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JUNE 2003 INDUSTRY NEWS

 

Thunder Scientific Achieves NVLAP Accreditation

Thunder Scientific Corporation is pleased to announce that on June 17, 2003 our Calibration Laboratory received Accreditation from the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP), administered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NVLAP has assigned Laboratory Code 200582-0 to Thunder Scientific, indicating that our accredited calibration services are in compliance with all requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:1999, the relevant requirements of ISO 9002:1994, and ANSI/NCSL Z540-1-1994, Part 1.

Thunder's Calibration Laboratory now offers NVLAP accredited calibrations for both new and existing humidity generators. Our calibration laboratory can provide a NVLAP accredited calibration for virtually any humidity instrument over a wide range of humidity, temperature, and pressure. As noted in our Scope of Accreditation, we can provide accredited relative humidity calibrations to 0.3%, pressure calibrations to 0.015% of reading, and temperature calibrations to 0.001 °C.

Thunder's accredited humidity uncertainties are the lowest commercially available. Calibration reports include as-received and as-left data as well as a concise statement of the method used. Our turn-around times are excellent and prices are very competitive.

Visit Thunder Scientific to learn more about the company and view our certificate of accreditation and scope of accreditation.

Cracking The Nanonewton Force Barrier

How do you weigh a dust mite? Or determine the force required to pull a molecule apart? Such tasks require a device that measures nanonewtons—forces 1 billion times smaller than the force required to hold an apple against Earth’s gravity. Nanonewton forces are estimated with atomic force microscopes and instruments that measure the properties of ultrathin coatings like those used on computer hard drives or turbine blades. But the accuracy of such estimates is unknown because they haven’t been calibrated with force standards based on the kilogram, the internationally accepted unit of mass.

Luckily, there is hope on the horizon. In a paper presented June 4 at the annual conference of the Society of Experimental Mechanics in Charlotte, N.C., National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) engineers describe a prototype instrument that reliably measures forces as small as tens of nanonewtons and simultaneously ties those measurements to forces a thousand times larger based on the kilogram. The device works by connecting a well-calibrated spring-loaded scale with a set of electrodes that generates an electrostatic force. The instrument balances the downward force produced by a one-milligram mass artifact, by keeping the distance between the electrodes constant but varying the amount of voltage between them. The result is a force determination accurate to a few parts in 10,000 that is measured with voltage, electrical capacitance and distance (the location of the electrodes as measured in wavelengths of laser light). “It is much easier to make small changes in voltages, than to make small mass standards,” explains NIST mechanical engineer Jon Pratt.

The NIST researchers hope to extend the instrument’s resolution to tens of piconewtons (trillionths of a newton).

Calibration4U Website Launched - UK’s Resource For The Calibration Industry

Calibration 4U launched their Calibration Forum back in March 2003. They have expanded to become a web site for calibration information and resources directed in the UK. The new features include:

Calibration Jobs
Unique to the UK, a job site dedicated to those involved in calibration. From Quality Inspectors to Heads of Laboratory, all are welcome to submit their CV to our increasing database. Put your CV where it makes a difference.
Employers can post vacancies for FREE, to the most targeted traffic for those involved within calibration and related industry.

Calibration Directory
A searchable directory of calibration products, services and information. Make sure your company or organisation is listed. It takes less than a minute to add your site! Even if you’ve added a link in our forum, be sure to add an entry in the Calibration Directory.
All entries are reviewed manually to ensure relevance of submissions.

Calibration Software and Downloads
Freeware and shareware software available around the net, providing many useful and interesting tools. Trial the latest Calibration Management software packages, and add or read reviews.

The forum remains the centre point of our site, the place to have your questions answered. Network with the people involved in the measurement industry, and offer help to potential customers. As with the forum, the new top-site is member driven. If you’d like to add something to the site, or submit an interesting article; add your CV; Post a job; Add a Directory entry, all these are available to you.

The Calibration4U site is run as a non-commercial operation, with no advertising fees. Visit the site at www.calibration4u.co.uk.

