Feature

Optics: A costly business without standards

Robert S. Parks

Last summer, an ANSI accredited, domestic optical standards writing body was set up under the auspices of the National Association of Photographic Manufacturers (NAPM). This group— OP1—is a subcommittee of ANSI PH3 -Photographic Apparatus, chaired by Andy DiDonato of Polaroid Corp.; Richard Hittner of NAPM serves as secretary. For the time being, I am chairing 0P1, which will have a subcommittee structure similar to the ISO/TC172 organization. Eduard Scherrer of NAPM will assist Hittner in the administration of the domestic optical standards body. As with any such formal structure, there will be associated administrative costs. These will be determined by the activity of the group—roughly in the neighborhood of $35,000 a year for NAPM and ANSI expenses. This is separate from the expenses borne by the participants in the actual standards writing activity.