Acoustical standards in the Society: Historical perspective

Abstract

The Acoustical Society of America has been active in national standards since 1932 when it asked the American Standards Association to initiate a project to standardize acoustical measurements and terminology. The new committee was assigned to the Society and designated Z24. By 1942, Z24 had expanded to include vibration. By 1957 the activity had grown so much that Z24 was split into three committees: S1 Acoustics, S2 Mechanical Vibration and Shock, and S3 Bioacoustics. (S12 Noise was added later, in 1981). Until 1969, these committees were administered by the USA Standards Institute, the predecessor of the American National standards Institute (ANSI), and new standards were approved by the Executive Council of the Society. In 1971, the Society assumed the responsibility for developing the US position on international standards in acoustics being generated by TC108 of the International Organization for Standardization. During the early 1970s ANSI became the body to approve all national standards, and the Soceity became a standards developer. ASA established a Committee on Standards (ASACOS) in 1978 to guide the work of the S-Committees and the Standards Secretariat. In the past few years ASACOS has increasingly improved its links with the Society’s other technical activities.