New AATCC Test Method Designations for Greater Transparency
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., USA, February 12, 2020— Test methods and procedures in the 2020 AATCC Technical Manual have a new look. In 2019, AATCC’s Executive Committee on Research approved a new format for numeric designations and titles to offer users greater visibility to changes in the standards.
Title Changes
All AATCC standards now clearly specify the type of standard in each title. AATCC TM8 is now Test Method for Colorfastness to Crocking: Crockmeter; AATCC EP1 is Evaluation Procedure for Gray Scale for Color Change.
Designation Changes
The descriptive words were removed from the designation and replaced by letters. What was AATCC Test Method 8 is now AATCC TM8. The concise alpha-numeric designation allows quick reference and easy searching of digital media. It also avoids confusion among various types of standards; AATCC TM8 and AATCC EP8 are not the same document! References to AATCC standards should always include “AATCC,” the one- or two-letter code (TM, LP, EP, M), and a number. There is no space between the code and number.
Date Changes
Standard dates now include significantly more information. Instead of one date to indicate a revision or reaffirmation, the first date will always be the year of the most recent technical changes. If the standard is subsequently reaffirmed with no changes, that year will appear in parentheses after the first date. A small letter “e” indicates editorial changes and a small letter “t” indicates additional technical changes in the same year.
Some of the new dates are a bit messy, but they provide more information and will be simplified as standards are gradually revised.
For example, AATCC TM17-1999e2(2018)e was last updated in 1999. There were two editorial changes between then and the most recent reaffirmation. The standard was last reaffirmed (with no technical changes) in 2018. One additional edit was made after the 2018 version. In this case, the final editorial revision was to make the designation and date changes noted above!
History Changes
The history portion of AATCC standards is being reorganized, expanded, and moved to the end of each document. History has traditionally appeared at the very top of AATCC standards as a compiled list of revision and reaffirmation dates. As standards are revised, this information will be moved to a separate History section. The section begins with a brief description (and date) of the most recent revision, then lists previous versions in reverse chronological order, ending with the date it was first developed and the responsible committee. A few standards already have this format in the 2020 AATCC Technical Manual. The reorganized history makes it easier for users to identify when changes were made. The summary of changes for each year has appeared as a section in the front of the Technical Manual for many years, but was not included in the individual standards, and was replaced by new changes each year. Now, the description or reason for revisions will be preserved directly in the standard until it is revised again.
User Experience
AATCC standards are used around the world in textile and related industries—and some unrelated industries. The formatting changes are intended to make it easier for anyone to find and use AATCC standards. Plans are also underway to provide more visibility to ongoing committee projects and create multimedia tools to explain and demonstrate AATCC test methods and procedures.
AATCC is a member-driven organization supporting the textile industry. Comments and suggestions are welcome from all interested parties.
To purchase the 2020 AATCC Technical Manual, including the new designations, titles, and dates, visit https://members.aatcc.org/store.
To participate in the standards development process or other AATCC activities, visit www.aatcc.org/evnt/meetings.
About AATCC: Founded as the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC), the Association continues to evolve to meet the needs of those in the ever-changing textile, apparel, and materials industries. AATCC has served textile professionals since 1921. Today, the Association provides test method development, quality control materials, education, and professional networking for a global audience.
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