The Standard Dec05

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Vol. 19, No. 4 The Newsletter of the Measurement Quality Division, American Society for Quality December 2005


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The Standard

orj

Advertising

Since

;

.

Letters to the Editor

Vol 19, No. 4, December 2005

Editor and PublisherJay L. Bucher6700 Royal View Dr.De Forest, WI 53532-2775Voice: 608-277-2522Fax: 608-846-4269Email:

[email protected]@promega.com

Submit your draft copy to Jay Bucher, with arequest for a quotation. Indicate size desired.

The Standard is published in-housethe requester must submit a photo or graphicof their logo, if applicable. The followingrates apply:Business card size ............................ $1001/8 page ............. ........... ........... ....... $1501/4 page ........................................... $200

1/3 page ........................................... $250 page ............................................. $300Full page ......................................... $550

Advertisements will be accepted on a perissue basis only no long-term contracts willbe available at present. Advertising must beclearly distinguished as an ad. Ads must berelated to measurement quality, quality ofmeasurement, or a related quality field. Ads

must not imply endorsement by the Measurement Quality Division or ASQ

TABLE OF CONTENTSCHAIRS COLUMN ......................................................................3LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.........................................................4

THE LEARNING CURVE.............................................................5METROLOGY JOB DESCRIPTION INITIATIVE ......................9EDUCATORS CORNER ............................................................11MAX JAY UNIS AWARD ..........................................................12EVENTS CALENDAR ................................................................12MQD TELECONFERENCE MINUTES .....................................13MQD 2004-2005 FINANCIAL SUMMARY...............................16MQD HISTORICAL FINANCIAL SUMMARIES .....................17

JOINT MQDID CONFERENCE...18ACCREDITATION NEWS...22MQD OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS.....23METROLOGY AS A COMPETITIVE WEAPON34 ~ 38CALIBRATION: WHAT IS IT?.........................................72, 74, 76CALIBRATION: WHO DOES IT?........................................ 80 ~ 81CALIBRATION: WHY ITS IMPORTANT.66, 69NIST SCHEDULE OF LABORATORY METROLOGYSEMINARS..Last 4 pages

FROM THE DESK OF THE EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Before I forget, let me remind our readers that the firstedition of 2006 should arrive at our MQD web sitearound the middle of March, instead of the end of February. We would like to include any and all news from

the Measurement Science Conference (MSC) 2006. Itwill be held a little later than usual because to the largeinflux of visitors due to Disneyland holding their 50thanniversary the first of the year. We have been granted


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CHAIRS COLUMNBy Graeme C. Payne

Notes from All Over

Instead of the usual message on a theme, for thisissue I an jotting down anumber of notes aboutthings that have happened

in the past few months.

Rewards and Recogni

tion

It is always a pleasure to recognize a member whohas received awards or other recognition for theirvolunteer work.

In a separate article, you will see that Dan Harperhas received ASQ's Freund-Marquardt Medal forhis long and hard work on international standards,and has also been recognized by the US TC-176TAG for his work on the new Customer Satisfaction standard.

At the Division's annual conference in September

(held jointly with the Inspection Division) pastChair Dilip Shah received the Division's Max J.Unis Award for his achievements in forming thepartnership with Inspection Division re-starting

available records, this marks the first time the Division has published four issues in one calendar year

or one fiscal year. This has been made possible bythe hard work of Jay Bucher and his staff, those ofyou who contribute material for the newsletter, andJay's push to drive us to a primarily electronic publication instead of an all-print publication.

Publishing principally as an electronic newsletter isalso a major cost saving for your division. For theyear ending June 30, 2005 publishing the newsletter cost just under $5,000 and I expect it to belower than that for the current year. In the previousfive years it has been as much as $21,000 per year,up to 67% of the Division's expenses. That willmake funds available for other work that benefitsyou and our profession.

MQD's 15th Anniversary Approaching!