 

Sypris Test & Measurement Purchases Instrument Repair Labs, Inc. of Colorado

Sypris Test & Measurement, Inc., a subsidiary of Sypris Solutions, Inc., announced that it has completed the purchase of the assets of Instrument Repair Labs, Inc. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Instrument Repair Labs, Inc., located in Broomfield, Colorado, just outside of Denver, was previously owned by E. William Hedrick. As part of the agreement, Mr. Hedrick will serve in a consulting role with Sypris Test & Measurement, which in turn will serve as a preferred service supplier to Mr. Hedrick for certain of his other business ventures. The closing occurred on Friday, May 30, 2003.

Kathy Smith Boyd, president and chief executive officer of Sypris Test & Measurement, said, "The acquisition of Instrument Repair Labs will, in conjunction with our existing operations in the Denver area, establish Sypris as the leading provider of calibration, repair and certification services in the Denver market. The completion of the transaction represents a small but important milestone in our strategy to become the leading supplier of calibration services in the United States."

Sypris Test & Measurement is a recognized market leader providing calibration, testing services and outsourcing solutions to the automotive, telecommunications, aerospace and defense industries.

 

Michael Bradley Named Teradyne President

Teradyne, Inc. announced that Michael A. Bradley has been appointed President of Teradyne, effective immediately. George Chamillard will continue as the company's CEO and Chairman and will work with Mr. Bradley on a transition of duties over the next few weeks.

Bradley, 54, joined Teradyne in 1979. He has served in a variety of roles in Semiconductor Test and the central company in finance, marketing and sales management. From 1998 to 2000, he was the Company's Chief Financial Officer and since April of 2001, he has served as President of the Semiconductor Test Division. Bradley is a member of SEMI's North American Advisory Board and also serves on the Board of Directors of Mykrolis Corporation. He holds an A.B. degree from Amherst College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Regarding the appointment, George Chamillard said "Teradyne's long-term success has always been a function of the capability and integrity of its people. Mike embodies the best of these qualities and I look forward to working with him in his role as President."

ISO Strategy for 2005 - 2010

In order to adjust to new realities and trends in the world, ISO Council decided on a new method and timetable for the updating of ISO's strategy.
ISO members are invited to consult at the national level with representatives of the various groups of stakeholders in the standardization process, using the approach and methods that best suit their respective environments. They are expected to provide a consolidated national view, offering a summary of the input expressed by the various groups of stakeholders.
The outcome of these consultations will be used to develop ISO's strategy for 2005-2010, in order for ISO's General Assembly to adopt it in 2004.

Should you wish to take part in this exercise, please contact the ISO national standards body in your country. Visit http://www.iso.org/iso/en/ISOOnline.frontpage for more information.

 

National Measurement Conference and British Electromagnetic Measurement Conference

One of the largest events of its kind in the UK, the NMC 2003 and BEMC 2003 will provide delegates with unique access to measurement best practice. It is an opportunity to share knowledge, stimulate innovation and network with colleagues in the measurement industry. In an increasingly competitive and knowledge-driven marketplace, UK industrial success depends upon the ability to solve measurement problems - to generate credible data, control processes, minimize waste and maximize product quality. As measurement methodologies are advancing rapidly to cope with industry requirements, it is essential those in industry continue to share knowledge to develop new measurement techniques, procedures and instrumentation.

The conference is scheduled for November 18-20, 2003 at The Angel Hotel, Cardiff.
For more information regarding this conference visit www.national-measurement-conference.co.uk

 

Edison ESI Announces Additional NVLAP Accreditation

Edison ESI Metrology, a subsidiary of Southern California Edison, has earned accreditation for the calibration of Ring Gages from the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (covered under Lab Scope 105014-0). This brings their total number of NVLAP accreditations to 8: Ring Gages, Mass, Gas Flow, Gage Blocks, Resistance, DC Voltage, AC Voltage and Force.

