Definitions of entries

Catalogue entries are coded as in the example shown below. The various elements are labelled A–J. The key explains each element. Not all the elements will appear in every Standard.

	BS 1361	Product identifier.
	1971	Original publication date.
	(1986)	Confirmed in 1986, indicating the continuing currency of the standard without full revision.
	≡	An identical standard: a BSI publication identical in every detail with a corresponding European and/or international standard.
or	=	A (technically) equivalent standard: a BSI publication in all technical respects the same as a corresponding European and/or international standard, though the wording and presenting may differ quite extensively.
or	≠	A related but not equivalent standard: a BSI publication that covers subject matters similar to that covered by a European and/or international standard. The content however is short of complete identity or technical equivalence.
	00000833	Unique product code for the amendment.
	PEL/32	BSI Technical Committee responsible for this publication.
	R	Amendment incorporated in the reprinted text. No ‘R’ means the amendment is not part of the text.
	GR7	The group price: refer to the flap on the inside back cover of the catalogue.
	00000818	Unique product code.
	A5, 44 pages	Most new and revised standards are pub lished in A4 size. Sizes other than A4 are listed.

Amendments

All separate amendments to the date of despatch are included with any main publication ordered. Prices are available on application. The amendment is then incorporated within the next reprint of the publication and the text carries a statement drawing attention to this, and includes an indication in the margin at the appropriate places on the amended pages.

Review

The policy of the BSI is for every standard to be reviewed by the technical committee responsible not more than 5 years after publication, in order to establish whether it is still current and, if it is not, to identify and set in hand appropriate action. Circumstances may lead to an earlier review.

When reviewing a standard a committee has four options available:

• Withdrawal: indicating that the standard is no longer current.

• Declaration of Obscelence: indicating by amendment that the standard is not recommended for use in new equipment, but needs to be retained for the servicing of existing equipment that is expected to have a long service life.

• Revision: involving the procedure for new projects.

• Confirmation: indicating the continuing currency of the standard without full revision. Following confirmation of a publication, stock of copies are overstamped with the month and year of confirmation.

The latest issue of standards should always be used in new product designs and equipments. However many products are still being manufactured to obsolescent and obsolete standards to satisfy a still buoyant demand. This is not only for maintenance purposes but also for current manufacture where market forces have not yet demanded an update in design. This is particularly true of screwed fasteners. For this reason the existing screw thread tables from the previous editions have been retained and stand alongside the new BE EN ISO requirements.

The new standards are generally more detailed and prescriptive than there predecessors, therefore there is only room to include the essential information tables in this Pocket Book as a guide. Where further information is required the full standard should always be consulted and a list of libraries holding up-to-date sets of standards is included in an appendix at the end of this book. The standards quoted in the Pocket Book are up-to- date at the time of publication but, in view of the BSI’s policy of regular reviews, some may become subject to revision within the life of this book.

For this reason the validity of the standards quoted should always be verified. The BSI helpline should be consulted.

This Pocket Book has been prepared as an aid to mechanical engineers engaged in the design, development and manufacture of engineering products and equipment. It is also a useful source book for others who require a quick, day-to-day reference of engineering information. For easy reference this book is divided into 8 main sections, namely:

1. Mathematics

2. Engineering statics

3. Engineering dynamics

4. Fasteners

5. Power transmission

6. Materials

7. Linear and geometrical tolerancing

8. Computer aided engineering.

Within these main sections the material has been assembled in a logical sequence for easy reference and numbered accordingly. This enables the reader to be lead directly to the item required by means of a comprehensive list contents and the inclusion of a comprehensive alphabetical index.

This Pocket Book is not a text book but a compilation of useful information. Therefore in the sections concerned with mathematics, statics and dynamics worked examples are only included where anomalies might otherwise occur. The author is indebted to the British Standards Institution and to all the industrial and commercial companies in the UK and abroad who have co-operated in providing up-to-date data in so many technical areas. Unfortunately, limitations of space have allowed only abstracts to be included from amongst the wealth of material provided. Therefore the reader is strongly recommended to consult the complete standards, industrial manuals, design manuals or catalogues after an initial perusal of the tables of data found in this book. To this end, an appendix is provided with the names and addresses of the contributors to this book. They all have useful web sites where additional information may be found.

The section on computer-aided manufacture has been deleted from this edition as it was too brief to be of much use and could not be expanded with in the page count available. Specialist texts are available on application from the publishers of this Pocket Book on such topic areas as:

• Computer numerical control

• Computer-aided drawing and design

• Industrial robots

• Flexible manufacturing systems

• Programmable logic controllers

• Manufacturing management

• Project management.

Within the constraints of commercial viability, it is the continuing intention of the author and publisher to update this book from time to time. Therefore, the author would appreciate (via the publishers) suggestions from the users of this book for additions and/or deletions to be taken into account when producing new editions.