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Boss, that is as well put as I have ever heard it, i.e.

the blame is on all of us. We each are responsiblefor the promotion of our professioneach indi-vidually in his own way. I have often pointed out inthis column that the intellectual advancement, tech-nical extended education, further training (call itwhat you will) is the responsibility of the individ-ual, also. It is not the responsibility of managementor supervision. This also applies to the promulga-tion of information concerning our profession.However, as Mr. Goldberg points out in his articlethat I am about to quote, management and supervi-sion must be made responsible to encourage ex-tended education and the spreading of the word of the Metrology credo (My dictionary defines credoas : a system of beliefs, principles, or opin-ions) . We must spread knowledge of our beliefswidely and deeply so that the entire populace un-

derstands, a Metrologist is not a chemist whoworks with metals nor is he (or she) a weatherprognosticator!

Harold Goldberg, in his column entitled THELASTWORD, in the October 2005 issue of the

IEEE INSTRUMENTATION & MEASURMENT MAGAZINE, puts the blame directly upon man-agement. While he was writing specifically con-cerning electronics engineers, what he says appliesequally to Metrologists. He had just been inter-viewing the engineering dean of a respected engi-

matterpap]. If they are going to learn, it must be on their own time, and they have precious little of

that.

Jacques Vanier of the National Research Council of Canada put it succinctly when he wrote to me that management believes that it is a waste of time to attend conferences since the knowledge will be available in a short time anyway. Corporationsworry that loose lips engineers will spill pro-

prietary secrets or, worse, find another job. Stay away from meetings! Dont talk to other engineers! Take courses! Stay current with the state of the art! And do it at your own expense.

BALDERDASH!! It wont work! Academics and researchers get time to attend, learn, and profit by the interchange. Engineers [and Metrologistspap] in industry are pressed for time, dont get the

expense money, and dont profit by the interchange since there isnt any.

In a later paragraph, he continues: This calls for a complete change in philosophy on the part of corporate management. Theyve got to realize that their technical staff needs to learn the latest and newest. They need to learn that their biggest hope to stay alive technically is a marriage with their academic brethren. And academia must find better ways to spoon feed the information. That goes for [the Professional] Societies [and Trade

(Continued from page 6)


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MQD Page 8

Thanks,

Rich DeRoeck Supplier Quality Engineer/SPC CoordinatorCalibration Manager Skyworks Solutions Inc.20 Sylvan RdWoburn, MA 01801

Dr. Ermer wrote back:

Hi Rich, sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you. Thanks for your comment -it is very muchappreciated. I haven't approached AIAG, but myarticle will be published in two parts in Quality

Progress in March and May, 2006; and I will bepresenting the Paper at the ASQ WCQI in Milwau-kee on May 1-3, 2006. I've taught SPC for over 3

decades & for Ford in the early "80's".

DonDonald S. Ermer, Ph.D. & PEProcter & Gamble Professor Emeritus in TotalQuality Departments of Industrial & Systems Engi-neering and Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonRecipient in 2000 of the National Eugene L. GrantMedal from ASQ, Fellow of ASQ and SME

Rich responded:

(Continued from page 4) (Continued from page 7)

I said If I can amplify what just been said, I

think the previous speakers were saying two things. One, you cant do what we have been try-ing to do the way we have been trying to do it, thatis working up from the bottom. Based upon my

previous experiences youve got to get this man- dated downward from the top. Youve got to con-vince whatever the higher powers may be that me-

trology education is mandatory at all levels throughout the school system, as well as in the

industrial system. The other thing as automation increases you must recognize that you need fewer and fewer calibration technicians and more and more metrologists. Im not talking about Me- trology Engineers. They too are quite necessary.They are the designers. Engineers are fundamen-

tally designers. Metrology is a science. Its an independent science. Metrologists are the scientists

who analyze the measurement related problems, set parameters and criteria, and devise solutions. And, in automation they are the people you need to study those problems and to properly program solutions into the automated system. The engineers are there to design the system and the instrumentation for the system, but the Metrologist must first develop the criteria for the system.

Well cover more of the testimony given in thatMetrology Education Seminar in latter issues as Ireceive edited copy back from the participants.


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METROLOGY J OB DESCRIPTION

INITIATIVE By Chris Grachanen

Talk to almost anycalibration practitio-ner on the subject of new talent enteringthe Metrology pro-fession and you willprobably get thesame response,

there are not enough young folks entering thefield to replace the many seasoned professionalsgetting ready to retire. The Metrology profession,similar to other engineering disciplines in the U.S,is facing a recruitment crisis of epic proportions.One reason young folks are not entering the Me-

trology profession is simply they are unaware of itat the time in their lives when they are makingcritical decisions about what career they would liketo pursue. Students in their last years of highschool and first years in college often rely on edu-cators to learn about professions which are congru-ent with their likes and interest. To this end, educa-tors frequently reference U.S. Department of Laborpublications in order to provide students informa-tion about professions as well as forecasts aboutfuture job growth. The main system used by theU.S. Department of Labors Bureau of Labor Sta-

job titles, and are inaccurate in communicating jobexpectations. Without faithful job descriptions, it is

unlikely that prospective candidates will be steeredinto the Metrology field by educators. In addition,demographic information, such as how many folksare in the Metrology profession, how many folksare leaving the profession, etc., can not be accu-rately determined. In early 2006, the Bureau of La-bor Statistics will begin soliciting input for updatesand additions to the SOC listing for the next formalrelease. The SOC is updated once every ten years.The last SOC update was completed in 2000. Bu-reau of Labor Statistics administrators agreed thatupdating the SOC would be the first logical step inassuring the Occupational Outlook Handbook ac-curately depicts calibration practitioner occupa-tional information and associated demographics.

Recognizing the fleeting window of opportunity to

correct disparities in the SOC, the American Soci-ety for Quality (ASQ) Measurement Quality Divi-sion (MQD) and NCSL International have joinedforces to create the Metrology Job Description(MJD) Initiative. NCSL International provided anorganizational focus by establishing the 163.1Working Group on Standard Occupational Classifi-cations. Working group members, commonly re-ferred to as the core team are volunteers fromboth NCSL International and MQD.

