What Is the ANSI? How Does It Relate to Industrial Pumps?

Many factors must be considered during the industrial pump selection process. Your business needs a pump that is appropriate to the desired application as well as one that meets the highest standards. After all, a pump that isn’t designed according to certain standards may not be efficient, safe, or long-lasting. This is where the ANSI comes into play. This blog post discusses the ANSI and how it relates to industrial pumps. 

What Is the ANSI?

ANSI is short for the American National Standards Institute, which is an organization that oversees the creation and dissemination of various measures and standards in the United States.

The ANSI is a member of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It oversees the work done according to various computer standards, such as the Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) and the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII). 

The ANSI was founded in 1918 by three government agencies and five engineering societies that combined their efforts to form the American Engineering Standards Committee. The organization changed its name to the American Standards Association in 1928. Then, it was renamed to the United States of America Standards Institute in 1966. It took on its current name in 1969. 

What Does the ANSI Do?

The ANSI is a private, nonprofit organization whose primary objective is to identify and support the development of standards by collaborating with government and industry stakeholders. Some of the various functions ANSI undertakes include the following.

• American National Standards — One of the principal goals of ANSI is to ensure the development and publication of American National Standards. It accomplishes this through the review and approval of the processes that other standards organizations use and the affirmation that the established standards conform to its requirements. 
• International Standards — ANSI is the standards organization that represents the US at the IEC and ISO, which establish key international standards. 
• Standards Coordination — ANSI provides coordination for the work done by various US standards organizations. It often does this in emerging and new technology sectors as well as delivers ongoing standards partnerships and collaboration in established industries. 
• International Trade and Development — ANSI is active in various private- and public-sector partnerships throughout the world that assist emerging economies in building infrastructure and developing trade that complies with standards and regulatory compliance. 
• Membership — ANSI opens its membership to any organization that is considered a stakeholder in the specification processes. These include the following.
  • Private companies
  • Educational institutions
  • Government agencies
  • Consumer and trade organizations
  • Other organizations

You won’t find published standards directly from the ANSI. However, the organization will review standards created by other organizations, giving them a seal of approval. 

Why the ANSI Is Important

As you can see, the ANSI plays a vital role in supporting the development of standards both in the US and internationally for a variety of industries. When manufacturers throughout the globe agree to comply with a uniform set of standards, organizations, businesses, and consumers can have the expectation that products and experiences related to personal and professional life will be as expected and high-quality. 

Without a governing set of standards, producing products globally that can be integrated would be challenging. The ANSI is essential for the following reasons.

• Standards allow for the use of standardized packaging and shipping, which eases supply chain concerns. 
• Standards enable online interoperability. For example, the same online device can be connected to a network anywhere in the world and expected to work as designed, thanks to uniform standards. 
• Standards allow for increased innovation. Because certain technology and equipment are built to certain standards, this allows innovators to work on peripheral devices or improvements, knowing that two manufacturers won’t be creating similar products made to different standards. 
• Standards save time and money. When businesses build to certain standards, this creates efficiencies that save the companies time and money. Also, higher quality products will last longer and require fewer repairs and less maintenance than ones not designed or built to uniform standards. 

How the ANSI Relates to Industrial Pumps

Now that you know what the ANSI is, how does this relate to industrial pumps? There are actually ANSI pumps, which are designed and built to specific standards. ANSI process pumps are highly versatile single-stage centrifugal pumps. They are horizontal with an end suction and an overhanging impeller. 

To be labeled an “ANSI pump,” the machine must meet the specific standards established by the ANSI, which makes any of these pumps, regardless of brand or manufacturer, virtually interchangeable. According to ANSI B73.1 standards, the key dimensions are defined for 27 different centrifugal pump sizes, which provides users with various options. ANSI pumps also come in a variety of specifications, including the following.

• Horsepower from 1 to 250
• Total head pressure ranging from 50 to 750 feet (22 to 235 psi)
• Flow rates from 10 to 5,000 GPM

ANSI pumps are commonly used to transfer highly viscous fluids such as water and chemicals. Depending on the type of impeller, they may be able to move fluids containing some solids. ANSI pumps are used frequently in the chemical, textile, food processing, pulp & paper, and general manufacturing industries. 

Because ANSI pumps are uniform and created to specific standards, getting service and parts for them is easier than it is with some other types of pumps. Users can also switch out one ANSI pump for another without having to reconfigure piping, coupling, motors, bedplates, or impellers. 

Get Help With ANSI Centrifugal Pumps

C&B Equipment services and sells a wide range of industrial pumps, including ANSI centrifugal pumps. If your business needs an industrial pump, compressor, or blower, or wants to optimize the performance of its existing equipment, we can help.

We have years of experience in industrial equipment and proudly serve clients throughout Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and the Texas Panhandle. Contact us today for more information about our products and services!