Effective immediately, DIN will make all DIN SPEC documents created through the PAS process available free of charge. These consortial standards are available for download using the following  link.

“The success of a good idea often depends on how long it takes to penetrate the market. A DIN SPEC (PAS) can be developed and published within a few months. We want to make the knowledge contained in consortial standards available to all stakeholders free of charge so that others can build on it and develop new ideas, products or services,” says Dr. Michael Stephan, a member of DIN’s Management Board heading the Standardization Division. “Particularly in the innovative branches of the German economy, it is essential that we keep pace with the rapid pace of the markets in order to secure international competitive advantages. The DIN SPEC (PAS) has proven itself to be a very effective tool in meeting this challenge. It is an ideal complement to consensus-based standardization, remains an independent process and has been well-received as an option for the rapid standardization of cutting-edge topics. In order to further accelerate the dissemination and development of innovative knowledge, it was the next logical step to make DIN SPEC (PAS) documents available free of charge in the future.”

What is a DIN SPEC (PAS)?

A DIN SPEC (PAS) is the fastest way for turning a new idea into a marketable product. No obligation to reach a consensus and smaller, more agile working groups make it possible to develop a specification within only a few months. Thanks to the worldwide respect for the DIN "brand", a DIN SPEC (PAS) is an effective marketing instrument that is widely accepted by customer and potential partners alike. DIN ensures that no DIN SPEC (PAS) will be in conflict with any existing DIN standards. DIN publishes these specifications via DIN Media, also internationally. A DIN SPEC can form the basis of a DIN Standard but can also be introduced at the international level.

DIN has more than 152 DIN SPECs according to the PAS process (either already published or currently being developed). These DIN SPECs are diverse and range from terminology, classification, measurement, test method and interface specifications to guidelines and reference architecture models on a variety of cutting-edge topics. The initiators of these specifications also come from a diverse range of sectors including manufacturing, services, and scientific research, and they include large companies, start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).