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Shinsuke Tsutsumi receiving the Thomas Medal from Tom Mustaleski,
AWS President, in July 2003 at the 56th IIW Annual Assembly in Bucharest,
Romania
SETTING THE STANDARD
If one or the other of these two systems were to become the only international standard,
there would be a tremendous upheaval (a revolution) in the many fabrication codes and
standards that are supported by the filler metal classification standards of the other system’.
In a second letter Kotecki was to explain ‘The idea is that two paths through a standard
be allowed. Specifically, one path would use the system preferred by the countries of the
European Market, and one path would use the system preferred by the countries of the
Pacific Rim’.
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The eloquence of Kotecki’s argument elicited a response from ISO
which pointed out that ‘no ISO policy exists on the concept of “cohabitation”
standards. The arguments developed by Dr Kotecki show that in the case
like the classification of welding filler metals, such an approach is quite
acceptable. Consequently, we would agree with the conclusion of ISO/TC
44/SC3 that a decision be taken on a case-by-case basis’.
30
The subsequent official reply from ISO, quoting Resolution 179/1999, in January
1999, was ‘…ISO confirms that it will adopt the principle of “cohabitation” (standards
with sets of alternative requirements) for the drafting of international welding consumable
standards where a single requirement approach cannot reach consensus’.
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It was a
remarkable achievement through the efforts of both Tsutsumi and Kotecki which had
extracted a ground-breaking change in ISO policy.