SNV turns 100: A look at the "Golden Twenties
The Roaring Twenties were exuberant, fast-paced and incredibly innovative. Yet at the beginning of the 1920s, the world was facing a shambles. The First World War (1914-1918) had come to an end, and the 40 or so countries involved in the war had to mourn countless losses, dead and wounded. Nevertheless, another decade in the history of the Swiss Association for Standardization (SNV) begins.
A generation of young men is wiped out or traumatized. Perhaps it is the collective dejection and the feeling that there is nothing left to lose that creates a phenomenal mood of optimism and change. The 1920s are not only synonymous with fast beats and beguiling trumpet sounds, they are also a decade full of remarkable inventions. The following focus themes are considered here:
Medicine: The discovery of penicillin
In September 1928, Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming accidentally notices in the laboratory that a mold has a growth-inhibiting effect on his forgotten staphylococcus cultures. Further research later leads to the antibiotic penicillin, which will significantly increase human life expectancy. For his discovery, Fleming is awarded the Nobel Prize in 1945, together with Howard Walter Florey and Ernst Boris Chain, who continue his investigations, "for the discovery of penicillin and its curative action in various infectious diseases".
Standardization does valuable work for laboratory equipment and devices, which makes it possible for instruments and materials to fit together and thus for the process to be efficient. For example, the introduction of standardised colours and connections for gases has ensured that anaesthetists do not confuse nitrous oxide, oxygen and nitrogen.
Physics: Albert Einstein receives the Nobel Prize
Because the young German Albert Einstein wanted to study at today's ETH Zurich, he moved to Aarau at the age of 17, where he completed his Matura and then graduated as a specialist teacher of mathematics and physics. Did he suspect at the time that he would later become the world's most famous scientist of modern times? After various research projects and publications, his path leads him to the patent office in Bern and on to teaching at various universities. In December 1922 Albert Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize "for his services to theoretical physics, especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect".
What do innovations have to do with standards?
Standards can act as a catalyst for innovation and help to bring solutions to market more quickly. Bringing aspects of an innovation into standardisation to prepare the market for it can be crucial to market success. In particular, innovations that cut across industries and value chains are becoming increasingly significant. Standards bring further advantages:
- Standards as a catalyst for innovation: Standards can act as a catalyst for innovation and help to bring solutions to market more quickly. Bringing aspects of an innovation into standardisation to prepare the market for it can be crucial to market success. In particular, innovations that reach across industries and value chains are becoming increasingly significant.
- Standards define interfaces and compatibility requirements: In today's networked world, clearly defined interfaces and compatibility between individual components and systems are more important than ever. In particular, suppliers operating across borders must ensure that they continue to fit the operational requirements of the companies they supply in the age of Industry 4.0. Those who disregard standards can quickly be excluded from the market.
- Standards facilitate market access: Standards as the global language of technology reduce technical barriers to trade and facilitate the free movement of goods. Standards serve as door openers and promote exports: European standards (EN) open access to the EU internal market, international standards (ISO) to the world market. In Europe today, the principle applies to goods: one standard - one test - accepted everywhere.
- Standards serve to save costs: Standards enable efficiency increases and cost savings across all areas of the company, such as R&D (research and development), design, purchasing, manufacturing and quality and systems engineering. In addition, standards enable more rational and cost-effective production and thus meet the consumer's desire for low-cost services with good quality at the same time.
- Standards improve product safety: Standards define quality and minimum requirements and provide recognised solutions for the protection of consumers, health, safety and the environment. Compliance with quality and safety standards can demonstrably reduce the risk of accidents, thus making a major contribution to protecting the health of consumers and workers.
- Standards reduce the risk of product liability: Standards provide clarity about the properties of a product and are regarded as clear and recognised rules of technology. In contracts, reference to standards provides increased legal certainty. In addition, laws, ordinances and regulations increasingly refer to national, European or international standards in order to adapt them to the state of technical development.
Sources: Wikipedia, Stern.de, The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum (Penicillin), ABB
SNV turns 100: Anniversary competition
As part of its 100th anniversary, SNV is organising a competition every month. Answer the competition question and win attractive prizes.
https://www.snv.ch/de/100-jahre-snv/monatswettbewerb.html
