Standards associations (trade associations) are organizations that develop and promote technical standards for various industries and products.  These standards provide guidelines and requirements for the design, production, and performance of products, and help ensure safety, reliability, and interoperability.  They are meant to provide a minimum set of guidelines for engineering and construction.  But by no means are these rules to be a substitute for good engineering practices.

 standards associations

• American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) 
• American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) 
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 
• American Petroleum Institute (API)
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
• American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE)
• American Society of Sanitary Engineering (ASSE)
• American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
• American Welding Society (AWS)
• American Water Works Association (AWWA)
• British Standards Institution (BSI)
• Hydraulic Institute (HI)
• Instrument Society of America (ISA)
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
• Manufacturers Standardization Society (MSS)
• National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE)
• National Electrical Manufactures Association (NEMA)
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
• Society of Automotive Engineers International (SAE)