Monthly Roundup: Testing Standards from September 2025

Looking back at September 2025, the Testing sector experienced a significant wave of standardization activity. Five important standards were finalized and published, representing major updates in non-destructive testing (NDT) vocabulary and the methodologies for environmental testing under cold and dry heat conditions. This comprehensive monthly overview is crafted for industry professionals, quality managers, compliance officers, engineers, researchers, and procurement specialists—anyone who must remain current with the latest compliance drivers and best practices in the ever-evolving world of Testing standards.

Whether you are involved in standardizing terminology for NDT practices or implementing robust environmental testing regimens, this summary offers essential context, identifies industry trends, and provides practical guidance for navigating the evolving regulatory landscape. Read on to gain insights into five critical standards—each shaping the trajectory of products, safety, and quality assurance in September 2025.

Monthly Overview: September 2025

The month of September 2025 stood out as a pivotal period for Testing professionals, with the publication of key standards aligning terminology and environmental test methodologies across global industries. Notably, the month saw:

• The third edition of ISO 5577 updating and expanding the core vocabulary for ultrasonic NDT, solidifying global communication and technical consistency.
• The release of new editions for IEC 60068-2-1 and IEC 60068-2-2, bringing the foundational cold and dry heat environmental test procedures up to date with the latest scientific thinking, improved clarity, and revised technical requirements.

A prominent feature this month was the simultaneous revision of both cold and dry heat tests, highlighting the ongoing commitment to robust qualification of electronic, electrical, and mechanical components amid increasingly demanding environmental expectations. Compared to prior months, September 2025 reflects a renewed emphasis on harmonizing terminology (ISO 5577:2025) and tightening procedural clarity and reporting in environmental conditions testing (IEC 60068 series).

These publications not only respond to evolving technical needs but also reflect a cross-industry trend toward interoperability, repeatable results, and the global harmonization of test methods.

Standards Published This Month

ISO 5577:2025 - Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic testing - Vocabulary

Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Vocabulary

Published on September 30, 2025, ISO 5577:2025 delivers the latest authoritative compendium of terms and definitions for ultrasonic non-destructive testing (UT). Serving as the foundational language for professionals practicing or developing standards in ultrasonic NDT, this third edition forms the bedrock for cross-industry communication, specification drafting, and regulatory compliance.

Scope and Key Changes

ISO 5577:2025 standardizes terminology relating to core UT concepts, including frequencies, waves, pulses, sound generation, probe technology, testing techniques, coupling, reflectors, signals, and result evaluation. Notably, this edition does not cover array-based UT terminology—these are detailed instead in ISO 23243.

Major revisions in this edition include:

• Addition of new terms such as pulse overshoot, main lobe, main beam, side lobe, diffraction, and several terms relating to signal and indication metrics.
• Updated definitions and supporting figures, responding to advances in UT equipment and practice.
• Replacing the term plate wave with the more precise Lamb wave.

Target Audience and Compliance Relevance

ISO 5577:2025 is indispensable for:

• NDT professionals, inspectors, trainers, and auditors
• Quality managers and technical writers developing or referencing UT procedures
• Procurement and specification teams seeking unambiguous language in contracts and test protocols
• Anyone harmonizing UT practices globally

Role in Regulatory and Industry Context

This vocabulary standard aids organizations in aligning their documentation, training, and communication. It improves comparability of UT results, reduces misinterpretation risk, and paves the way for easier adoption of harmonized or region-specific UT guidelines and certification regimes.

Key highlights:

• Comprehensive repository of UT terms from frequencies and pulses to advanced signal attributes
• Reflects global consensus from ISO and CEN technical committees
• Supports clarity in standards, procurement, and regulatory documentation

Access the full standard:View ISO 5577:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC 60068-2-1:2025 - Environmental testing – Part 2-1: Tests – Test A: Cold

Environmental testing — Part 2-1: Tests — Test A: Cold

The seventh edition of IEC 60068-2-1:2025, published on September 23, 2025, delivers a comprehensive overhaul of cold temperature testing protocols. It prescribes methods to determine the resilience of electrical, electronic, and related equipment to low-temperature operation, transportation, and storage.

Scope and Notable Revisions

This standard applies to both non-heat-dissipating and heat-dissipating specimens—energized or non-energized—testing them either in unpacked conditions (to simulate use) or packed (to simulate transport/storage). It excludes cyclic temperature impact testing, focusing instead on stabilized cold exposures.

Technical updates in this edition include:

• Revised scope and introduction for clarity and broader applicability
• Expanded figures and test symbols for enhanced visual guidance
• Improved procedures for assessing air velocity in chambers
• Updated requirements for measurement points on or around specimens
• Reinstituting nomogram methods for correcting conditioning temperatures with high air flows
• Adjusted temperature tolerances and reporting requirements
• Newly added comparative advantages and disadvantages of various procedural routes

Applicability and Compliance

This standard is essential for manufacturers, test labs, and assessors across:

• Electronics and electrical component production
• Aerospace and automotive sectors
• Defense and critical infrastructure providers
• Any sector producing items requiring guaranteed cold climate reliability

The revised document enhances repeatability and accuracy in type-testing, ensuring predictable results across international supply chains.

