| Author |
Message |
David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI
Senior Member
Username: david_axt
Post Number: 430
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 31, 2005 - 02:04 pm: |    |
More and more I am specifying imported products for our (domestic) projects. The problem comes in trying to compare another country's test to our ASTM tests (not to mention the metric conversion).
Other than DIN ratings for sports floors, I would prefer to stick to good old ASTM standards and tests.
How do you guys evaluate Imported products? Are products legal to use if they do not have ASTM tests? |
Ronald L. Geren, RA, CSI, CCS, CCCA
Senior Member
Username: specman
Post Number: 118
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 31, 2005 - 02:25 pm: | |
It depends on the standard. To be sold in the US, they have to meet certain product standards, which may or may not include those by ASTM. But, to be legal under the building or fire codes, you'll need to check the codes themselves to determine if 1) the product is even regulated by the codes, and 2) if they are regulated, what standards, if any, apply as referenced by the codes. |
Kim A. Bowman, CSI, AAIA, LEED AP
Intermediate Member
Username: archspecmaster
Post Number: 4
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, April 28, 2005 - 05:23 pm: | |
I do not specify European products, or another countries products, unless they are tested to U.S. Standards. There are numerous products that are not, so I am constantly fighting with the reps that carry European products that they want specified and used here. We are just about ready to shut off all countries except products manfuactured in the U.S. We have tried, when products failed, to get a rep from the corporate office of a company in Canada....long story short, they would not come to the U.S. to look at the installation, they relied totally on the rep company, who by the way, sided with the contractor. No more Canadian products, ever again! |
William C. Pegues, FCSI, CCS
Senior Member
Username: wpegues
Post Number: 374
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, April 28, 2005 - 10:53 pm: | |
There are many good products that come from other countries. The only ones that really deserve consideration are those that in their literature show compliance with standards used in this country. Sure, its actually possible to interpret some other resultas and criteria and then see if it complies to our standards. but if someone wants their product in my project manual, I am not going to do their clerical work for them.
There are many good manufacturer's in Canada that do test to our standards, and many that provide support from the factory at the site when it is required. I think its short sighted to condemn all products from Canada (or offshore in general) based on the poor performance of some. I have some excellent examples of products that use our standards and provide great support, better than some US manufacturer's.
William |
|
4specs.com Home Page