May 2025 in Review: MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING Standards Overview (Part 2 of 2)

Looking back at May 2025, the Manufacturing Engineering sector saw the publication of several significant standards aligned with both advanced process control and the characterization of innovative materials. For professionals who need to monitor evolving requirements and anticipate shifts in best practices, this overview synthesizes the most technical and compliance-critical standards of the month—providing not just a record of what was released, but actionable analysis to guide adoption and quality strategies. This article covers two major standards published in May 2025, reflecting the sector’s growth in both process verification and the incorporation of digital technologies.

Monthly Overview: May 2025

Manufacturing Engineering in May 2025 was notably marked by influential standards covering both material properties and the digital transformation of manufacturing processes. The two central publications—ISO 4517:2025 and ISO/TR 23247-100:2025—together indicate the sector’s parallel focus on measurement rigor for high-performance coatings, and the implementation of digital twins in complex industrial processes.

Compared to previous months, May’s standards exhibit a clear drive toward strengthening reliability in measurement for functional materials (such as metallic hydrophobic PVD coatings) and enabling smarter, more controlled manufacturing via digital simulation. This pattern mirrors global trends: as quality demands rise and digital technologies mature, standardization bodies are providing practical frameworks to support industry adoption of next-generation tools.

Professionals reviewing these standards will find critical guidance for integrating digital engineering solutions and ensuring compliance in specialty process measurement—two axes along which the industry is advancing rapidly.

Standards Published This Month

ISO 4517:2025 – Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) Coatings – Contact Angle Measurement of Metallic Hydrophobic PVD Coatings

Full Standard Title: Physical vapor deposition (PVD) coatings — Contact angle measurement of metallic hydrophobic PVD coatings

ISO 4517:2025 addresses a vital task in advanced material engineering: accurately measuring the contact angle of hydrophobic metallic coatings deposited via physical vapor deposition (PVD). These coatings—favored for self-cleaning, anti-icing, and corrosion resistance—are essential across electronics, aerospace, and construction industries.

This standard rigorously defines requirements and methods for determining the wettability of metallic hydrophobic thin films made by PVD (including thermal evaporation, sputtering, ion plating), excluding non-metallic finishes, paints, or varnishes. Key topics covered include the preparation of samples, the measurement environment, droplet size, surface quality, time after deposition for testing, and measurement principles. This clarity is crucial because contact angle values (with >90° indicating hydrophobicity and >150° implying superhydrophobicity) directly relate to product performance and application suitability.

By setting uniform measurement criteria, ISO 4517:2025 enables meaningful comparison of results across labs and streamlines quality verification for organizations that specify or develop these coatings.

Industries targeted by this standard include:

• Electronics manufacturers requiring robust water-repellent surfaces
• Aerospace suppliers focusing on anti-icing exterior finishes
• Construction material providers using PVD for enhanced durability
• R&D labs benchmarking new hydrophobic metals

In the broader regulatory landscape, ISO 4517:2025 fills a critical measurement methods gap, refining how performance of high-durability metallic hydrophobic coatings is assessed and ensuring traceability of results. Beyond product design, this is instrumental for compliance, customer assurance, and supplier benchmarking.

Key highlights:

• Precise definitions and procedures for measuring contact angles on PVD metallic hydrophobic surfaces
• Guidance on sample preparation, droplet formation, and environmental factors impacting results
• Excludes non-metallic, painted, or varnished coatings, focusing on robust measurement for metallic films

Access the full standard:View ISO 4517:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO/TR 23247-100:2025 – Automation Systems and Integration – Digital Twin Framework for Manufacturing – Part 100: Use Case on Management of Semiconductor Ingot Growth Process

Full Standard Title: Automation systems and integration — Digital twin framework for manufacturing — Part 100: Use case on management of semiconductor ingot growth process

ISO/TR 23247-100:2025 provides manufacturing innovators with a model for applying digital twins to one of the most precision-critical industrial processes: semiconductor ingot growth. Instead of generic recommendations, this Technical Report offers a detailed use case using the ISO 23247 series framework, illustrating how to implement digital twins for real-time monitoring and control within semiconductor manufacturing environments.

The document systematically breaks down the stages of ingot growth—including material selection, equipment preparation, melting, dopant addition, crystal seeding and growth, ingot pulling, and final testing—highlighting how each can benefit from digital representation. Key focus areas are:

• Creating real-time visibility into process variables and quality metrics
• Supporting process optimization by leveraging historical and real-time data
• Enabling predictive maintenance through early detection of process drifts
• Using the digital twin for training and simulation, minimizing the risk and cost of real-world trials

This approach helps reduce dependency on operator skill, standardizes process setup, and leads to higher product consistency, yield, and quality. Semiconductor fabs, equipment suppliers, and digital solution providers are the primary audience, but lessons are relevant to any high-precision manufacturing segment exploring digital transformation.