15 years! Can you believe that? July 2006 willmark the start of our 15th year as a Division. I'd liketo say let's have a party but with members allover North America and in 25 other countriesaround the world, that will probably be too hard toarrange. Still, I would like to explore what specialthings we can do. For example, I would like it ifour Charter Members could each send me a notewith something like where you were then, whatyou are doing now, your ideas to improve the future of the profession and the Division, and maybe


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Letters To The Editor First Impressions, Second Thoughts,

and The Third Degree!By The Laird of Glencairn

Please consider thisan open letter to theeditor, officers of theMeasurement Quality

Division (MQD), itsmembers, and calibration practioners

My pooch incognito everywhere.

My first impression (from a little birdie whosquawked in my ear about the teleconference callhad by the MQD in October) is this, Best get your

act together boys and girls...ya dont get too manyshots to get it right. Seems theres a bit of dissension in the ranks about how to run the budget,spend their hard earned funds, working with headquarters, and filling their duties as volunteers. Orwas it a mere misunderstanding? I think Mr. Payne(MQDs new Chair) will do his best to sort out thefacts, and get the group back on track. But years ofnot being held accountable may take their toll. As

the old sea dogs used to say, Stand by for ram.And we are not referring to the sheep variety, either.

Now for the third degree. I was on the receivingend of the mass mailing that went out from ASQ

headquarters in the form of an email, with every-ones address available for all to see and use. I alsoreceived the note from one of those on the same listas me advertising for a calibration technician. Verybad taste from my point of view. Two wrongsdont make a right, and piggy-backing on one per-sons mistake is just plain ignorant. Im told anapology was received from a big wheel at ASQheadquarters, and that is the least we should expect. Hopefully, all have learned a lesson, and wecan move forward without any repeats of the samemistake.

Well, my pooch is trying to tell me he has to go,so I might as well, too. I would like to wish all myfriends a safe and happy holiday season since wewill be in the new year when the next edition of

this rag comes out. If you head to the pub...walkback home, take a ride, or let one of those designated people do the transporting. Tip one for meand remember what that fella said to the AustraliablokeNo matter where ya go, there ya are.

Howp ye enjoy whit we hae tae offer, so just signmeA Juicy Hub Loser!

The following email conversation took place between Professor Dr. Don Ermer, and Rich DeR

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THE LEARNING CURVEBy Phil Painchaud

This is the forty-third in an uninterrupted series of harangues,often magniloquent, chartered tobe on the general topic of Metrology Education. Readers frequently confuse this mandatewith one of Calibration Train-

ingwhich it is most definitelynot, and for which the authorclaims no transcendent attrib

utes. Thus by both dictate as well as by qualification, he must adhere to the chartered subject. Unfortunately, there are times, such as possibly, now,there is a dearth of news on the specified topic andhe is forced to digress per his whims. This may beanother such occasion. As usual, it is in the formatof an open letter to our Boss, the Editor-Chief ofthis periodic journal.

Dear Boss:Those prolusions to this column are frequentlycomposed well in advance of the actual creation ofthe particular column to which it may be prefaced.Not in keeping with my prediction we do, at this

time have pertinent material upon which to dwell.On January 21, 2005, during the Annual Measurement Science Conference, our Measurement Quality Division sponsored a Seminar on Metrology

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participants that I could identify asking them toedit their own testimony. So far Boss, you are the

only one, other than Dr. Watson, who has responded. Therefore, I guess that you are to becomethe Star Witness in this issue of this column.

We do have a second source of material for thisissue, although it is from outside our Quality/Metrology cocoon, it is both complimentary andsupplementary to the efforts we are put forth on thesubject of Metrology Education. Most of youshould be aware of the Institute of Electrical andElectronics Engineers (IEEE); it is probably thelargest professional society in the world and hasroots going back into the 1870s. It is composed ofmany sub-organizations, one of which is the Instrumentation & Measurement Society. Mr. HaroldGoldberg is a regular columnist in their monthly journal. Hal, whom I have known casually for

many years, has had a very long industrial careerand currently is a professor at Tufts University inMedford, MA.

