Generalities, Terminology, Standardization, and Documentation Standards: April 2025 Monthly Overview

Looking back at April 2025, the field of Generalities, Terminology, Standardization, and Documentation experienced considerable activity, with five important standards published across ISO, IEC, and CEN. These documents address everything from fundamental vocabulary for packaging and clear guidelines for marking pen durability in documentary use, to comprehensive symbol catalogs, rigorous data exchange structures, and coherent units for information science. For professionals overseeing compliance, quality management, documentation, or technical design, this retrospective overview offers a thorough synthesis of the month's releases, highlights emerging industry directions, and supports organizations in staying abreast of evolving best practices.

Monthly Overview: April 2025

April 2025 was a notable month for the Generalities, Terminology, Standardization, Documentation sector, marked by a diverse portfolio of standards aimed at reinforcing clarity, interoperability, and technical precision within global industries. The breadth of topics—ranging from paper sack manufacturing terminology to the harmonization of quantities and units for information technology—reflects the sector’s ongoing commitment to reducing ambiguity, facilitating digital transformation, and responding to operational realities tied to compliance and regulatory harmonization.

Comparing to previous cycles, April’s batch stands out for its focus on connecting foundational terminology (as seen in new vocabulary standards), advancing documentation durability, enabling digital-ready symbol systems, and improving data exchange in industrial measurement, as well as accommodating the evolving needs of information sciences with updated units and symbols. These publications collectively reinforce an industry trend towards digital resilience, efficiency in documentation, and a reassertion of international alignment in technical language and measurement.

Standards Published This Month

EN ISO 6590-1:2025 - Packaging - Vocabulary - Part 1: Paper sacks

Packaging - Vocabulary - Part 1: Paper sacks (ISO 6590-1:2025)

This standard provides a comprehensive lexicon specific to the manufacture and specification of paper sacks, supporting both single- and multi-ply products composed mainly of paper or paper-composite materials. The vocabulary enumerates terms, definitions, and relevant manufacturing concepts such as plies, types of tubes, perforation methods, pasting, and closure techniques—systematically clarifying terminology relating to air permeability, bottom and valve designs, sack paper types, and manufacturing variations.

For industries such as logistics, packaging, industrial supply, and distribution, complying with EN ISO 6590-1:2025 facilitates clear communication across borders, minimizes misunderstanding in procurement and manufacturing, and aligns with global best practices for specification and product interoperability. Notably, this standard supersedes earlier editions and introduces both editorial and substantive updates, including the addition of new terms and deletion of obsolete ones to better capture current industry methods.

Key highlights:

• Introduces updated terminology tailored to modern manufacturing.
• Covers concepts like micro-perforations, ultrasonic sealing, stepped end tubes.
• Supports consistency and clarity for international trade, procurement, and audits.

Access the full standard:View EN ISO 6590-1:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO 3135:2025 - Marking pens — Durability of written line — Documentary use (DOC)

Marking Pens — Durability of Written Line — Documentary use (DOC)

This standard sets minimum quality requirements to ensure the durability and integrity of lines produced by marking pens when used for documentary purposes. The document details resistance criteria for water, ethanol, hydrochloric acid, ammonium hydroxide, bleaching agents, mechanical erasure, and light exposure. It further outlines precise test procedures for reproducibility and specifies expectations for performance testing paper, light exposure apparatus, and chemical test solutions.

Organizations operating in document management, archiving, legal compliance, and quality assurance should follow ISO 3135:2025 to ensure that markings on critical documents remain readable and unaltered over time—essential for regulatory audits, legal defensibility, and operational continuity. The standard’s explicit test methods and defined performance benchmarks help users select trusted equipment, while suppliers can benchmark product quality for global markets.

Key highlights:

• Defines durability tests for water, chemicals, erasure, and light exposure.
• Supports document integrity in legal, financial, and archival environments.
• Provides reproducibility standards for consistent testing and compliance claims.

Access the full standard:View ISO 3135:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO 14617-2:2025 - Graphical symbols for diagrams — Part 2: Graphical symbols

Graphical Symbols for Diagrams — Part 2: Graphical Symbols

ISO 14617-2:2025 provides an extensive symbol library indispensable for engineering diagrams, covering components, devices, plants, and more across industrial processes. The document details general rules for symbol preparation, application guidance, and exclusions (such as symbols for fluid power and measurement/control functions, which are governed elsewhere).

The standard contains over 140 tables of graphical symbols, ensuring engineers, designers, and technical writers have a consistent visual language, thereby improving the accuracy and international comprehension of complex system diagrams. Application rules embedded in the annexes guide both experienced and novice practitioners in correct symbol usage. Special attention is given to updates from previous editions, with obsolete symbols summarized for reference and an extensive index for navigability.

Key highlights:

• Unified repository of standardized symbols for diagrams in process, mechanical, and construction.
• Clear rules for symbol preparation and correct application in technical documentation.
• Indexes and comparison tables to guide conversion from previous symbol sets and manage legacy documentation.

Access the full standard:View ISO 14617-2:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC 61987-41:2025 - Industrial-process measurement and control - Data structures and elements in process equipment catalogues - Part 41: Lists of properties (LOPs) of process analysers for electronic data exchange - Generic structures

Industrial-Process Measurement and Control – Data Structures and Elements in Process Equipment Catalogues – Part 41: Lists of Properties (LOPs) of Process Analysers for Electronic Data Exchange – Generic Structures

IEC 61987-41:2025 introduces a standardized framework for structuring data on process analysers, focusing on lists of properties (LOPs) suitable for electronic exchange and integration in catalogues. The standard offers generic structures for Operating Lists of Properties (OLOP), Device Lists of Properties (DLOP), and supports condition monitoring via dynamic data (LOPD). It establishes a consistent integration scheme with the Common Data Dictionary (CDD), enhancing clarity and automating information flow during equipment procurement, engineering, and maintenance.