In 2004 I proposed a game plan for correcting dis-


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MQD Page 10

Generate 3 to 5 sentence descriptive narra-

tives i.e. job descriptions, from survey resultsto submit to the 2005 SOC for CalibrationTechnician, Calibration Engineer andMetrologist

MQD officers and the NCSL International Boardof Directors approved the proposal and it was latersubmitted to Professional Examination Services(PES) of New York, NY for administration. PESwas chosen based upon a proven track record of success, having been instrumental in administeringthe job analysis survey during the creation of ASQs Certified Calibration Technician (CCT)program. After contacting PES with the proposalthey agreed with the concept and submitted thefollowing roadmap:

Step 1. Solicit job descriptions PES will work with the project leader to identifyparameters for soliciting job descriptions from theU.S. metrology/calibration industry for three spe-cific titles: Calibration Technician, Calibration En-gineer, and Metrologist. The project leader willdisseminate the request for job descriptions. PESwill review the submitted descriptions and selectup to 25 for each job title, such that they providebroad representation of the metrology/calibrationindustry in terms of organization type, geographicrepresentation, organization size, etc. If additional

be specific to Calibration Technicians, CalibrationEngineers, and Metrologists in order to solicit input

from industry representatives regarding the job ele-ments. Ratings for the job elements might focus onuniqueness to Metrology and by whom they areperformed. The survey will also contain a demo-graphic background questionnaire and an open-ended comments section. PES recommends thatmembers of the core team nominate individuals toparticipate in the survey pilot test. This phase isnow complete.

Step 4. Disseminate surveyPES will disseminate a link to the online survey toa sample not to exceed 1000. The project leaderwill be responsible for providing PES with the e-mail addresses of the survey sample. PES will con-sult with the project leader to identify the partici-pants. This phase finished at the end of October

2005.

Step 5. Analyze survey dataPES will compile and summarize the survey resultsand present them to the core team for review andcomment.

Step 6. Generate job descriptionsPES will create 3 to 5 sentence descriptive narra-tives (i.e. job descriptions) from survey results tosubmit to the 2005 SOC for Calibration Techni-cian, Calibration Engineer, and Metrologist. PES



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MQD Page 11

Christopher L. Grachanen is the manager of Hew-

lett-Packards Houston Metrology group. Chrisspearheaded the development of ASQs CCT pro-gram, is MQDs secretary and certification chair and is NCSL Internationals south central U.S. re-gion coordinator. Chris received the ASQ Certifi-cation Boards 2003 Award for Excellence and the

Measurement Quality Divisions Max J. Unis Award for 2003, and was named Test Engineer of the Year for 2004 by Test and Measurement World magazine.

Editors note: This article will be published in theJanuary edition of Quality Progress in the Meas-ure For Measure section. You read it here, first.

EDUCATORS CORNERChristopher L. Grachanen

In this issue of theEducators Corner wewill be highlightingan exciting programand a valuable re-source for encourag-ing and promotingthe engineering

fields for our young folks. Many articles have beenwritten and studies conducted that raise concernover the decreasing numbers of graduating engi-neers in the U S as well as the adverse effect of

THE INFINITY PROJECT Engineering Education for Today's Classroom

The Infinity Project is a K-12 and early collegemath and science based engineering and technol-ogy education initiative designed to help educatorsdeliver a maximum of engineering exposure with aminimum of training, expense and time. The Infin-ity Project was created to help students see the realvalue of math and science and its varied applica-tions to high tech engineering. Often high schoolstudents pose the question, "When am I ever goingto use all this math and science in the real world?",without fully appreciating that they are already us-ing it when they use cell phones, MP3 players, theInternet and many other technological innovations.

The Infinity Project content was developed by aworld-class team of university faculty, high school

teachers, working engineers, and leading research-ers originally sponsored by the Southern MethodistUniversity School of Engineering and Texas In-struments. The Infinity Project uses advanced Digi-tal Signal Processing (DSP) technology developedby Texas Instruments to show how science andmath lead directly to technology products and solu-tions. Most importantly it shows how engineeringcan be an exciting way to combine technicalknowledge with creativity to build a rewarding ca-reer in engineering. For educators the Infinity Pro-

ject is a turnkey program that transforms their



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MQD Page 12

AGILENT EDUCATOR'S CORNER

Sharing Resources with Engineering Educators

Agilent Technologies Educator's Corner is a webbased resource for college and university engineer-ing educators and researchers looking to enhancetheir higher education curriculum and research ca-pabilities. Within its many web pages one willfind electrical engineering insight, pre-written andinteractive experiments, lecture assistance, refer-ence materials, lab exercises, teaching tools, engi-neering student resources, and various researchmaterials, as well as valuable information on edu-cation discounts from Agilent Technologies. Of particular note is the wealth of teacher tools for usein classroom or labs such as slide presentations,pre-written lab experiments, Java animations, freecomputer-based training tutorials, and application

notes in all areas of test and measurement. AgilentTechnologies Educator's Corner also hosts an ex-tensive range of engineering references, lab re-sources, student resources, as well as links for en-gineering sites, general education, general science,etc. To visit Agilent Technologies Educator's Cor-ner go to: http://www.educatorscorner.com .

While you are there you may want to check out oneof my favorite Metrology based websites, Agilent

Technologies Metrology Forum at: http:// metrologyforum.tm.agilent.com/ .

1 Source: National Science Board: Science andEngineering Indicators 20022 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 20013 Source: Infinity-Project.org, Engineering Educa-tion for Todays Classroom


Max Jay Unis Award

The Max J. Unis award is the highest honor be-stowed by MQD, to recognize outstanding contri-butions to the Metrological community. The recipi-

ents in the recent past have been the late Phil Stein,in 2002, Chris Grachanen in 2003, Jay Bucher in2004, and Dilip Shah in 2005.

Date Day Time PlaceJanuary 20, 2005 Thursday 6 pm PST Disneyland - MSC

MQD TELECONFERENCE

CALL

SCHEDULE


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MQD Page 13

MQD Teleconference MinutesOctober 11, 2005

Attendees:Dilip Shah Bill McCulloughJay Bucher Graeme PayneKarl Wigdal Karen ProsserDon Ermer Randy Farmer

Minutes

Call started (at 1:05 Central time) with ConferenceReview. Bud Gookins gave a presentation on Qual-ity in Measurement Tools for Weight Loss whichwas highly regarded. The conference attendancewas approximately in the 20s. It was felt that bet-ter & earlier promotion of this conference needs tohappen. This year the email reminders did not goout until September 10 th. MQD is very disap-pointed with service the past two months andwould like to know what amount of lead time isneeded to get things to happen at headquarters.

FinancialChecking account = $18,622. Savings Account =$73,343. ASQ had been paid the Capital Campaignpledge of $5,000. Keith Conerly is checking why ittook so long for headquarters to bill for the Capital

Campaign. Revenue is down 12.4% from sametime last year. Reflects same downward trend hasbeen seen for the Society and the Economy in gen-eral Graeme will be mailing his expenses for the

on the Measurement Science Conference scheduledfor February 28 March 4 can be added.

MQD BoothThere are two booths the older both which is tri-fold and has the old logo on it Item numberS0292 (this one has not been returned to ASQ dis-tribution center) and the newer booth which is apop-up top and has the new logo on it Item num-ber S0265. Use the newer booth when requested.Dilip has the conference phone.