But first let us go to what you had to say Boss, butof course, we should explain to our readers something about this seminar. The intent was that it wasto be not the usual panel discussion with most ofthe talk between the panelists themselves, butrather more like a colloquium where the audiencethemselves do most of the discussion and led andmoderated by a true expert in the field. However,

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(Continued from page 5)

Measurement Technology; Herb ONeil, Professor

at Ridgewater College (formerly known as Hutchinson Technical Institute) in Minnesota; DeanSchmeck, of the Naval Measurement Science Directorate, the organization that was underwritingthis seminar; and of course myself.

Dr. Watson started the discussion by asking, Doesanyone have anything to say to the educationalcommunity about Metrology Education? That didityou might say, it broke the dam.

Nearly everyone who had any knowledge of Metrology Education cut loose with virtually thesame complaint. The potential students, their managers, their organizations all proclaim loudly thatthey need, want, and will support Metrology Education, nevertheless when it is offered they avoid

and ignore the offer! It was testified from Ridgewater they instituted a Metrology Program upondirect orders from the Governors Office after atrade association claimed that they could send onehundred students a year and a corporation in Minneapolis offered to send 25 to 50 per year. Noneever came from either of these sources! Dr. Watsontold that after seven years of preparatory work, theDominguez Hills Program went online with a Metrology Statistics course, with the top measurementstatistician of this Nation teaching itit drew but asingle student! I pointed out that at California Poly

h i S U i i i S L i Obi f

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do, and I let people know about it. I give speeches

at NCSLI Sectional and Regional meetings, and

the MSC. As far as education goes, I go to mydaughters middle school, and give presentations

in their math classes; they actually have a meas

urement section. And I took in my Egyptian Cubit

and got them all interested in measurements.

If that were not enough, you really got wound upand rightly started to point the finger at the rest ofthe Metrology Communitythat means you, myreaders; me; and all of the rest of you folks whoregularly complain about a lack of Metrology Education opportunities. Boss, you said:

So far as sitting around whining that nobody

is doing anything about educating or informing

metrology, in England they are making kits

through NPL that they send out to the high

schools you know what Im talking about thathave different calipers, micrometers, and different

things like that to teach them about measurement.

Why arent we doing that here in the US? Were

supposed to be leading the way in the free world.

You wouldnt know it, of course. But, why isnt

everybody here going out to their high schools

and saying, Hey, heres what were doing.

Heres the Egyptian Cubit. Heres what the Egyp

tians did 5,000 years ago, and explain it to them.

Talk about metrology; and biotechnology; phar

maceuticals; the airlines industry; automotive;

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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 individually in his own way. I have often pointed out inthis column that the intellectual advancement, technical extended education, further training (call itwhat you will) is the responsibility of the individual, also. It is not the responsibility of managementor supervision. This also applies to the promulgation of information concerning our profession.However, as Mr. Goldberg points out in his articlethat I am about to quote, management and supervision must be made responsible to encourage extended education and the spreading of the word ofthe Metrology credo (My dictionary definescredoas : a system of beliefs, principles, or opinions). 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 theIEEE INSTRUMENTATION & MEASURMENTMAGAZINE, puts the blame directly upon management. While he was writing specifically concerning electronics engineers, what he says appliesequally to Metrologists. He had just been interviewing the engineering dean of a respected engi

i h l h ld hi W h h f

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matterpap].If they are going to learn, it must beon 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. Corporations

worry that loose lips engineers will spill pro

prietary secrets or, worse, find another job. Stay

away from meetings! Dont talk to other engi

neers! 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

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Thanks,

Rich DeRoeckSupplier Quality Engineer/SPC CoordinatorCalibration ManagerSkyworks Solutions Inc.20 Sylvan RdWoburn, MA 01801

Dr. Ermer wrote back:

