Key Differences Between API and ISO Standards

Believe it or not, whenever you deal with a factory that does the manufacturing of forged steel gate valves, they will always tell you it’s best to be sure the products you buy from them are certified. 

Not only in industries, but even in other aspects of life, such as when investing in cars or buying home appliances, that certifications are really important. 

When purchasing forged steel valves, standards and certifications are crucial since these ensure valves meet specific requirements, regulations, and expectations, whether these are for industrial, commercial, or residential applications. 

Two of the biggest bodies that award these standards are the API and ISO. This guide discusses them, covering the following sub-topics:

– All about API

– What are ISO standards?

– API vs. ISO: What are their differences?

API vs. ISO Standards: Learn Their Differences

What Sets API Apart?

API officially stands for the American Petroleum Institute. It usually goes hand-in-hand with the International Standards Organization or the ISO.

API and ISO are two regulatory organizations that set guidelines for both manufacturers and consumers in the valve category to follow, from selection, making, design, lab testing, toward certification and quality assurance. 

These standards drive what’s highest in quality, so your industries can ensure the valves can perform at their peak for the best of their operations. 

Let’ start with API. This standard-giving body is wholly dedicated to the petroleum and energy industries, so take note of that, such as your API 6FA and API 6A certifications, for instance. If you intend to use valves for the pharmaceutical industry, for instance, you’d have to look at other certifications. 

Meanwhile, ISO rarely publishes itself as industry-specific, so the route could be here. Using these two certifications help not only improve production and revenue, but also safety and quality. You’ll learn more about ISO later on. For now, take a look at some examples of the API standard matched with their ISO counterpart, or head-to-head with other comparable API standards:

• API 6A & ISO 10423
• API 6D & ISO 14313
• API 600 & ISO 10434
• API 602 & ISO 15761
• API 608 & ISO 17292
• API 598 & ISO 5208
• API 624, API 641 & ISO 15848-1
• API 6FA, API 6FB, API 6FD (‘API 6F Series’), API 607 & ISO 10497
• API Q1 & ISO 9001
• API 607 vs. API 608
• API 607 vs. API 6FA
• API 6FA vs. API 607
• Fire Safe API 607 vs. API 608, and so much more

How About ISO?

Note, though, that even if ISO is used as the alternative whenever your industry isn’t applicable to the specific API standard, API is for licensing and certification, while ISO remains as a certification body where participation is voluntary. Therefore, tagging your product with ISO is more of optional, unlike API. 

Yet, for applicable manufacturers, implementing both ISO and API is part of the requirements for doing efficient and honest business.

Also, both ISO and API establish a minimum set of design parameters that manufacturers must comply to claim product credibility, quality, and safety, such as with forged steel valves. At the end of the day, qualifications and certifications ensure that products meet the design standards and desired functionality expectations. 

Beating Expectations With CLDG Valves

Your industry deserves the best, so why don’t you invest in high-performing valves from CLDG? Our company is not just about manufacturing top-notch forged valves, but also ensures quality above all. We inspect, we certify, and we deliver well. Through our production process, our laboratory carries out quality checks through chemical and structure evaluations, impact testing and extreme environment testing, and strength analysis. This way, we deliver what you and your consumers need. For more information, speak with our team!