WCQIExhibit contracts are due by November 1. Dilip hascompleted this form via Share Point on 9/15. Therewill be two Papers this year: Don Ermer Im-provements in Gage R&R Calculations, and BobGraham from Sandia Labs Ensuring the Qualityof your Measurement Data. There seems to be

some confusion in the WCQI committee as theseare referred to as 1 paper. Late news: Dilip hasbeen informed that because of time limits and thevery large number of papers submitted, the MQDsession will only have time for two papers in 2006.

StandardsNothing measurement-related from the ISO 9001review. ANSI/NCSL Z540-1 revision had a favor-able full committee review MQD still owns ANSI/ ASQ M-1. A motion was made to let M-1 expireand then notify ANSI. ASQ still owns M-1 so


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MQD Page 14

Something's in the Wind

For several years the ASQ officers and Board of Directors have noticed signs that there is increasedmember dissatisfaction and reduced membership inthe Society. In October they started doing some-thing about it. For the first time ever, they called asummit meeting of all Division and SectionChairs. We had two long days of very intensemeetings in Milwaukee. There was as the diplo-mats say a very frank exchange of ideas, but thesessions were very productive.

Some things are already happening as a result. Forexample, starting in the second week of Novemberthe online discussion boards of each Division arenow open to ALL members. (See more below.)

There may be other near-term changes, and moreafter some things are acted on by the Board inMay. For more information on this, you are invitedto look at the November 9 issue of the ASQ Wireemail and follow the link after the headline ASQMember Value Summit Results in StrengthenedSense of Community , or Type this address intoy o u r w e b b r o w s e r :

h t t p : / / w w w. a s q . o r g / m e d i a - r o o m / news/2005/10/31-leadership-summit.html

All ASQ Online Discussion Boards Now

sharing information. Two of the discussion boardslikely to be of interest are:

Metrology an ASQ Member discussionboard focused on metrology, laboratory ac-creditation, measurement traceability, meas-urement processes, measurement uncertaintyand other issues.Measurement Quality MQD's discussionboard, now open to all ASQ members. Thismay have topics of interest to all divisionmembers (I do have plans to use it in somenon-traditional ways) and everyone is invitedto participate.

New Online Discussion Board at Fluke

Fluke Corporation has started a new online discus-sion board dubbed the Test & Measurement Tool

Users Community, at URL www.fluke.com/ community . Yet another way for you to get andshare information.

Dan Harper Recognized forInternational Standards Work

MQD founding member and past chair Dan Harperhas recently been the recipient of a couple of



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MQD Page 15

(continued from page 13)

of holding it in the normal checkbook. It was real-ized that $9000 is due to this scholarship account

which will deplete the checking account half itsworth.

Next TeleconferenceThe November Teleconference has been canceled,so the next scheduled teleconference will be onTuesday, January 10 th.

Meeting adjourned and call ended at 2:00 Centraltime.

Editors note: Thanks go out to Karen Prosser,ASQ Headquarters for taking the minutes. Karenwas MQDs Community Care Administrator, buthas moved on and is being replaced by CommunityCare Administrator, Jeannette Cooke. Welcomeaboard, Jeanette.

TC-176 is the ISO technical committee that devel-

ops standards on quality management, includingthe ISO 9000 series and its supporting standardsand technical reports. Many of the supportingdocuments contain specific measurement-relatedrequirements. As a member of the US TAG, Dan isdirectly involved in representing the United Statesin the standards development process.

Congratulations, Dan!

Confidentiality of MemberInformation

ASQ and all member units, including the Measure-

ment Quality Division, take special care to protectyour personal and contact information, includingyour postal and electronic mail addresses. That iswhy the membership applications, renewal in-voices, and the My ASQ area of the ASQ website all have provisions for you to choose what kindof contact you want to permit. Postal address listsare available to your Sections and Divisions forapproved uses such as newsletter or bulletin mail-ings. Postal address lists may occasionally berented to carefully selected partner organizations,but only on a single-use basis with strict confiden-

ASQ Privacy Policy: http://www.asq.org/privacy-policy.html

ASQ Code of Ethics: http://www.asq.org/about-asq/who-we-are/ethics.html


There shall be standard measures of wine,


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MQD Page 16

ASQ MQD 2004-2005 Financial Summary Assets Cash & cash-equivalents 103,063Current Receivables 4,418Capital AssetsLong-term InvestmentsTotal $107,481

Liabilities Current liabilities 3,763Deferred Income 10,866Long-term LiabilitiesTotal $14,629 Net Worth $92,852

Overall % of Total Newsletter World conf. Division conf Courses Admin Income Member Dues 30,701 78% 30,701Retail Sales -

Advertising -Conference Registrations 1,675 4% 1,675Tours -Exhibits -Workshops & Tutorials -Contributions -Interest 556 1% 556Royalties 6,483 16% 6,483Miscellaneous -Total $39,415 $- $- $1,675 $- $37,740 % of Total 0% 0% 4% 0% 96%

Overall % of Total Newsletter World conf. Division conf Courses Admin


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MQD Page 17

Year ending June 30 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

Assets

Cash & cash-equivalents 103,063 85,187 88,094 82,824 123,116 92,157Current Receivables 4,418 6,576 5,986 6,390 7,275 7,440Capital Assets - - - - - -Long-term Investments - - - - - -Other - - - - - -Total $107,481 $91,763 $94,080 $89,214 $130,391 $99,597

Liabilities Current liabilities 3,763 388 4,818 7,173 26,813 3,850Deferred Revenue 10,866 12,475 11,162 14,431 20,580 23,618Long-term Liabilities - - - - - -Total $14,629 $12,863 $15,980 $21,604 $47,393 $27,468

Net Worth $92,852 $78,900 $78,100 $67,610 $82,998 $72,129 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

IncomeMember Dues 30,701 28,631 31,177 34,440 37,155 40,905Retail Sales - - - - - -Advertising - 105 - - 1,600 -Conference Registrations 1,675 - - 5,850 - 5,800Tours - - - - - -Exhibits - - - - - -Workshops & Tutorials - - - - - -Contributions - - - - - -Interest 556 403 739 1,461 3,428 3,322Royalties 6,483 - - - - -Miscellaneous - - - - 150 5,143Total $39,415 $29,139 $31,916 $41,751 $42,333 $55,169


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MQD Page 18

The conference was held at US Naval Surface War-fare Corona (NSWC) facility on September 21-23,2005. On September 21, two workshops were held(Calibration & Use of Weighing Devices in anAnalytical Environment, Geometric Dimensioning& Tolerancing). Many thanks go to Mark Ruefen-acht of HEUSSER NEWEIGH and ASQ Fellowand Inspection Division Chair, Gregory S. Gayfor organizing the workshops. Ten presentationswere made during the conference and a tour of the

for organizing the use of the pavilion facilities. Abig Thank You also goes out to Duane Allen (pastMQD Chair) and Chet Franklin who acted asimmediate liaison and facilitators between the con-ference committee and NSWC and Ms. JenniferPersful of the Inspection Division, who helped outwith speaker transportation and other conferencelogistics. The conference appreciates the thoughtfuldonation of bags and pens by Sabin Corporation(Ms. Persfuls employer).