Hi Rich, sorry it has taken me so long to get backto you. Thanks for your comment -it is very muchappreciated. I haven't approached AIAG, but myarticle will be published in two parts in QualityProgress in March and May, 2006; and I will bepresenting the Paper at the ASQ WCQI in Milwaukee 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 Engineering and Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonRecipient in 2000 of the National Eugene L. GrantMedal from ASQ, Fellow of ASQ and SME

Rich responded:

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I saidIf I can amplify what just been said, I

think the previous speakers were saying twothings. One, you cant do what we have been try

ing to do the way we have been trying to do it, that

is 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 automa tion 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 in

dependent 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 engi

neers are there to design the system and the in

strumentation 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 JOB DESCRIPTION

INITIATIVEBy Chris Grachanen

Talk to almost anycalibration practitioner on the subject ofnew talent enteringthe Metrology profession and you will

probably 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 educators to learn about professions which are congruent with their likes and interest. To this end, educators 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 Stai i id if i i h S d d O

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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 accurately determined. In early 2006, the Bureau of Labor 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. Bureau of Labor Statistics administrators agreed thatupdating the SOC would be the first logical step inassuring the Occupational Outlook Handbook accurately depicts calibration practitioner occupational information and associated demographics.

Recognizing the fleeting window of opportunity to

correct disparities in the SOC, the American Society for Quality (ASQ) Measurement Quality Division (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 Classifications. Working group members, commonly referred to as the core team are volunteers from

both NCSL International and MQD.

In 2004 I proposed a game plan for correcting disi i i h SOC Th l i d h


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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. PES

was chosen based upon a proven track record ofsuccess, having been instrumental in administeringthe job analysis survey during the creation ofASQs Certified Calibration Technician (CCT)program. After contacting PES with the proposalthey agreed with the concept and submitted thefollowing roadmap:

Step 1. Solicit job descriptionsPES will work with the project leader to identifyparameters for soliciting job descriptions from theU.S. metrology/calibration industry for three specific titles: Calibration Technician, Calibration Engineer, 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 provide

broad representation of the metrology/calibrationindustry in terms of organization type, geographicrepresentation, organization size, etc. If additionalj b d i i d d fill i f

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

from industry representatives regarding the job elements. Ratings for the job elements might focus onuniqueness to Metrology and by whom they areperformed. The survey will also contain a demographic background questionnaire and an openended 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 email addresses of the survey sample. PES will consult with the project leader to identify the participants. 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 Technician, Calibration Engineer, and Metrologist. PES

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Christopher L. Grachanen is the manager of Hew-

lett-Packards Houston Metrology group. Chrisspearheaded the development of ASQs CCT program, is MQDs secretary and certification chairand is NCSL Internationals south central U.S. region coordinator. Chris received the ASQ Certification Boards 2003 Award for Excellence and the Measurement Quality Divisions Max J. UnisAward for 2003, and was named Test Engineer ofthe Year for 2004 by Test and Measurement World

magazine.Editors note: This article will be published in theJanuary edition of Quality Progress in the Measure 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 resource for encouraging and promotingthe engineering

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

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THE INFINITY PROJECTEngineering Education for Today's Classroom

The Infinity Project is a K-12 and early collegemath and science based engineering and technology education initiative designed to help educatorsdeliver a maximum of engineering exposure with aminimum of training, expense and time. The Infinity Project was created to help students see the realvalue of math and science and its varied applications to high tech engineering. Often high school

students 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 using 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 researchers originally sponsored by the Southern MethodistUniversity School of Engineering and Texas Instruments. The Infinity Project uses advanced Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology developedby Texas Instruments to show how science andmath lead directly to technology products and solutions. Most importantly it shows how engineeringcan be an exciting way to combine technical

knowledge with creativity to build a rewarding career in engineering. For educators the Infinity Pro ject is a turnkey program that transforms their

