Standards Information Point
Standards and technical rules represent an important source of information regarding the current state of the art. They are designed to standardise tangible and intangible objects (including terms, products and procedures) in the fields of science, technology, business and administration.
Access to standards and guidelines
The Centre for Patents and Standards at Rostock University Library offers information to anyone interested in standards and guidelines, tailored to their specific field. It provides free access to full digital texts of all current standards issued by the German Institute for Standardization (DIN), technical guidelines issued by the Association of German Engineers (Verein Deutscher Ingenieure – VDI) and standards issued by the German Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies (Verband der Elektrotechnik, Elektronik und Informationstechnik – VDE).
Members of the University of Rostock can consult full texts of DIN standards and VDI guidelines via the Nautos database within the university network.
Non-members of the university can view standards at a computer in the University Library. However, for licensing reasons, the reproduction (i.e. downloading, printing or copying) of standards is not permitted.
VDE standards can be consulted via the Online Standards Library offered by VDE Verlag GmbH at a computer with a single-user licence at the Centre for Patents and Standards in the Südstadt Campus Library. The reproduction of VDE standards is generally prohibited for licensing reasons.
Searching DIN standards and VDI guidelines via Nautos
You can search for standards in the Nautos database.
As a member of the University of Rostock, you can access the full texts of current DIN standards, draft standards and VDI guidelines via the university network provided by the IT and Media Center (ITMZ). You can also find references to many other international technical regulations and guidelines issued by professional associations. The database is updated on a monthly basis.
Useful tips for searching in Nautos:
- To access the full text, double-click the blue jigsaw piece icon on the left of the results list. After opening the document, you can then download the standard as a PDF.
- Click on the DIN title to view a short description of the standard. You can access the full text from this view by clicking on the blue jigsaw piece icon in the top right.
- In most cases, you can consult withdrawn standards (old DIN versions for which the full text is not available in PDF format, identifiable by a white X in a red circle and/or the update status “H” for historical document) in printed form at the Standards Information Point.
- If you wish to amend your search, do not click the Back button in your browser: instead, use the filter function via the menu in the results list (on the left-hand side in the website’s internal navigation).
- The personalisation options (e.g. favourites, templates, etc.) listed in the FAQs are deactivated in the Campus version.
Video tutorial covering the key search fields in the Nautos database
This video explains, for example, the most expedient way to search exclusively for currently valid standards, or how to search for specific topics using the International Classification for Standards (ICS).
You can access further video tutorials in the Nautos database by clicking on the Help function, shown by the “?” symbol in the top right of the menu.
Licensing terms:
Standards may only be used and saved for individual use within the university. Circulating standards to third parties in either printed or digital form is prohibited.
DIN standards are copyright protected. You can obtain permission to reproduce standards – for a fee – from the Legal Department of the German Institute for Standardization at: Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V., Burggrafenstrasse 6, 10787 Berlin.
Other standards in our collection:
Conduct electronic research in other licensed standards databases via the Database Information System (DBIS)
- DGUV - Regelwerk Regulations and guidelines on occupational safety from the German Social Accident Insurance
- DWA – Regelwerk all regulations issued by the German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste (Deutsche Vereinigung für Wasserwirtschaft, Abwasser und Abfall e.V.).
- IEEE Xplore access to the full text of over five million publications issued by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), including standards in the fields of electrical engineering, regulation and control systems, computer science, physics, process engineering, biotechnology and food technology.
- IUPAC Standards Online the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) regularly publishes articles containing standards and recommendations in the journal Pure and Applied Chemistry.
The list below is a selection of the standards we hold in paper form.
- DIN-Taschenbücher – the complete series of pocket editions issued by Beuth Verlag since 1990
- DIN-Mitteilungen – quarterly brochures issued since 1990
- TGL – the technical standards, quality regulations and delivery terms issued in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), which were in force prior to German reunification and represented the East German equivalent of DIN standards
- ASTM – a selection of standards issued by the American Society for Testing and Materials
- AD 2000 Regelwerk – standards issued by the Pressure Vessel Working Group (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Druckbehälter)
- Taschenbuch der SEP – pocket editions of test sheets for the steel and iron industry
- Taschenbuch der SEW – pocket editions of material data sheets for the steel and iron industry
- TRD – technical rules for steam boilers
- TRG – technical rules for pressurised gases
- DVGW (Deutscher Verein des Gas- und Wasserfaches e.V.) – regulations issued by the German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water; Series G, GW and W
- Praxishandbuch Stahlnormen – practice handbook of standards for the steel industry
Services des Normen-Infopoint
- Research assistance, information and advice regarding standards, guidelines and technical regulations
- Access to Access to DIN, DIN EN, DIN ISO, VDI, VDE, TGL and many other standards
- Assistance in sourcing standards not currently held in our collection
- Research regarding the up-to-dateness of standards
- University-internal reminder ticker for standards
- Creation of standards profiles for receiving regular information regarding updates to standards in your specific field
Contact
Christian Tholen
christian.tholenuni-rostockde
Tel.: +49 381 498-8628