This framework primarily benefits manufacturers, suppliers, and end-users of process analysers in chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and industrial sectors—enabling seamless data exchange, procurement efficiency, and interoperability across digital platforms. Key features include detailed property blocks, guidance on classification, and explicit reference to alignment with other parts of the IEC 61987 series. By adopting this standard, organizations can reduce duplicate data entry, minimize purchasing errors, and improve digital readiness.

Key highlights:

• Defines generic, reusable data structures for process analyser catalogues and digital exchange.
• Facilitates seamless system integration and procurement processes using the Common Data Dictionary.
• Lays groundwork for automated, error-minimized information processing in industrial automation.

Access the full standard:View IEC 61987-41:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN IEC 80000-13:2025 - Quantities and units - Part 13: Information science and technology

Quantities and Units - Part 13: Information Science and Technology

EN IEC 80000-13:2025 prescribes standardized names, symbols, and definitions for quantities and units used within information science and technology, with a major revision highlighted by expanded prefixes for binary multiples. This aligns terminology used across international technical and scientific documents, supporting precision in data storage, transfer, process modeling, and computation.

Targeting a broad spectrum of IT, telecommunications, and data management professionals, this standard ensures that technical communication is based on uniform references—vital for regulatory submissions, system specification, learning content, and international collaboration. It includes comprehensive tables of SI units, accepted non-SI units (such as the erlang and bit), and clear guidance for their use, with explicit support for new binary prefixes responding to advances in data science and digital communications.

Key highlights:

• Provides authoritative units and symbols for all quantities relevant to information technology.
• Incorporates updated binary prefixes, addressing current and emerging IT requirements.
• Fosters interoperability and alignment between scientific, engineering, and regulatory documentation globally.

Access the full standard:View EN IEC 80000-13:2025 on iTeh Standards

Common Themes and Industry Trends

Synthesizing April 2025’s standards, several clear patterns emerge:

• Emphasis on Digital Interoperability: From the graphical symbol repository to the integration-ready data structure standards, there is a concerted focus on making information machine-interpretable and ready for electronic workflows.
• Clarity and Harmonization of Terminology: Vocabulary and units standards are evolving to support global, cross-industry cooperation and minimize errors related to ambiguity.
• Durability and Documentation Integrity: The new requirements for documentary pen durability demonstrate growing attention to the life cycle of technical documents, especially in regulated industries or those with high compliance burdens.
• Precision in Measurement and Representation: The expansion and update of units and binary prefixes in information technology reflect both the expanding scale of data operations and the need for accurate substrate-level technical communication.
• Regulatory Alignment: Updates and replacements of previous standard editions ensure that organizations can demonstrate alignment with the latest global best practices, often a prerequisite for many regulated sectors.

Industries receiving notable attention this month include packaging and logistics, information science, industrial automation, and archival/documentary management—a reflection of post-pandemic investments in supply chain transparency, digital transformation, and resilience.

Compliance and Implementation Considerations

For organizations affected by these standards, several practical steps are recommended:

1. Gap Analysis: Review existing vocabulary, documentation, and technical symbol libraries to identify inconsistencies with new definitions or rules.
2. Prioritize High-Impact Areas: For regulated processes (legal, financial, laboratory, or critical infrastructure), prioritize standards such as ISO 3135:2025 and EN IEC 80000-13:2025 where non-compliance could result in legal or operational risks.
3. Update Supplier Agreements: Ensure procurement and supplier documentation refer to the new editions, particularly for items like paper sacks or process analysers.
4. Staff Training and Awareness: Technical documentation teams, engineers, and quality/compliance managers should undergo targeted training to understand the implications of the updated symbol libraries and units.
5. Audit and Certification Preparation: For organizations seeking or maintaining ISO/IEC certifications, evidence of standardized terminology and up-to-date implementation may be needed.
6. Timeline: Most European harmonized standards allow national adoption periods of six to twelve months; however, early adoption aligns with best practice and reduces downstream rework.

Resources:

• Refer to the full text via iTeh Standards for authoritative details and to access supporting documents and tools.
• Engage with national standardization bodies for sector-specific guidance.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways from April 2025

April 2025’s suite of standards in the Generalities, Terminology, Standardization, Documentation sector reflects a pivotal shift towards improved clarity, harmonization, and digital readiness. The new vocabulary and units standards will bolster clear, consistent communication; the graphical symbol and data structure standards prepare organizations for the digital, connected future of industrial engineering and process management. The documentary pen standard is a timely reminder of the importance of record integrity in a world increasingly reliant on paper and digital co-existence.

For industry professionals, quality managers, engineers, and compliance officers, timely awareness and early implementation will ensure lasting benefits in communication, operational efficiency, and regulatory defensibility. Staying current with these standards is fundamental—not just for compliance, but for competitive advantage and sustainable growth in increasingly interconnected industries.

To explore the detailed requirements, definitions, and implementation aids, professionals should review the full standards using the provided links. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this overview, expanding on further standards published within this essential field during April 2025.