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AGILENT EDUCATOR'S CORNER

Sharing Resources with Engineering Educators

Agilent Technologies Educator's Corner is a webbased resource for college and university engineering educators and researchers looking to enhancetheir higher education curriculum and research capabilities. Within its many web pages one willfind electrical engineering insight, pre-written andinteractive experiments, lecture assistance, refer

ence materials, lab exercises, teaching tools, engineering student resources, and various researchmaterials, as well as valuable information on education discounts from Agilent Technologies. Ofparticular 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 extensive range of engineering references, lab resources, student resources, as well as links for engineering sites, general education, general science,etc. To visit Agilent Technologies Educator's Corner go to: http://www.educatorscorner.com.

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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 Education for Todays Classroom

Max Jay Unis Award

The Max J. Unis award is the highest honor bestowed by MQD, to recognize outstanding contributions 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.

MQD T CALL

SELECONFERENCE CHEDULE

Date Day Time Place

January 20, 2005 Thursday 6 pm PST Disneyland - MSC


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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 Quality in Measurement Tools for Weight Loss whichwas highly regarded. The conference attendancewas approximately in the 20s. It was felt that better & earlier promotion of this conference needs tohappen. This year the email reminders did not goout until September 10th. MQD is very disappointed 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 general Graeme will be mailing his expenses for the

Page 13

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

MQD Booth

There are two booths the older both which is trifold and has the old logo on it Item numberS0292 (this one has not been returned to ASQ distribution center) and the newer booth which is apop-up top and has the new logo on it Item number 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 Improvements 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 favorable 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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Something's in the Wind

For several years the ASQ officers and Board ofDirectors have noticed signs that there is increasedmember dissatisfaction and reduced membership inthe Society. In October they started doing something 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 diplomats 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 sq . 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

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

Metrology an ASQ Member discussionboard focused on metrology, laboratory accreditation, measurement traceability, measurement processes, measurement uncertaintyand other issues.Measurement Quality MQD's discussionboard, now open to all ASQ members. Thismay have topics of interest to all division

members (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 discussion 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 for

International Standards Work

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


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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 Member

Information

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 invoices, 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 mailings. Postal address lists may occasionally berented to carefully selected partner organizations,but only on a single-use basis with strict confiden

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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

(continued from page 13)

of holding it in the normal checkbook. It was realized 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 10th.

Meeting adjourned and call ended at 2:00 Central

time.

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.

There shall be standard measures of wine,


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MQD Page 16

Assets

4,418

Total

Total

Admin

Income

30,701 78% 30,701

Retail Sales -

-4%

Tours -

Exhibits -

-

-

1%

Miscellaneous -

Total $ $ $

0% 0% 4% 0% 96%

Admin

ASQ MQD 2004-2005 Financial Summary

Cash & cash-equivalents 103,063

Current Receivables

Capital Assets

Long-term Investments

$107,481

Liabilities

Current liabilities 3,763

Deferred Income 10,866

Long-term Liabilities

$14,629

Net Worth $92,852

Overall % of Total Newsletter World conf. Division conf Courses

Member Dues

AdvertisingConference Registrations 1,675 1,675

Workshops & Tutorials

Contributions

Interest 556 556

Royalties 6,483 16% 6,483

$39,415 $1,675 $37,740

% of Total

Overall % of Total Newsletter World conf. Division conf Courses


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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 7,440

Capital 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 23,618

Long-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 $72,1292005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

IncomeMember Dues 30,701 28,631 31,177 34,440 37,155 40,905

Retail Sales - - - - - -

Advertising - 105 - - 1,600 -

Conference Registrations 1,675 - - 5,850 - 5,800

Tours - - - - - -

Exhibits - - - - - -

Workshops & Tutorials - - - - - -

Contributions - - - - - -

Interest 556 403 739 1,461 3,428 3,322

Royalties 6,483 - - - - -

Miscellaneous - - - - 150 5,143

Total $39,415 $29,139 $31,916 $41,751 $42,333 $55,169


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MQD Page 18

Joint Measurement Quality-Inspection Division ConferenceBy Dilip Shah

The conference was held at US Naval Surface Warfare 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 Ruefenacht of HEUSSER NEWEIGH and ASQ Fellow

and Inspection Division Chair, Gregory S. Gayfor organizing the workshops. Ten presentationswere made during the conference and a tour of theM S i d T h l L b