Joint Measurement Quality-Inspection Division Conference By Dilip Shah


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View of a session in progress.


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During the conference, Past Chair, Dilip Shah (right) was presented withMQDs 2005 Max J. Unis Award by the current Chair, Graeme Payne .

Dr. E. F. Bud Gookins


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Scenery across the lake from the back of the conference center(Thursday morning).


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ACCREDITATION NEWSCompiled by Dilip A. Shah

PRESS RELEASE: October 31, 2005

The American Association for Laboratory Accredi-tation (A2LA) announced today that on October28, 2005 the A2LA Board of Directors voted toterminate membership and discontinue involve-ment with the National Cooperation for LaboratoryAccreditation (NACLA) effective 31 December2005.

The initial goal of NACLA was to reduce the re-dundant accreditations of laboratories in the UnitedStates in accordance with the Congressional policyof the National Technology Transfer and Advance-ment Act (NTTAA). This goal is consistent withthe A2LA vision of one accreditation accepted

everywhere. A2LA was one of the foundingmembers and advocates of the NACLA organiza-tion. In December 2004, A2LA had withdrawn itssignatory status to the NACLA Mutual Recogni-tion Agreement (MRA). After a prolonged seriesof attempts to implement reduction of duplicativeaccreditations, it was determined that the currentdirection of NACLA is contrary to achieving theoriginal goal.

We need to concentrate our energies on participa-tion in effective international MRAs (i.e.: ILAC,

producers. Services are available to any type of laboratory or inspection body, be it private or gov-

ernment. A2LA is the largest multi-discipline ac-creditation body in the United States, and thes e c o n d l a r g e s t i n t h e w o r l d .

If you would like additional information pleasecontact Philip Smith by phone at 301 644 3204 orby email at [email protected] .

A2LA also announced the following trainingschedule for 2006:

Title: Introduction to Measurement Uncertainty January 30-31, 2006 Charleston,

SC ($795.00, $745.00) March 27-28, 2006 San Francisco,

CA ($795.00, $745.00) June 5-6, 2006 Chicago, IL ($795.00,

$745.00)Title: ISO/IEC 17025 and Accreditation February 1-3, 2006 Charleston,

SC ($995.00, $945.00) March 29-31, 2006 San Francisco,

CA ($995.00, $945.00) June 7-9, 2006 Chicago, IL ($995.00,

$945.00)Title: Assessment of Laboratory Competence May 1-5, 2006 Atlanta, GA ($1595.00,

$1545.00)


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Chair, Examining ChairGraeme C. PayneGK Systems, Inc.4440 Weston Drive SW, Suite BLilburn, GA 30047 USAVoice: (770) 931-4004 / Fax (866) 887-9344E-mail: [email protected]

Chair-Elect, Publication Chair, Newsletter Edi-tor/Publisher, Share Point Administrator

Jay L. BucherBucherview Metrology Services6700 Royal View Dr.De Forest, WI 53532-2775Voice (608) 277-2522 / Fax (608) 846-4269E-mail: [email protected],

[email protected]

Secretary, Certification Chair, WebsiteManager, NCSL International Representative

Christopher L. GrachanenManager, Houston Metrology Group Hewlett-PackardP. O. Box 692000 MS070110Houston, TX 77269-2000Voice (281) 518-8486 / Fax (281) 518-7275E-mail: [email protected]

Immediate Past Chair / Nominating ChairJoe Simmons Scholarship MQD RepresentativeProgram Chair

Dilip A. ShahE = mc3 Solutions197 Great Oaks Trail #130Wadsworth, Ohio 44281-8215Voice (330) 328-4400 / Fax (330) 336-3974E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

Joe Simmons ScholarshipNorm Belecki7413 Mill Run DrDerwood, MD 20855-1156Voice (301) 869-4520E-mail: [email protected]

HistorianKeela SniadachPromega Corp.5445 East Cheryl ParkwayMadison, WI 53711Voice (608) 298-4681 / Fax (608) 277-2516E-mail: [email protected]

ASQ Division Administrator

MEASUREMENT QUALITY DIVISION OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS


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Region 3 (CT, NJ, NY)

Mr. Eduardo M. HeidelbergPfizerParlin, NJ 08859E-mail: [email protected]

Region 4 (Canada)

Mr. Alexander T. C. LauExxonMobilWhitby, ON L1R 1R1E-mail: [email protected]

Region 5 (DC, DE, MD, PA, VA)

Mr. Richard A. LittsLitts Quality TechnologiesDownington, PA 19335E-mail: [email protected]

Region 6 (AK, CA, HI, ID, MT, OR, UT, WA,WY)

Volunteer Opportunity!

Region 10 (OH, MI)


Region 11 (NC, SC, TN, VA)


Region 12 (IL, MN, ND, SD, WI)

Dr. Donald S. Ermer ASQ Fellow; Eugene L. Grant Medal (2001)University of WisconsinMadison

Madison, WI 53706E-mail: [email protected]

Region 13 (CO, IA, KS, MO, NE, SD, WY)


Region 14 (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX, part of Mexico)

Mr. R. Keith BennettTRANSCATKingwood, TX 77339E mail: kbennett@transcat com

ASQ M EASUREMENT QUALITY DIVISION REGIONAL COUNCILORS

Regional Councilors represent the Division to members and Sections in theirgeographic areas. Regional Councilors are appointed for renewable two-yearterms, and are advisory members of the Division leadership team.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE FOLLOWING PAGES :


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Metrology As aCompetitive WeaponRalph E. Bertermann

Lighthouse Training Group

To some, the term metrology brings to mind scientists pushing state of the art measurements in various measurementdisciplines or a technician making a nominal measurement in a lab or process area. To others, a metrology department isoften thought of as a necessary evil, an overhead function, whose only responsibility is to maintain a company in compliancewith some regulatory requirements. Seldom, if ever, does the word metrology bring to mind a competitive weapon that canbe used by a corporation to provide benefits, dropping directly to the bottom line and giving the company a market advantage.Outlined are a series of guidance steps, a plan of attack or strategy, that can be followed. Application of these unique toolswithin a corporation can result in measurable benefits, both tangible and intangible, helping that company to succeed.

Introduction

Metrology is seldom if ever, considered a competitiveweapon, a tool that can be used to give a corporation amarket advantage. The function of metrology is usuallylooked at as a necessary evil, an overhead function, eventhough corporations will spend many hundreds of thousands of dollars on personnel, equipment, andfacilities to meet regulatory requirements, which in thecase of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) are only

minimum requirements.Metrology can, when implemented properly, result intangible as well as intangible benefits and have a directbearing on the bottom line of a corporation But this

herself on a continuing basis. The contributions of metrology to a corporation must be recognizable andmeasurable. If they are not, the long-term outlook forthe function can be a fairly flat response and less thanoptimal support level from management. A cause andeffect relationship must exist between metrology and thefinancial results of the corporation. These tangible resultscan demonstrate the worth of the metrology function andcan result in greater support and long term funding.

