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Engineering Standards

This guide provides information on engineering standards as well as resources to access standards in print and online.

Guide to Finding Standards

Follow these steps to find the standard(s) you need.

If you have questions or need help, you can visit us at the Grainger Engineering Library reference desk or send an email to enginlib@library.illinois.edu. We will be happy to assist you!

 

If you're having trouble accessing a website or getting an error code, try opening the link in a private or incognito window.

Getting Started

Step 1: Do you know the exact title of the standard you need? ("I need standard SAE AIR 5797A-2018)

  • If yes: Move on to Step 2. 
  • If not (e.g. "I know I need a standard regarding aircraft tires, but I don't know its exact title), follow the steps on the Finding Standard Names tab.

 

Step 2: Do you know the version of the standard you need?

  • Check the date of the publication: do you need the most recent version or a particular past version? 
  • When you have determined the version you need, move on to step 3. 

 

Step 3: Select the relevant discipline to find the correct standard database.

  • Choose your discipline from the tabs below. 

Step 3: Disciplines

Biomedical Engineering: AAMI

  • The library does not currently have access to AAMI standards in print or online. Please contact us at the Grainger Engineering Library reference desk or contact us using the "Email Me" link in the sidebar.

Mechanical Engineering: ASME

  • ASME Digital Library contains standards associated with mechanical engineering. To search for standards, select “standards” on the blue tab at top of the page, then select “click here to access via institutional account” in the top right corner of the page. Then, enter a standard name to perform a search.

Electrical Engineering: IEEE

  • IEEE Xplore Digital Library contains standards published by IEEE related to electrical engineering, including some American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) and American Nation Standards Institute (ANSI) standards. Standards can be browsed by name, collection or topic.

Automotive Engineering: SAE

  • SAE often republishes their standards as Technical Papers, which can be searched on their site using the search bar at the top of the page.

Health & Safety: OSHA

  • OSHA's Law and Regulations page includes current standards published by the organization. In the left-most column on the page, enter a standard number in the search bar or browse standards by category.

Testing & Materials: ASTM 

  • The ASTM Standards and Engineering Digital Library contains standards applicable to a broad range of engineering disciplines. Search for a standard name using the search bar on the top left of the page.

Further Steps

Step 4: If a physical standard is desired or digital holding was not found: Search the Grainger Engineering Library Print Standards Database using the standard name you found in Step 1.

  • If you locate it successfully, visit the stacks at Grainger Library to check out the standard. If you need any help, visit the circulation desk!

  • If you do not find it in this database, move on to Step 5.

 

Step 5: If you do not find the standard in the appropriate database above or if it is not available in full text:

  • Use the "Email Me" link in the sidebar, and we will determine if we can purchase the standard. Do not purchase any standard yourself - we hope to connect to you the resources you need at no cost!

  • If you are interested in learning more about our policies regarding standards purchasing, please visit the Our Collection and Policies tab of this LibGuide.