On 8 May 2023, Dr. Julathep Kajornchaiyakul, Director of MTEC, NSTDA welcomed Mr. Shunichi Usui, Secretary-general, and Mr. Makoto Misawa, Vice-Director, of the ISO/TC45 Japan National Mirror Committee, The Japan Rubber Manufacturers Association(JRMA).
Both sides exchanged views and discussed ways to strengthen their network collaboration to standardize the ISO/TC45 for rubbers and rubber products in room MT119, MTEC, Thailand Science Park.
MTEC researchers and specialists participated in this meeting were Dr. Pairote Jittham, Director of Innovative Rubber Manufacturing Research Group (IRM), Dr. Pasaree Laokijcharoen, Researcher, Novel Rubber Products and Standard Research Team, Dr. Surapich Loykulnant, Team leader, Environmentally Friendly Rubber Products Research Team, Dr. Thipjak Na Lampang, Team leader, Advanced Rubber Engineering Research Team, Dr. Panithi Wiroonpochit, Team leader, Innovative Rubber Manufacturing Research Group, Ms. Chayapha Nimsuwan, Technical Specialist, Novel Rubber Products and Standard Research Team together with Dr. Apinya Panupat and Ms. Penpailin Udomratana from International Collaboration and Strategic Networking Division.
Mr. Shunichi Usui presented the overall status, recent and future planning of ISO/TC45. The ISO/TC45 applies to rubbers and rubber products, emphasizing the development, improvement, and revision of both in-house and national standards (IS and JIS), while considering future market demand and environmental safety. These standardized testing and analysis methods must be developed and utilized for common understanding among all stakeholders, including policymakers and entrepreneurs.
On this occasion, both JRMA experts and MTEC-NSTDA researchers also exchanged their views on the present research works and future cooperation, particularly the joint work in the novel development of testing standardization for “Volatilized Sulfur and Sulfides” from the vulcanization process. This issue is critical because the vulcanization agents tend to induce corrosion to the neighboring electronic parts and shorten their service life span.
The meeting agreed that this standard test method should be applied to all related industries in Thailand and Japan and be elevated to be used at the international level (ISO method). Japan will propose this issue in the annual ISO/TC45 committee meeting organized by the Thai Industrial Standard Institute (TISI) in Thailand from October 30 to November 3, 2023. MTEC researchers and specialists participating in ASEAN Consultative Committee for Standards and Quality – Rubber Based Product Working Group (ASSSQ-RBPWG) and ISO/TC45 committee shall attend the meeting. Therefore, JRMA would consider inviting MTECs to join working groups in the meantime.
After the discussions, JRMA experts had paid a visit to an exhibition of IRM’s highlighted research works, aiming at helping private and industrial sectors to build knowledge and foster green innovation such as (i) energy-saving solid tires, (ii) non-allergic rubber gloves, (iii) thermoplastic natural rubber traffic cones (iv) Paradough® (v) odor-free block rubber.