How do we measure it? Simply:

Company Profits = Income - Expenses

For metrology to have an affect on company profits,the function has to have a strategy to reach this goal


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Planning to Be Competitive

Positioning the metrology function to contribute to the bottom line of the corporation begins with a basic reviewof where a program is at the present time. This is true

regardless of the size of an organization or if a program isin its infant stages or is a larger, mature operation.The end result of this review will give areas for cost

avoidance elimination of waste and also direct savings

When new instruments are purchased, are they the best

that you can afford with the highest accuracy, orinstruments, which just meet todays requirements? What is the current quality level of operation and what

are the trends?

Before taking the metrology program to the next level,the program should be operating in a regulatorycompliant manner and exhibit high quality in itsoperation. Is the program bullet proof?

Becoming a Competitive Weapon

In order for metrology to become that competitiveweapon and strategic tool for the corporation, themetrology function must define itself in the broadestpossible terms and take a leadership role and aggressivelyand creatively pursue all avenues to assist a corporationto succeed. The metrology function has uniquecapabilities and is in the possession of unique information,

and it is these unique tools that can be used to give acorporation a competitive edge. Metrology should chooseits ground carefully so that it is not overextended andgets into areas away from core expertise. As metrologypushes from the bottom, it is incumbent on managementto mine the hidden assets of knowledge and capabilitiesthat a metrology lab possesses and use that informationto solve measurement problems.

Metrology can help the corporation succeed byapplying its expertise to internal functions first and thenextend this to external clients, as appropriate.

Internal Development

METROLOGYAS A COMPETITIVE WEAPONRALPH E. BERTERMANN

METROLOGY

Good Science, Traceability, Standards,Methods/Procedures, Regulatory Compliance,

Training, Documentation, Good Decisions, Problem AvoidanceI

ResearchI

DevelopmentI

In-Coming QualityI

Scale Up/Technology TransferI

Process Validation/ Final Specifications

IProduction/Manufacturing

IFinal Product

ICustomer Confidence

I

Profit

Figure 1. The permeation of metrology through an organization.


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which results in less work for metrology and less interruption

for affected departments, increasing the utilization of thisexpensive research and process instrumentation, and poorperforming (bad actor) instruments can be removed fromthe workplace.

Production and ValidationDevelop a partnership and solicit the sharing of any

problem areas that production and validation have. Thedevelopment of realistic instrument specifications andassistance in the IQ/OQ process will minimize unrealistictolerances based on estimates or guesses, and replacethese with decisions based on numbers that are realisticand achievable. These realistic specifications equal ahigher in-tolerance quality level, longer intervals, and lessintrusion on the schedules of a production area. These better measurements must address the process andsystems, which in turn should focus on preventing futurevariations in the production process. The goal of production is to meet production targets and to produce

these products on schedule with minimal qualityproblems. Better measurements will assist productionpersonnel to meet their goal by measuring their processaccurately. Check standards can also be introduced intothe measurement process to detect any drifting of aprocess towards a limit and allow for early corrections inreal time, which will then require less rework or theproduction of scrap.

QualityDevelop a partnership with the quality department.

This department has an overall view of how a corporationis functioning and where potential problems may be

Marketing can also supply information on what

customers are asking for, what is the root cause of lostsales, how a product compares to a competitor, and therole, if any, where better measurements could result inimproved sales or acceptance of a product.

Purchasing All the purchases for a corporation funnel through the

gate keeping and processing function of the purchasingdepartment. Metrology may not be aware of whatinstrumentation is being purchased in large organizations, but assisting the purchasing function and the usercommunity with information on recommendedstandard types of instruments to purchase, or preferredvendors and suppliers, will help in more intelligentdecisions being made and an overall improvement of thedeployed database of instruments across a corporation.

This will have the following benefits: Volume purchasing agreements and better pricing Better measurements Elimination of poor performing instruments from the

database Longer calibration intervals More efficient instrument support, including calibration,

maintenance, and spare parts

Positioning for Success

Continued improvement and success requirescontinued development beyond the status quo and justmaintaining a program that meets minimumrequirements.

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It is important to maintain leadership and superiority

in measurements. Clear-cut leaders set the standard of measurement and these standards of operation inmetrology technology will soon be incorporated intocGMP regulations and as best industry practices, asauditors review a process and then apply this criteria ormethods to other companies in an industry. When acompany is at the forefront of a technology or practice,this development can be done in a thorough and completemanner. Duplicating this process in a catch up mode withthe possibility of deadlines, regulatory scrutiny, trainingstaff, and purchasing equipment, in addition to the dailypressures of meeting users demands, can have ademoralizing affect on a department.

International standards, such as ISO 17025 and itspredecessors, have a typical 5 year life cycle and then theyare reviewed and revised to incorporate the latestdevelopments and thinking in industry best practices.Being a member of that process gives the opportunity tocontribute to the development process, to understand thestandards that industry will be expected to meet in futureyears, and helps to refine the focus for a metrologyorganization.

Be a leader at something. This might include becomingan expert in a particular measurement discipline such astemperature, flow, mass, etc. It could also focus on aprocess within an organization such as freeze-drying,particle counting, conductivity, water for injection (WFI)systems, etc. Leaders are sought out and when people

need information, they will go to the experts to get it.Dialog starts and offers an opportunity to get informationin areas where a person may be weak. Another win-winsituation and it fits well into the definition of Competition:

at this point is does the metrology function solicit outside

work to help the metrology group develop as a profitcenter or is the expertise maintained in the departmentand not shared with outside organizations?

Although taking in work from external customers willhelp the overall profits of a corporation, it must be realizedthat the internal customers of a metrology function musttake priority over all other functions and are the keyreason that the function was established in the first placeand are vital to the health of a corporation.

Tangible Benefits

Numerous examples exist of corporations that haverecovered hundreds of thousands of dollars as a directresult of better measurements.

A Midwest pharmaceutical company improved themeasurement in a fermentation process and eliminatedthe flushing of very expensive product and allowed itsrecovery.

A leading manufacturer of test equipment givesdetailed specifications regarding tolerances and time intolerance, giving a high degree of confidence to potentialcustomers in the values reported and enabling thatmanufacturer to become a market leader.

A missed opportunity for savings at a nuclear utilitywhere a fine would have been avoided had an instrument been properly calibrated and an unlawful radiationrelease would not have occurred.

Companies that produce superior products are able tocharge premium prices.

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Metrology being the conscience and affecting the

mindset or character of an organization through therepeated requirements of discipline, integrity, andaccountability of all regulated measurement processes.

The ability to transfer a technology or productseamlessly throughout a corporation, requiringminimal backtracking or rework.