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 conference committee and NSWC and Ms. JenniferPersful of the Inspection Division, who helped outwith speaker transportation and other conference

logistics. The conference appreciates the thoughtfuldonation of bags and pens by Sabin Corporation(Ms. Persfuls employer).


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MQD Page 19

View of a session in progress.


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MQD Page 20

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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MQD Page 21

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


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MQD

ACCREDITATION NEWSCompiled by Dilip A. Shah

PRESS RELEASE: October 31, 2005

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

The initial goal of NACLA was to reduce the redundant accreditations of laboratories in the UnitedStates in accordance with the Congressional policyof the National Technology Transfer and Advancement 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 organization. In December 2004, A2LA had withdrawn itssignatory status to the NACLA Mutual Recognition 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 participation in effective international MRAs (i.e.: ILAC,

Page 22

producers. Services are available to any type of

laboratory or inspection body, be it private or gov

ernment. A2LA is the largest multi-discipline accreditation body in the United States, and the

s 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 please

contact Philip Smith by phone at 301 644 3204 or

by 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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MQD Page 23

MEASUREMENT QUALITY DIVISION OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS

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]

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]

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

Jay L. Bucher Joe Simmons ScholarshipBucherview Metrology Services Norm Belecki6700 Royal View Dr. 7413 Mill Run DrDe Forest, WI 53532-2775 Derwood, MD 20855-1156Voice (608) 277-2522 / Fax (608) 846-4269 Voice (301) 869-4520E-mail: [email protected], E-mail: [email protected]

[email protected]

Secretary, Certification Chair, WebsiteManager, NCSL International Representative

Christopher L. GrachanenManager, Houston Metrology Group Hewlett-Packard

HistorianKeela SniadachPromega Corp.5445 East Cheryl ParkwayMadison, WI 53711Voice (608) 298-4681 / Fax (608) 277-2516

P. O. Box 692000 MS070110 E-mail: [email protected], TX 77269-2000Voice (281) 518-8486 / Fax (281) 518-7275 E-mail: [email protected] ASQ Division Administrator


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MQD Page 24

ASQ MEASUREMENT 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.

Region 3 (CT, NJ, NY)

Mr. Eduardo M. Heidelberg Pfizer Parlin, NJ 08859 E-mail: [email protected]

Region 4 (Canada)

Mr. Alexander T. C. Lau ExxonMobilWhitby, ON L1R 1R1 E-mail: [email protected]

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

Mr. Richard A. Litts Litts Quality Technologies Downington, PA 19335 E-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. ErmerASQ Fellow; Eugene L. Grant Medal (2001)University of WisconsinMadison Madison, WI 53706 E-mail: [email protected]

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


Region 14 (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX, part ofMexico)

Mr. R. Keith Bennett

TRANSCATKingwood, TX 77339 E-mail: kbennett@transcat com


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MQD Page 25

T C FOLLOWING PAGES:ABLE OF ONTENTS FOR THE


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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 ofthousands 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 in

tangible 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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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.

Planning to Be Competitive

Positioning the metrology function to contribute to thebottom 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

METROLOGY AS A COMPETITIVE WEAPONRALPH E. BERTERMANN

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 whatare 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


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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 ofproduction 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.

PurchasingAll 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 thedatabase

Longer calibration intervals More efficient instrument support, including calibration,

maintenance, and spare parts

Positioning for Success

Continued improvement and success requires

continued development beyond the status quo and justmaintaining a program that meets minimumrequirements.

Th b f t i t i thi d


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It is important to maintain leadership and superiority

in measurements. Clear-cut leaders set the standard ofmeasurement 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 the

standards 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.