Accredited calibrations for Ring Gages are required for many industries, so this additional accreditation further enhances Edison Metrology’s standing as a leader in the field of quality calibrations. Recently appointed Business Development Manager, Tim Mason had this to say “In an increasingly competitive market, quality accreditations are one of the things that sets a company apart from its competitors. Edison Metrology has maintained a consistent record of quality excellence over the years, and we are proud that the industry recognizes this commitment.”

Edison Metrology offers primary and secondary calibration services in virtually every discipline. These calibrations meet the standards set forth in ANSI/ISO/IEC 17025, ANSI/NCSL Z540-1, MIL-STD-45662A, 10CFR50 Appendix B, and ISO 9002:94. Their customers include the most well known names in the Aerospace, Pharmaceutical, Biomedical, High-Tech Manufacturing and Nuclear industries, as well as commercial calibration labs. This information and more can be found at http://www.edisonmetrology.com.

 

New ISO 10012 Standard in the ISO 9000 Family

A new standard in the ISO 9000 family provides organizations with a model known as a "measurement management system" to help them achieve product quality and manage risk by ensuring that both their measuring equipment and measurement processes are in control and effective.

ISO 10012:2003 can be used by organizations to meet the requirements for measurement and measurement process control in ISO 9001:2000 (quality management systems) and ISO 14001:1996 (environmental management systems) - although its use is not a requirement of either - or it can be implemented independently of these standards.

It will prove useful when customers and their suppliers need to specify product characteristics, as a technical reference underpinning legislation and regulations, and as a tool in assessment and auditing of management systems. However, its use in third-party certification is not a requirement, but a matter for agreement between the interested parties.

"ISO 10012 is intended to support meeting ISO 9001:2000 requirements for ensuring that a product conforms to specifications by measuring the product's physical characteristics, such as the length, width, thickness, or other properties," said Dan Harper, Convenor of the ISO working group that developed the new standard.

"Its use will facilitate accurate measurement results - and practically every industry sector depends on that - and so help to maintain and improve processes and the quality of the product. Its benefits will be felt in the simple purchase by the consumer of a quantity of a product, as it will be in industrial and research applications where the value of physical characteristics must be determined through strictly controlled measurement processes."

ISO 10012:2003, replaces ISO 10012-1:1992 and ISO 10012-2:1997. By merging the scopes of application of these earlier standards - equipment and processes - in a unique document and integrating the process-based approach of the ISO 9000:2000 series, ISO 10012 constitutes a comprehensive "measurement management system".

It specifies the requirements for a measurement management system that can be used by an organization performing measurements as part of the overall quality management system, and for ensuring that metrological requirements are met. To help users get the best out of the standard, the requirement clauses are followed by text boxes containing relevant guidance.ISO 10012:2003, Measurement management systems - Requirements for measurement processes and measuring equipment is available for purchase from ANSI.

The new standard is the work of ISO technical committee ISO/TC 176, Quality management and quality assurance, subcommittee SC 3, Supporting technologies, working group WG 1, Measuring equipment.

 

NACLA Announces Dates Of 2004 Forum-AGM

The third annual U.S. Laboratory Accreditation Forum, sponsored by the National Cooperation for Laboratory Accreditation, will be held on April 5 and 6, 2004, at the Sheraton Columbia Hotel, in Columbia, MD. As is customary, the 2004 Forum will conclude with a half day NACLA Annual General Meeting (AGM), at which NACLA officials will dialogue with members and other stakeholders.

The annual Forum-AGM brings together representatives of accreditation bodies, testing and
calibration laboratories, industrial firms and government agencies - all of which have a stake in the nation's laboratory accreditation system and in the success of NACLA, whose goal is to coordinate and improve that system.

The program for next year's conference is now being developed. To keep abreast of program
developments and other infomation about next year's conference, be sure to make regular visits to the NACLA web site.

This year, the Columbia Sheraton proved to be an ideal site for the Forum-AGM. The hotel offers free parking, is proximate to BWI Airport (off Interstate 95 south of Baltimore) - which is served by Southwest Airlines and has many economical flights on Southwest and other carriers - and to the BWI Amtrak station. The room rate for the 2004 conference will be the same as it was for 2003 - $110 plus tax a night. The registration fee will be similar to that for the 2003 conference. We hope you can attend to learn about the latest developments in laboratory accreditation and to continue your support of NACLA.