Uniformity of measurement and production activitiesacross the organization when reviewed by regulatoryagencies. Includes standardization of equipment,

tolerances, methods, documentation, training, andlabels. The passing of an audit where no observations are

recorded and no follow up is required. Or conversely,failing an audit, resulting in warning letters and consentdecrees, bad publicity in the press, loss of confidence by stockholders, and longer or canceled new productapprovals.

Through proper advance planning, incorporatecontingency plans for continued support of productionduring times of crises, emergencies, or disasters.

Demonstrating a commitment to continuousimprovement and meeting the intent of the FDA PATSregulatory initiative.

Conclusion

There is a lot of wasted effort and expense in theinstrument calibration process. Rules and regulationsabound, and many times little thought is given to technicaladequacy. Metrology must continue to educate customers


If you think metrology can make your company more

competitive, or if you think metrology cannot make yourcompany more competitive, youre right.

Better Measurements = Better Products = Better Profits

ReferencesWebsters Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary______________________________

Ralph E. Bertermann, Lighthouse Training Group, tel/fax847-392-9796, [email protected], www.lighthousetraining.com.

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Calibration is essentially a processof comparison. An instrument is usedto measure or is measured by a calibration standard, and the result iscompared to two things: the knownvalue and uncertainty of the standardand the performance specificationsrequired by the customer. The conceptis simple, but the work is in thedetails. Some of the details include:

The assigned value of the mea-surement standard, which is usual-ly determined from its calibrationhistory.

The known uncertainty of thestandard, which comes from sev-eral places, including the historicalreports of calibration and theinternal statistical process control(SPC) methods many calibrationlabs have for their measurementsystems. Labs that have an effec-tive measurement SPC system

know how their systems performin that location, so their uncertain-ty values are likely to be more

li ti t l b tt j t

Calibration: What Is It?by Graeme C. Payne

hen members of just aboutany profession talk amongthemselves, they usually use

specialized terms they all under-standjargon. There is usually con-sensus among them about the meaningof the terms, but they often forget new-comers or interested parties from otherfields may not have the same under-standing. There are also cases in whichthe common use of a word is differentfrom or even opposite its technical def-inition. Metrology and calibrationare two such words. 1

The International Vocabulary of General and Basic Terms in Metrology(VIM) is an internationally accepteddocument that provides technical def-initions of metrology, calibration andmany other measurement relatedterms. 2

Why do we need to refer to this tech-nical glossary instead of a common

desktop dictionary? One reason is theVIM is a listed authoritative referencein ISO 9000 and ISO 10012. Another

i t h i l di ti i d

surements conform to certain definedrelationships.

A Process of Comparison

Broadly speaking, calibration is theprocess of determining the relation-ship between the readings obtained by a measuring instrument or system

and the applicable units of somedefined system of measurement.According to records uncovered byarchaeologists, people have beendoing this for at least 5,000 years. At

first, units of measure were often based on things such as the volume ofgrain that could be held in two hands( ) th di t b t th

W

The common useof this word is quitedifferent from itstechnical definition.

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that demonstrates its accuracy interms of the SI. Taken together, therelationship and its documentation

indicate the quality of the measure-ments that can be made with thatinstrument when it is used correctly.

A calibration is performed using acalibration procedure, which is a doc-umented, validated and controlledmethod for making the comparisons.The procedure may be a written paperor electronic document, or it may be a

particular test program on an auto-mated calibration system.Many calibration procedures are

written in conformance to the guide-lines in Recommended Practice 3:Preparation of Calibration Procedures(NCSL RP-3), which defines the proce-dures purpose and content. 7

The purpose of a calibration proce-

dure is to determine and documentthe measurement relationships of theitem being calibrated. It should definethe parameters to be measured, themeasurement standards to be used

and the data to be collected. It shouldalso list any safety precautions andpreliminary steps and make note of

the particular method of the compar-isons, the calibration environment andanything else that is important for theitems covered by the procedure.

A calibration procedure is writtenwith the fundamental premises thatthe item being calibrated is in goodworking order and the person per-forming the calibration is trained and

qualified and understands the scien-tific and physical principles of themeasurements. 8

What About Adjustment?

Up to this point, I havent said any-thing about adjustment. Thats

because its not part of the formal def-inition of calibration, nor is it part of

the description of a calibration proce-dure in NCSL RP-3. The results (data)of a calibration procedure may indi-cate a need for adjustment or otherrepair, but taking such action is a sep-

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arate process. After the adjustment orrepair is complete, the calibration pro-cedure should always be repeated to

verify the proper measurement rela-tionship has been re-established.

There are two reasons adjustment isnot part of the formal definition ofcalibration:

1. The historical calibration data onan instrument can be useful whendescribing the normal variationof the instrument or a population

of substantially identical instru-ments. That information can also be used for process improvement.For example, it can be used toevaluate the reliability of theinstruments and change the recal-ibration interval. If the instru-ment is adjusted before the datafrom a full calibration run have

been collected, then there is nohistorical value, and it cannot beused to improve the system.

2. Any set of similar measurementsmay be considered a statistical

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process, and a single measure-ment from that process is a ran-dom sample from the probability

density function that describes it.Without other knowledge, there isno way to know if the sample iswithin the normal variation lim-its. The history gives us that infor-mation. If the measurement iswithin the normal variation andnot outside the specification lim-its, there is no reason to adjust it.

In fact, making an adjustmentcould just as likely make it worseas it could make it better. W.Edwards Deming discusses theproblem of overadjustment inchapter 11 of Out of the Crisis.9

The most common uses of the wordcalibration outside the metrologycommunity include the concept of

adjusting the instrument, and most cus-tomers expect it. In addition, manymanufacturers have calibration proce-dures in their manuals that are not per-formance comparisons but, instead, arethe test, alignment or adjustment pro-cedures used for a new or repaired unitthat is in an unknown condition.

Remember, a true calibration proce-dure assumes the instrument is in goodworking order. So, while acknowledg-ing the formal technical definition, cali-

bration providers also have to

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GRAEME C. PAYNE is the president of GKSystems Inc., a technical consulting companynear Atlanta. A Senior Member of ASQ, Payne

has been working in electronic calibration and product testing since 1981. He is a certifiedquality engineer, calibration technician andquality technician. He is also the chair-elect of the Measurement Quality Division and amember of NCSL International.

commentPlease

If you would like to comment on this

article, please post your remarks on

the Quality Progress Discussion

Board at www.asq.org, or e-mail

them to [email protected].

CustomerCareCenter

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concerned about compliance withrequirements than measurement quali-ty. They also dont always understandwhat calibration is, how poor measure-ments affect the quality of their prod-ucts or why calibration is important.

Average Practitioners View

The majority of people who do thework of calibration have, by necessity,a more practical view of calibration.The biennial benchmark survey done by NCSL International 2 indicates only3% of calibration laboratories classify

themselves as standards labs. Thatmeans they only calibrate measure-ment standards for other calibrationlaboratories. The other 97% have cus-tomers who use calibrated equipmentfor all types of jobs.