Key highlights:

• Updated test procedures distinguish between specimen types (heat-dissipating vs. non-dissipating)
• Clearer requirements for measurement, setup, and documentation
• Reintroduced and clarified nomogram corrections for high airflow scenarios

Access the full standard:View IEC 60068-2-1:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC 60068-2-2:2025 - Environmental testing – Part 2-2: Tests – Test B: Dry heat

Environmental testing — Part 2-2: Tests — Test B: Dry heat

Released concurrently on September 23, 2025, IEC 60068-2-2:2025 brings the sixth edition of this foundational dry heat test up to modern expectations. The standard establishes reliable laboratory procedures for testing the tolerance of components and equipment to elevated temperature environments (storage, transport, and operational scenarios alike).

Scope and Major Updates

The scope overlaps substantially with IEC 60068-2-1, but targets high temperatures instead of cold. It covers both heat-dissipating and non-heat-dissipating objects, whether energized or not, in both packed and unpacked states. It does not address temperature cycling but provides static exposure routines.

Significant technical changes in this edition include:

• Major revision of scope and introduction
• Enhanced illustrative figures and definitions
• Improved clarity on air velocity determination for chambers
• Stricter protocols on measurement points placement
• Restoration of the nomogram correction for conditioning temperatures (critical for high airflow tests)
• Revised temperature tolerances and formalized specification/reporting content
• Addition of an annex detailing advantages and disadvantages of available procedures

Who Should Comply?

IEC 60068-2-2:2025 is critical for:

• Manufacturers of electronics, mechatronics, and electrical assemblies
• Laboratories conducting reliability, type, or qualification testing
• Sectors such as aerospace, defense, automotive, and industrial automation
• Quality assurance and regulatory compliance teams

It ensures uniformity in heat resilience testing, meeting rising demands for global market access.

Key highlights:

• Harmonized procedures for both device types and test scenarios
• Improved visual and methodological guidance
• Detailed reporting and specification formalization

Access the full standard:View IEC 60068-2-2:2025 on iTeh Standards

Note: Each IEC standard appeared twice in the month’s publication list, reflecting bilingual editions (English and French) with identical technical content and harmonized release dates. For reference and implementation purposes, users should ensure selection of the preferred language edition, but the technical requirements remain consistent.

Common Themes and Industry Trends

A retrospective analysis of September 2025 reveals several industry drivers and technical motifs:

• Vocabulary Harmonization: The release of ISO 5577:2025 establishes a common language for ultrasonic NDT, addressing historical issues of ambiguity and local variation. This trend supports interoperability and easier cross-border knowledge transfer.
• Environmental Robustness: Both IEC 60068-2-1 and IEC 60068-2-2 focus on environmental resilience—critical as electronic systems proliferate in demanding contexts (smart infrastructure, aerospace, electric vehicles, and harsh industrial environments).
• Procedural Clarity and Documentation: Expanded annexes and guidance for measurement points, documentation, and reporting signal a drive toward procedural transparency and auditability.
• Scientific Rigor: The reintroduction of nomogram-based corrections responds to a demand for test result precision, especially in scenarios with complex airflow dynamics.
• Lifecycle Coverage: The pairing of cold and dry heat standards addresses service lifecycles from transportation and storage through to actual in-use conditions—vital for reliability-oriented sectors.

The month also demonstrated how harmonization efforts are accelerating between ISO and IEC, reflecting the importance of a unified approach to terminology and methods in global supply chains.

Compliance and Implementation Considerations

Professionals affected by these September 2025 standards should weigh several priorities:

1. Adopt Updated Vocabulary (ISO 5577:2025):

   • Review all training, procedures, and contract documents to ensure terminology aligns with ISO 5577:2025.
   • Communicate vocabulary changes (e.g., Lamb wave, signal amplitude definitions) to NDT practitioners and procurement teams.

2. Update Environmental Test Protocols (IEC 60068-2-1/2:2025):

   • Revise laboratory testing routines—including air velocity, measurement point selection, and temperature conditioning per new standards.
   • Ensure specifications and test reports conform to the latest documentation and evidence requirements.

3. Timeline and Transition:

   • While regulatory acceptance dates may vary, organizations should incorporate the new standards in qualification and type-approval routines as soon as practical, especially for new product introductions.

4. Utilize Published Resources:

   • Obtain the full texts of the new standards for technical teams and compliance staff (see iTeh Standards links throughout this article).
   • Engage in sector-specific training or webinars covering the technical changes.

5. Monitor for Further Updates:

   • September 2025 marks only the first part of new standards activity—remain vigilant for additional, related releases affecting your compliance scope.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways from September 2025

September 2025 was a landmark month for Testing professionals, marked by updated terminology (ISO 5577:2025) and thoroughly revised environmental testing frameworks (IEC 60068-2-1 and IEC 60068-2-2). These standards not only enhance clarity and harmonization across global industries but also raise the bar for scientific rigor and test reproducibility.

Recommendations:

• Audit your organization’s current documentation, training, and testing practices against these new standards.
• Integrate updated procedures and terminology swiftly to ensure ongoing compliance, product reliability, and market access.
• Leverage the comprehensive guidance available through iTeh Standards for implementation support.

Staying current with Testing standards is more than a compliance necessity—it is key to product safety, customer confidence, and global competitiveness. Dive deeper into each standard by visiting the full texts linked in this article, and prepare your organization to build on the momentum of September 2025’s significant advancements.