Government/Military Trends
A Monumental Step Converting MIL-STD-100G to ASME Y14.100 - 2000
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The conversion of MIL-STD-100G to ASME Y14.100 - 2000, Engineering Drawing Practices, involved hundreds of people and a total investment of more than 3 man-years of labor. Despite the long and difficult process to reach a consensus regarding one of the most complex standards to undergo conversion, the endeavor is complete and the outcome is a superior piece of work accomplished by a team of government and industry professionals.
ASME Y14.100 - 2000 was approved as an American National Standard on December 8, 2000 and MIL-STD-100G was cancelled the following year on December 14, 2001. The successful revision of this standard is attributed to the partnering of government and industry and the active involvement, commitment and hard work of the ASME Y14 subcommittee members, their respective companies and the department and agencies of the U.S. government.
Published in 1965, MIL-STD-100 was for decades the cornerstone document the Department of Defense (DoD) used to create millions of technical engineering drawings. Large segments of industry used it as well. Compliance with MIL-STD-100 was required when commercial or contractor drawings were not an option. In addition, program offices with major end items that had to be supported through the DoD logistics system required drawing preparation in accordance with MIL-STD-100.
For years, decision makers in DoD and industry recognized problems with mandating compliance with detailed military specifications and standards. Compliance with MIL-STD-100 was often viewed as being very costly and unnecessary. The advent of Acquisition Reform in the mid-1990s increased attention and concern regarding this document and it was identified as excessively costly and beyond basic commercial practices. Eventually, the Defense Standardization Improvement Council (DISC) reviewed MIL-STD-100 and directed conversion to a Non-Government Standard (NGS).
In 1992, the Drawing Practices Committee (Y14) of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) agreed to sponsor the task of converting MIL-STD-100. The core subcommittee membership was comprised of representatives from the Military Services, other government agencies, DoD contractors, and industry groups. The process also involved close cooperation and coordination with 16 subject-related subcommittees of ASME and interface with other standards developing organizations (SDOs) including:
- Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)
- Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
- ASTM International (ASTM)
Some of the conversion meetings were attended by as many as 60 members. "ASME Y14 has had a long history of working with DoD," states Carl Gomez, Secretary of the ASME Y14 Subcommittee 100. "As a non-profit association for mechanical engineering codes and standards, ASME is able to bring together people and organizations in an open environment and publish standards that everyone can use - ultimately helping to excel the marketplace."
The initial attempt to convert the DoD drawing practices standard, MIL-STD-100, to a non-government standard resulted in two drawing practices standards: ASME Y14.100M-1998, which consisted of basic practices common to DoD and industry, and MIL-STD-100G, which consisted of those practices and requirements unique to DoD. However, this led to confusion as to when to use which standard as a stand-alone or in combination. The consensus was that one standard was needed.
ASME Y14.100 - 2000 (published in 2001) establishes the essential requirements and reference documents applicable to the preparation and revision of engineering drawings and associated lists. This standard establishes engineering drawing practices and ties together the engineering drawing and related documentation practices in the MIL-STD-100 and ASME Y14 series. ASME Y14.100 is not intended to be a stand-alone document for the purpose of addressing basic practices. This standard should be used in close conjunction with ASME Y14.24M, ASME Y14.34M, and ASME Y14.35M. The changes included in the new revision of ASME Y14.100 - 2000 are intended to improve standardization and to harmonize practices and methodology between industry and government.