This is where results of NMI levelscience are applied to meet the needsof the end user, and the perfection of

pure science is balanced against thedemands of the customer paying the bills. The work has to be done quicklyand at low cost to provide customer

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Calibration: Who Does It?by Graeme C. Payne

his column is the second ofthree that explore what calibra-tion is, who does it and why it

is important. The May 2005 columndiscussed the nature of metrology andcalibration and the types of confusionthat arise because of differences between the technical definitions andcommon usage of the words. Thismonths column looks at how calibra-tion is viewed in different ways bydifferent groups.

Scientific View

Dedicated scientists and engineersmake exacting measurements in thescientific, high level realm of calibra-tion. They are often called metrolo-gists and may spend years examiningone particular measurement problemor physical characteristic that is subject to measurement, trying to trans-form theory into practical application.

Making measurements with thehighest levels of precision and accuracyis routine. At this level, the sometimesabstract definitions of measurement

another method is to count the number of atoms in a crystal of pure sili-con. 1

The scientific view comprises metrol-ogists with national metrology insti-tutes such as the National Institute of

Standards and Technology, interna-tional organizations such as theInternational Bureau of Weights andMeasures, the corporate metrologystandards laboratories of some majorcorporations and some other govern-

ment laboratories.The national metrology institutes(NMI) calibrate transfer standardsfrom other calibration laboratories and

T

Three groups eachhave their own distinctview of calibration.


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being mindful of each customersneeds and desires.

There are many job titles applied tothe practical worker in calibration.Calibration technician is one, but arecent check showed at least sevenother common job titles that include cal-ibration duties. 4 The ASQ MeasurementQuality Division is currently working jointly with NCSL International toupdate the calibration related standardoccupational descriptions published bythe U.S. Department of Labor.

Qualified calibration technicians

must be educated in the relevant sci-ence to the extent necessary to performthe work for which they are responsible.Technicians must be adaptable because the lab probably supportshundreds of types and models ofequipment, and the technicians areusually expected to become qualifiedto calibrate most or all of them. To

keep up with advances in the mea-surement fields, calibration techni-cians should also partake in ongoingprofessionaleducation

technician to start a procedure on onesystem and then start calibrating anoth-er unit at another workstation.

Many calibration laboratories areexploring other ways to improve ser-vice and productivity and reduceoverall costs. Within the past 10 years,for example, available technology hasenabled the development of calibra-tion applications for notebook orhandheld computers, allowing on-sitecalibrations without the need forpaper procedures or data recordingand eliminating errors from manual

data transfers.At the same time, there has been a

proliferation of calibration orientedlaboratory databases and informationsystems. These systems typicallymanage inventory, data collection andrecording, procedures and other doc-uments, calibration recall systems andphysical traceability from measure-

ment standards to the workload itemsthey have been used on.Many systems also aid regulatory

compliance or quality management

users side of calibration. In betweenthose two groups are the organiza-tions that perform the majority of cali- brations and must balance theperfection of science with the realitiesof the competitive marketplace. Mostof the time the end users do not seethe high levels of science and engi-neering associated with calibration orthe countless dedicated technicians,engineers, metrologists, scientists,managers and administrators whomake the whole system work.

In the September 2005 column, I

will discuss how calibration reducesvariation in a production process,facilitates global commerce and affectsthe products you buy every week.

REFERENCES

1. Michael Shirber, Time To Redefine theKilogram, Scientists Say, LiveScience.com, April25, 2005, www.livescience.com/technology/

050425_redef_kilo.html.2. J. Wade Keith III, 2003 NCSL InternationalBenchmarking Survey, proceedings of theNCSL International Workshop and Symposium,August 2003

(continued from p.80)

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measuring devices regulated by thestates include electricity meters, gaso-line pumps, supermarket scales,parking meters, and rulers and steelmeasuring tapes. All these devicesmeasure products or services you buy because the state wants to ensure youget what you pay for.

In most industries, using calibratedinstruments is important for financialreasons. Good measurement quality isessential to minimize the costs of pro-duction processes. Measurements areuseful only when they are made at thecorrect time and place, have sufficientaccuracy and precision for the task, andare repeatable and reproducible. If theseconditions are met and the data arerecorded and used appropriately, themeasurement data can aid managementin making important business decisions.Accurate data can help reduce processvariation, scrap, rework and other costsof poor quality. However, good qualitymeasurements can only be achieved ifcalibrated instruments are used.

Calibration, as part of an overall mea-surement management process, reducesthe risks associated with measurements(such as form, fit and function), regula-

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Calibration: Why Its Important by Graeme C. Paynen my July 2005 installment in thisseries of articles on calibration, Italked about the trilogy of fast ser-

vice, high quality and low price.Though some may think calibration lab-oratories skimp on quality because cus-tomers often demand low price and fastservice, most calibration laboratoriesstrive to deliver the best work they canwhile meeting other demands of themarketplace. Why? Because the peopledoing and managing the work knowhow important it is. Disagreements in alab are more likely to center around onequestion: Yes, its good, but why cantwe do it better? It is a culture in whichclose enough isnt part of the vocabu-lary; we can always do better.

Metrology and calibration are impor-tant to all areas, from global commerceto our personal lives. There have beenlegal requirements for the accuracy andstandardization of weights and mea-sures for at least 5,000 years. The cur-rent system of international agreementson weights and measures has existedsince 1875, when the Metre Conventiontreaty was signed by the United Statesand 16 other nations. There are nowalmost 70 member and associate

Joshi says these conformity assess-ment arrangements address the opera-tion of calibration and testinglaboratories in conformance toISO/IEC 17025 and the operation ofmanufacturing and service organiza-tions in conformance to the ISO 9000

series of standards. Article 6 of theTBT Agreement established the sys-tem of international mutual recogni-tion arrangements among conformityassessment bodies.

On the national and state levels, his-torical records show virtually allnations regulate weights and mea-sures. For example, one of the promis-es acceded to by King John in theMagna Carta was the establishment ofa single system of weights and mea-sures throughout England. 5 In theUnited States, establishment of uni-form national weights and measures

I

It affects everythingfrom global commerceto our personal lives.

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corporate and independent com-mercial calibration standards labsthat use them as transfer standards.

Manufacturers of package weigh-ing instruments can use their ownstandards, which are calibratedusing the transfer standards, tocheck and adjust their products. Iftheir standards are not calibratedproperly, then the scales producedmay be inaccurate.

Weight can affect an internationalshipping company that recentlypurchased a package weighingscale in several ways. First, pack-ages are transported in the compa-nys aircraft. All airplanes havelimits on the amount of weightthey can carry, and the weight hasto be properly distributed so theplane will fly correctly. Weight and

balance calculations are a criticalpart of preflight checks on everyairplane.