Intangible Benefits


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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 arerecorded 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, incorporate

contingency 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.

MEASURE


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MEASUREFOR MEASURE

Calibration: What Is It?by Graeme C. Payne

When 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 newcomers or interested parties from otherfields may not have the same understanding. There are also cases in whichthe common use of a word is differentfrom or even opposite its technical definition. Metrology and calibrationare two such words.1

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

Why do we need to refer to this technical glossary instead of a common

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

surements conform to certain definedrelationships.

A Process of Comparison

Broadly speaking, calibration is the

process of determining the relationship between the readings obtained

by a measuring instrument or system

The common use

of this word is quite

different from its

technical definition.

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 oftenbased on things such as the volume ofgrain that could be held in two hands(cup) or the distance between the

Calibration is essentially a processof comparison. An instrument is usedto measure or is measured by a cali

bration standard, and the result iscompared to two things: the known

value 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 measurement standard, which is usually determined from its calibrationhistory.

The known uncertainty of t hestandard, which comes from several places, including the historicalreports of calibration and theinternal statistical process control(SPC) methods many calibrationlabs have for their measurementsystems. Labs that have an effective measurement SPC system

know how their systems performin that location, so their uncertainty values are likely to be morerealistic not always better just

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MEASUREFOR MEASURE

that demonstra tes its accuracy in and the data to be collected. It should arate process. After the adjustment orterms of the SI. Taken together, the also list any safety precautions and repair is complete, the calibration prorelationship and its documentation preliminary steps and make note of cedure should always be repeated to

indicate the quality of the measure- the particular method of the compar- verify the proper measurement relaments that can be made with that isons, the calibration environment and tionship has been re-established.instrument when it is used correctly. anything else that is important for the There are two reasons adjustment is

A calibration is performed using a items covered by the procedure. not part of the formal definition ofcalibration procedure, which is a doc- A calibration procedure is written calibration:umented, validated and cont rolled with the fundamental premises that 1. The historical calibration data onmethod for making the comparisons. the item being calibrated is in good an instrument can be useful whenThe procedure may be a written paper working order and the person per- describing the normal variationor electronic document, or it may be a forming the calibration is trained and of the instrument or a population

particular test program on an auto- qualified and understands the scien- of substantially identical instrumated calibration system. tifi c and physical principles of the ments. That information can also

Many calibration procedures are measurements.8 be used for process improvement.written in conformance to the guide- For example, it can be used tolines in Recommended Practice 3: What About Adjustment? evaluate the reliability of thePreparation of Calibration Procedures Up to this point, I havent said any- instruments and change the recal-(NCSL RP-3), which defines the proce- thing abo ut adjust ment. Tha ts ibration interval. If the instrudures purpose and content.7 because its not part of the formal def- ment is adjusted before the data

The purpose of a calibration proce- inition of calibration, nor is it part of from a full calibration run have

dure is to determine and document the description of a calibration proce- been collected, then there is nothe measurement relationships of the dure in NCSL RP-3. The results (data) historical value, and it cannot beitem being calibrated. It should define of a calibration procedure may indi- used to improve the system.the parameters to be measured, the cate a need for adjustment or other 2. Any set of similar measurementsmeasurement standards to be used repair, but taking such action is a sep- may be considered a statistical

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process, and a single measurement from that process is a random sample from the probability

density function that describes it.Without other knowledge, there isno way to know if the sample iswithin the normal variation limits. The history gives us that information. If the measurement iswithin the normal variation andnot outside the specification limits, 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 in

9chapter 11 of Out of the Crisis.The most common uses of the word

calibration outside the metrologycommunity include the concept of

adjusting the instrument, and most customers expect it. In addition, manymanufacturers have calibration procedures in their manuals that are not performance comparisons but, instead, arethe test, alignment or adjustment procedures used for a new or repaired unitthat is in an unknown condition.