In terms of regulatory landscape, this standard aligns with broader efforts to formalize digital twin adoption, providing the template and guidance needed for both compliance and competitive advantage.

Key highlights:

• Step-by-step application of the ISO 23247 digital twin framework to the semiconductor ingot growth process
• Shows how digital twins enable real-time process monitoring, optimization, and predictive maintenance
• Provides a practical use case for smart manufacturing and operator training

Access the full standard:View ISO/TR 23247-100:2025 on iTeh Standards

Common Themes and Industry Trends

May 2025’s standards for Manufacturing Engineering highlight two intersecting trends: heightened measurement rigor for new material technologies, and the advancing digitalization of manufacturing through structured digital twin adoption.

1. Focus on Measurable Performance: ISO 4517:2025 reinforces industry-wide demand for defensible measurement in advanced coatings. As companies specify stricter requirements for water-repellent metallic surfaces, standardized protocols ensure supplier comparability and product reliability.

2. Rise of Smart Manufacturing: ISO/TR 23247-100:2025 signals the next phase in manufacturing digital transformation—moving from theory to detailed use cases, particularly for processes where small variations can have major downstream impacts (such as semiconductor manufacturing). Integration of digital twins is quickly becoming a benchmark for quality and innovation.

3. Alignment with Global Priorities: Both standards reflect international priorities: sustainable, longer-lasting materials in engineering applications, and data-driven operations that maximize efficiency and minimize reliance on individual expertise.

4. Sectoral Shifts: The focus on semiconductor ingot growth also points to the broader value of digitalization in high-tech and critical supply chains, a response to global demand for reliable, scalable semiconductor manufacturing.

Compliance and Implementation Considerations

For Organizations Handling PVD Metallic Coatings (ISO 4517:2025):

• Review current measurement protocols against ISO 4517:2025 criteria—specifically for droplet size, measurement timing, and surface preparation.
• Update quality inspection SOPs to reference ISO 4517:2025 for all metallic hydrophobic PVD coatings.
• Train lab personnel on new or revised procedures and invest in compatible measurement equipment where necessary.
• Coordinate with suppliers and customers, ensuring that all parties use consistent measurement methodologies for certification and acceptance.
• Plan for gradual rollout: Start with trial measurements on sample batches; expand as confidence and expertise grow.

For Semiconductor Manufacturers (ISO/TR 23247-100:2025):

• Map current process stages to the digital twin framework described in ISO/TR 23247-100:2025, identifying key areas for pilot implementation.
• Engage with IT and OT teams to select sensors, data acquisition platforms, and AI tools compatible with the standard.
• Develop incremental digital twin models, beginning with real-time monitoring and progressing toward advanced simulation, optimization, and predictive maintenance.
• Leverage the standard’s documented use case for workforce training and cross-departmental communication.
• Monitor evolving regulatory and customer requirements, as adoption of digital twins becomes increasingly a market expectation in the semiconductor supply chain.

Implementation Timelines: Given the technical depth of each standard, organizations should plan several months for internal review, procedural updates, and staff training before full-scale operationalization. Early engagement will help mitigate risks related to compliance or customer acceptance.

Resources: Detailed implementation support, as well as purchase and download of full standards, are available via iTeh Standards.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways from May 2025

May 2025’s standards publications in Manufacturing Engineering captured the sector’s momentum toward precision and digitalization—two priorities that will define process excellence in the coming years. ISO 4517:2025 enshrines defensible, harmonized measurement practices for cutting-edge metallic hydrophobic coatings, while ISO/TR 23247-100:2025 charts a concrete path for deploying digital twins in semiconductor process management.

Professionals and organizations who rely on reliable coatings or participate in semiconductor production should prioritize a review of these standards, not only for compliance but as foundations for process optimization, supplier engagement, and futureproofing of their manufacturing capabilities.

Staying abreast of such standards is not just a matter of regulatory necessity—it is increasingly central to innovation, quality leadership, and market competitiveness. Explore and implement the latest standards to ensure your operations remain robust in the rapidly evolving landscape of Manufacturing Engineering.

For further details, access full standards documentation directly through iTeh Standards to support your compliance and improvement initiatives.