Second, all packages are, at somepoint, transported in trucks. Boththe truck and the road have weightlimits, and states tax or fine truckdrivers based on the weight theyare carrying.

Third, the shipper charges thecustomer by weight. If too littlewas paid for shipping, the cus-t h t dditi l f

Top management has to balance thecost of regular calibration of thescale against the rework cost or theunknown cost of paying too muchfor shipping.

Calibration can make an impact atseveral levels: international, national,state, business and individual.Therefore, it is important to rememberthe dedicated men and women at theheart of the system who strive to pro-vide their customers with the bestpossible calibration service in a timelymanner and at a fair price.

R E F E R E N C E S A N D N O T E S

1. International Bureau of Weights andMeasures, www.bipm.fr/en/convention.

2. United States Metric Association, www.metric.org.

3 . S .K. Kimothi , The Uncer ta in ty of Measurements , ASQ Quality Press, 2002.

4. World Trade Organization, Agreement on

Technical Barriers to Trade, www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/legal_e.htm.5. National Archives and Records

Administration, Magna Carta exhibit, www.archives.gov/exhibit_hall/featured_documents/magna_carta/index.html. See clause 25 in thetranslation of the Magna Carta as reconfirmed

by King Edward I in 1297.

6. Erik Bruun and Jay Crosby, Our Nation's Archives, Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers,1999, pp. 138-142.

7. ANSI/ISO/ASQ Q9001-2000: Quality Management Systems: Requirements, note to clause7.6, ANSI/ASQ, 2001.

8. ISO 10012:2003: Measurement ManagementSystemsRequirements for Measurement Processesand Measuring Equipment , InternationalOrganization for Standardization, 2003.

GRAEME C. PAYNE is the president of G.K.Systems Inc., a technical consulting companynear Atlanta. A Senior Member of ASQ, Paynehas been working in electronic calibration and product testing since 1981. He is a certified qual-ity engineer, calibration technician and qualitytechnician. He is also chair of the MeasurementQuality Division and a member of NCSLInternational.

commentPlease

If you would like to comment on this

article, please post your remarks on

the Quality Progress Discussion

Board at www.asq.org, or e-mail

them to [email protected].

(continued from p. 66)

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October 12, 2005

MEMORANDUM FOR State, Industry, Foreign Government Directors,Metrologists and other interested parties

From: Val MillerWeights and Measures DivisionLaboratory Metrology Group

Subject: Fall 2005 to 2007 Laboratory Metrology Training

Types of Laboratory Metrology Seminars & Description

A number of laboratory metrology seminars will be offered by the NIST Weights andMeasures Division between 2005 and 2007. A description of each course, cost and travelguidance are available on our Internet site at http://www.nist.gov/labmetrology . Thecurrent schedule and a sign-up form to be returned by e-mail, mail or facsimile areattached and are also available on the Internet site. The duration of all courses (unlessotherwise noted) is one week, with the exception of the Basic Mass, Length, and Volumeseminar for States, which is two weeks. The current course offerings are:

Basic Mass, Length, Volume - for State legal metrologists; Basic Mass - for Industry; Basic Mass & Weighing Double Substitution, Workhorse of Mass Metrology -

MSC (two-day course with online registration through MSC) 2006

Intermediate Mass, Length, Volume; and Advanced Mass (new material is presented each time the course is offered). Advanced Hands-On Class (Advanced Mass is a prerequisite!)


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Current Schedule of Laboratory Metrology Seminars

2005 Dates* Course/Conference Title

September 19 to 23, 2005 NEMAP, VT ***

October 3 to 7, 2005 SWAP, OK ***

October 17 to 21, 2005 MidMAP, WI ***

October 24 to November 4, 2005 Basic Metrology - States, NIST

November 14 to 18, 2005 Intermediate Metrology, NIST

2006 Dates* Course/Conference Title

January 22 to 25, 2006 NCWM Interim, Jacksonville, FL

February 6 to 10, 2006 Advanced Mass Hands-On, NIST

February 27 to 28, 2006 MSC Mass Short Course, CA

March 1 to 3, 2006 Measurement Science Conference, CA

March 27 to April 7, 2006 Basic Metrology - States, NIST

May 8 to 12, 2006 Basic Mass Industry, NIST

J l 9 13 2006 NCWM Chi IL


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January TBD Measurement Science Conference

January 21 to 24, 2007 NCWM Interim, Jacksonville, FL

February 5 to 9, 2007 CaMAP, TBD***

February 26 to March 2, 2007 8th Advanced Mass, NIST

March 5 to 9, 2007 Advanced Mass Hands-On, NIST

April 16 to 20, 2007 SEMAP, TBD***

March 19 to 30, 2007 Basic Metrology - States, NIST

April 30 to May 4, 2007 Basic Mass Industry, NIST

May 14 to 18, 2007 WRAP, TBD***

July 8 to 12, 2007 NCWM, Park City, UT

July 29 to Aug 7, 2007 NCSLI, St. Paul, MN

September 17 to 21, 2007 NEMAP, TBD***

October 15 to 19, 2007 SWAP, TBD***

October 22 to 26, 2007 MidMAP, TBD***


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Weights and Measures Metrology Seminar Application

FAX To: 301-926-0647

NIST, Weights and Measures DivisionAttention: Val Miller

Seminar Title: __________________________________________________________Please indicate desired attendance ( select your first and second choices ):

1st Date: __________________________________________________________

2nd Date: __________________________________________________________

Name of Participant: __________________________________________________________

Title: __________________________________________________________

Organization: __________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

U.S. Citizen? ____ Yes ___ No If No: Country of Citizenship ____________________

Phone: _____________________________ FAX: ___________________________


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MM SS CC 22 00 00 66 CC OO NN FF EE RR EE NN CC EE SS PP EE CC II AA LL OO FF FF EE RR

THEME

THE SCIENCE, T ECHNOLOGY, AND CONTROL OFMEASUREMENTS

NEW DATES FOR 2006

FF EE BB RR UU A A RR Y Y 22 77 MM A A RR CC HH 33 ,, 22 00 00 66 DDIISSNNEE Y YLLAANNDD HHOOTTEELL,, AANNAAHHEEIIMM,, CCAA

Help Us Craft Next Years Technical Program Visit the MSC 2006 Booth T ECHNICAL P ROGRAM

Preliminary Program Tracks:DoD METCALWhat Will Change in DoD?RF & Microwave

Base Realignment and ClosureAutomation of MeasurementLab Management

State of Support for Professional AssociationsState of Education in our Profession and all the Associated Issues and ChallengesMath Behind the Measurements Calculating Uncertainties, Intervals, MAPs, correlation, etc.Accreditation: Everything You Should Know About Lab Accreditation Process

Tutorials Workshops or SeminarsDevelop a Session or PaperPanel Discussion


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the standard 4 dec05

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