SHERIDAN, WYOMING – Feb. 6, 2025 – The VDI (Verein Deutscher Ingenieure, Association of German Engineers) supports those who face technical challenges in their daily work with its VDI Guidelines. As one of the most important rule-setters, it publishes up to 200 VDI Guidelines each year. These are pioneering and practice-oriented technical codes that set quality standards in many executing trades and all possible industrial sectors. They represent the current state of the art – competently prepared by experts for experts.
More than 2,200 valid VDI Guidelines can currently be researched in the VDI Guideline Database. In addition to detailed information on the guidelines, it also contains data on planned and reviewed VDI Guidelines as well as on withdrawals and withdrawal announcements.
VDI Guidelines Deliver Process and Problem Solutions
Every year, the VDI publishes up to 200 new or revised guidelines. Most are published in German and English. Their goal: to deliver technical process and problem solutions that are easy and quick to implement. They are extremely practice-oriented, offer practical checklists and useful tables. The VDI Guidelines are developed by experts for experts. Around 10,000 honorary experts from science, industry and public administration are involved. They set standards in more than 600 committees, which are coordinated in the VDI specialist divisions. This makes the VDI one of the most important rule-setters in Germany.
Feedback from the Professional World Desired
The VDI Guidelines are created in a multi-year and interactive process. The specialist advisory boards of the VDI specialist areas determine the topics. The experts work on the draft for a guideline for about two to three years. The experts exchange ideas at regular meetings. Once the draft has been adopted, it is published. Criticism and suggestions for changes from the professional world can be submitted in a public objection procedure.
Two New Formats Since 2018
Since 2018, there have been two new rule-setting formats at the VDI: the VDI Guidelines Man and Technology (VDI-MT) and the VDI Expert Recommendations (VDI-EE). Both serve the social dialogue about the opportunities and risks of technological developments. VDI-MT serve the standardization of content that, in addition to the technical reference, have considerable social relevance. They aspire to be or become generally recognized rules with little technical reference. For example, requirements for the qualification of people when dealing with technology or the procedure in management-specific questions are standardized. In the VDI-MT, the focus is also on the human factor in the respective technical area.
During the creation, all interested parties from science, industry and public administration are involved. In addition, there is the possibility of a public objection procedure. This ensures the neutrality and independence of the VDI e.V.
The VDI Expert Recommendations are a kind of preliminary stage of the VDI Guidelines. They do not claim to be or become a generally recognized rule of technology. Rather, they represent recommendations and are mainly used when a topic needs to be dealt with particularly quickly. This makes it possible to react promptly and to engage in discussions with the expert public.