Remember, a true calibration procedure assumes the instrument is in goodworking order. So, while acknowledging the formal technical definition, cali

bration providers also have to

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 andproduct testing since 1981. He is a certifiedquality engineer, calibration technician andquality technician. He is also the chair-elect ofthe Measurement Quality Division and amember of NCSL International.

Pleasecomment

article, please post your remarks on

the Quality ProgressDiscussion

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

them to [email protected].

If you would like to comment on this

Customer

CareCenterA

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Calibration: Who Does It?by Graeme C. Payne

This column is the second ofthree that explore what calibration is, who does it and why it

is important. The May 2005 columndiscussed the nature of metrology and

calibration and the types of confusionthat arise because of differences

between the technical definitions andcommon usage of the words. Thismonths column looks at how calibration is viewed in different ways bydifferent groups.

Scientific View

Dedicated scientists and engineersmake exacting measurements in thescientific, high level realm of calibration. They are often called metrologists and may spend years examiningone particular measurement problemor physical characteristic that is sub

ject to measurement, trying to transform 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 metrologists with national metrology insti

tutes such as the National Institute of

Three groups each

have their own distinct

view of calibration.

Standards and Technology, international 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

concerned about compliance withrequirements than measurement quality. They also dont always understandwhat calibration is, how poor measurements 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 International2 indicates only3% of calibration laboratories classify

themselves as standards labs. Thatmeans they only calibrate measurement standards for other calibrationlaboratories. The other 97% have customers 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 thebills. The work has to be done quicklyand at low cost to provide customer


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(continued from p. 80)

being mindful of each customer sneeds and desires.

There are many job titles applied tothe practical worker in calibration.Calibration technician is one, but a

recent check showed at least sevenother common job titles that include calibration 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 science 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 measurement fields, calibration technicians should also partake in ongoingprofessionaleducation

technician to start a procedure on onesystem and then start calibrating another 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 calibration 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 documents, 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 organizations that perform the majority of cali

brations and must balance theperfection of science with the realities

of the competitive marketplace. Mostof the time the end users do not seethe high levels of science and engineering 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

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Calibration: Why Its Important by Graeme C. Payne

In 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 Convention

treaty 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

It affects everythingfrom global commerce

to our personal lives.

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

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 are

recorded 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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(continued from p. 66)

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 international

shipping 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-tomer has to pay an additional fee

Top management has to balance thecost of regular calibration of thescale against the rework cost or the

unknown 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 best

possible calibration service in a timelymanner and at a fair price.

REFERENCES AND NOTES

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 inty o f 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'sArchives, 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.

Pleasecomment

article, please post your remarks on

the Quality ProgressDiscussion

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

them to [email protected].

If you would like to comment on this


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October 12, 2005

MEMORANDUM FOR

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

From: Val MillerWeights and Measures Division

Laboratory 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 and

Measures Division between 2005 and 2007. A description of each course, cost and travel

guidance 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 are

attached and are also available on the Internet site. The duration of all courses (unless

otherwise 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

July 9 to 13 2006 NCWM Chicago 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 ApplicationFAX 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: ___________________________


42/43

MMSSCC 22000066CCOONNFFEERREENNCCEE SSPPEECC II AALL OOFF FFEERR

THEMETHE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND CONTROL OF MEASUREMENTSNEW DATES FOR 2006

FF EE BB RR UU AARR YY 22 77 MM AARR CC HH 33 ,, 22 00 00 66SSNNEEYYLLAANNDD HHOOTTEELL,, AANNAAHHEEII

Help Us Craft Next Years Technical Program Visit the MSC 2006 BoothDDII MM,, CCAA

TECHNICAL PROGRAM

Preliminary Program Tracks: DoD METCAL Base Realignment and Closure

What Will Change in DoD? Automation of Measurement RF & Microwave Lab Management State of Support for Professional Associations State of Education in our Profession and all the Associated Issues and Challenges Math 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 Paper Panel Discussion


43/43

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