structures

This standard introduces a generic framework for classifying and integrating the data structures of process analysers used in industrial-process measurement and control. EN IEC 61987-41:2025 specifically provides the definitions and generic block structures for Operating Lists of Properties (OLOP), Device Lists of Properties (DLOP), and Dynamic Data Lists (LOPD) to facilitate electronic data exchanges (EDE) in accordance with IEC 61987-10 and IEC 61987-1.

The standard is essential for manufacturers of process equipment, cataloguers, integrators, and IT solution providers who require interoperable data formats for accurate and efficient information exchange. By enabling the harmonized capture and exchange of equipment properties, the standard simplifies integration with the Common Data Dictionary (CDD), fostering interoperability across supply chains and between engineering and enterprise systems.

Key highlights:

• Defines generic LOP structures for process analyser equipment
• Clarifies OLOP, DLOP, and LOPD frameworks for EDE
• Supports conformance with IEC 61987-10 and compatibility with IEC CDD

Access the full standard:View EN IEC 61987-41:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO 10110-6:2025 - Optics and Photonics Drawing Preparation - Part 6

Optics and photonics - Preparation of drawings for optical elements and systems - Part 6: Centring and tilt tolerances

ISO 10110-6:2025 provides comprehensive specifications for indicating centring and tilt tolerances on drawings of optical elements, subassemblies, and systems. As part of the ISO 10110 series, this part standardizes the graphical representation of tolerancing data for plano, spherical, aspherical, cylindrical, acylindrical, and general surfaces.

Targeting optical engineers, technical drafters, and quality assurance teams, the standard ensures that manufacturing, assembly, and inspection processes for optical elements are based on clear, internationally recognized tolerancing conventions. The revision expands and clarifies the notation of datum axes, adds new definitions, and includes more explicit guidance and examples for tilt and centring requirements.

Key highlights:

• Clear rules for centring and tilt tolerance symbols on optical drawings
• Applies to a broad range of optical geometries, including non-symmetrical surfaces
• Updated with new definitions, expanded guidance, and improved practical examples

Access the full standard:View ISO 10110-6:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO 11108:2025 - Archival Paper - Requirements for Permanence and Durability

Information and documentation — Archival paper — Requirements for permanence and durability

ISO 11108:2025 establishes the criteria for archival paper intended for documents and publications requiring permanent retention and frequent use. Unlike standard paper, archival paper must exhibit both high permanence and enhanced durability, making it suitable for legal, historical, and culturally significant material stored in archives, libraries, and museums.

The standard defines clear requirements for fiber composition, tearing resistance, folding endurance, alkali reserve, and pH value to ensure long-term physical and chemical stability. It is primarily relevant for paper mills, document preservation specialists, cultural institutions, and archival services who need to ensure that paper-based records can withstand extended handling, adverse storage conditions, and the test of time.

Key highlights:

• Specifies both permanence and durability metrics for archival paper
• Mandates rigorous tests for fiber quality, chemical stability, and mechanical strength
• Clarifies the relationship with other standards on paper permanence (ISO 9706) and general stability (ISO 20494)

Access the full standard:View ISO 11108:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO 9706:2025 - Paper for Documents - Requirements for Permanence

Information and documentation - Paper for documents - Requirements for permanence

ISO 9706:2025 is the foundational standard for permanent paper used in documents intended for long-term storage. It applies to unprinted papers and excludes boards. Key requirements address minimum mechanical strength (tearing resistance), alkali reserve content, resistance to oxidation, and acceptable pH values to protect against degradation and loss of usability over time.

The standard is instrumental for publishers, archivists, organizations with critical document retention policies, and compliance officers aiming to specify or procure paper suitable for books, records, and official files. With links to related standards—including ISO 11108 and ISO 20494—it facilitates a tiered approach to paper longevity and quality based on the significance of intended records.

Key highlights:

• Defines essential properties for the longevity of unprinted paper documents
• Focuses on resistance to chemical and physical deterioration under protected conditions
• Provides guidance for quality assurance and procurement of permanent paper

Access the full standard:View ISO 9706:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC 82474-1:2025 - Material Declaration - General Requirements

Material declaration - Part 1: General requirements

IEC 82474-1:2025 introduces a robust, cross-sector model for material declarations in products, enabling organizations to evaluate products for compliance with material and substance requirements, support environmentally conscious design, and improve supply chain transparency. As a horizontal publication, the standard covers all product life cycle stages, offering a data-driven approach to material efficiency and circularity.

This dual-logo IEC/ISO standard is crucial for manufacturers, supply chain managers, sustainability specialists, and regulatory compliance teams in diverse industries—notably those affected by environmental and safety directives. The revision expands definitions to suit a wider range of sectors, introduces requirements for declaring process chemical substances, and provides guidance for web service-based information exchange and reference lists.

Key highlights:

• Comprehensive structure for mandatory and optional fields in material declarations
• New requirements for process chemical disclosure, web service data exchange, and reference lists
• Designed for use across diverse industrial supply chains, facilitating full material and substance transparency

Access the full standard:View IEC 82474-1:2025 on iTeh Standards

Common Themes and Industry Trends

Several cohesive themes emerged from the May 2025 standards in the Generalities, Terminology, Standardization, and Documentation sector. A distinct emphasis is evident on interoperability—be it for digital data exchange formats in process industries, harmonized drawing conventions in optics, or universal requirements for material transparency across global supply chains.

Durability and permanence remain fundamental concerns for documentation and recordkeeping, as demonstrated by the dual update of archival and permanent paper standards. The integration of advanced data handling, such as dynamic lists for condition monitoring and web-based declaration services, signals a shift towards more agile, responsive approaches for meeting compliance and sustainability requirements.

Industries experiencing the most attention include manufacturing, process engineering, optical production, documentation management, and supply chain management. The growing complexity of data exchange and compliance reporting is met with robust frameworks that support traceability and validation from specification through to product lifecycle management.

Compliance and Implementation Considerations

For organizations subject to these standards, proactive engagement is recommended. Key steps include:

1. Gap Analysis: Review current documentation, processes, and products against new or revised requirements.
2. Training and Communication: Update technical/quality teams on new data structures, tolerancing conventions, and material declaration protocols.
3. System Integration: Plan for the adoption or upgrade of digital tools supporting electronic data exchange, archival methods, or supply chain declarations.
4. Prioritization: Focus first on standards that most directly affect customer demands, regulatory submissions, and internal quality metrics.

Implementation timelines depend on organizational maturity, but early planning facilitates smoother transitions. Start by accessing the full text of each standard through authoritative platforms such as iTeh Standards, and consider engaging sector-specific consultants for high-impact areas, such as archival document management or supply chain regulatory compliance.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways from May 2025

The May 2025 cycle brought notable advancements in the Generalities, Terminology, Standardization, and Documentation sector. Organizations are now positioned to:

• Leverage improved structures for electronic data exchange and process equipment cataloguing
• Apply harmonized rules for engineering drawings and technical documentation in optics
• Specify, test, and procure archival and permanent paper with enhanced clarity and certainty
• Build transparent, robust material declaration processes to meet cross-sector compliance and sustainability goals

Keeping up with these standards ensures not only compliance but also long-term operational excellence and risk mitigation. Professionals are encouraged to review each standard in depth and assess their impact on workflows, supply chains, and documentation practices.

Explore each linked standard above to gain a full understanding and kickstart your implementation journey. For the most current and comprehensive collection of standards, visit iTeh Standards.