 

2004 IDW Information

The Call for Papers for the 2004 International Dimensional Workshop has been issued. The theme for IDW2004 will be: "Dimensional Metrology for Functional Control". Dr. Mark Malburg is slated to present the Keynote address.

The workshop is scheduled for May 10 - 14, 2004 at the Nashville Airport Marriott. There will be 16 papers presented and spaces for 40 exhibitors. Training sessions will be held on Monday and Thursday and Friday of that week.

Details may be obtained from the workshop director Ed Pritchard at Oak Ridge Metrology Center by e-mail or by phone at 865-574-4261or fax at 865-574-2802.
Web Page: http://www.y12.doe.gov/.index.html/

Two downloadable PDFs are available:
Exhibitor Form and Call For Papers

 

Alcon Selects Blue Mountain Quality Resources’ Calibration Manager® 4e As Their Calibration Management Solution

Blue Mountain Quality Resources, Inc., the validated leader in calibration management software, announced that Alcon has selected Calibration Manager 4e as its enterprise calibration management software solution. Blue Mountain’s Calibration Manager 4e utilizes a leading-edge, web-based, distributed architecture allowing Alcon to centralize and standardize its calibration management process.

Alcon plans to initially deploy Calibration Manager at four sites, including Pennsylvania, Texas, Belgium and Ireland.

“We are pleased Alcon is joining other industry-leading life science companies in selecting the functionality of Calibration Manager 4e as its enterprise solution,” said Jim Erickson, president of Blue Mountain. “We are confident that Calibration Manager 4e will assist Alcon with increasing productivity, managing compliance, and ultimately maximizing their return on investment,” continued Erickson.

“After evaluating Calibration Manager 4e, we believe the software’s platform, architecture, and feature set will allow Alcon to improve the management of our calibration activity,” said Robert McNiece, Sr. Information Specialist. “By implementing Calibration Manager 4e, we will not only be able to centralize GxP compliance, but also reduce validation and Part 11 costs.”

New Website Unveiled At PCI

Pharmaceutical Calibrations and Instrumentation, LLC (PCI) has released a new website to provide a greater summary of services offered by the company.

PCI specializes in the calibration of process and analytical equipment, the start-up and maintenance of calibration programs, and instrument commissioning for regulated industries. The integrity of PCI's staff offers clients consistent and reliable services. PCI's managers and technicians are experienced in quality calibrations and documentation that is FDA and ISO compliant.

PCI has office locations in North Carolina, Indiana and Michigan, and provides on-site calibration services nationwide. For additional information, contact PCI.

 

Guidances CDER is Planning to Develop During Fiscal Year 2003

FDA's CDER has published a list of the guidances that CDER is planning to develop during fiscal year 2003. Visit CDER's website to keep abreast of the coming developments.

Guidances of interest to the calibration professional are planned for Compliance, and Electronic Submissions.

 

Interactive Workshops Planned For FDA/Industry

The current GMP practices are under review using risk based analysis to achieve better quality using a systems approach. This approach is intended by the Food and Drug Administration to make its current investigator force more productive.

The new cGMP’s will have potential program management and logistical benefits for both FDA and the pharmaceutical industry. But the industry and the agency need to fully understand the process, and work together toward their common goal of safe and effective drug products of consistently high quality.

Visit FDA's CDER website for more information regarding the conference. Three sessions have been scheduled -- June 16 in E. Rutherford, NJ; July 14 in San Juan, PR; and August 12 in Chicago, IL.

This workshop will help both industry and FDA in understanding the process. The workshops have been designed to show:

  • What are FDA's thinking and goals
  • What is industry's thinking on the new initiative
  • What are the drivers for the change
  • What are the costs and compliance implications
  • What are the obstacles
  • Industry's practical experiences to date in implementing quality systems
  • The experience of FDA investigators on quality systems and current observations
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