4. Hydraulic and thermal machines

Standardization of hydraulic and thermal machines is currently carried out by five international and three European technical committees.

This standardization, created internationally in 1964 and 1965 by the Europeans, won over the Americans in the mid-1970s. It generally considers more than just the interchangeability of components, which is often the hallmark of mechanical standardization.

While interchangeability is an obvious element of standardization for machine assembly and replacement, the specific nature of hydraulic and thermal machines calls for a different kind of standardization. This involves fluid mechanics (hydraulics and aeraulics), strength of materials, thermics and vacuum physics. As a result, it brings together both machine builders and specialists working in laboratories on cutting-edge problems such as gas and liquid...