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NOVEMBER 2003 INDUSTRY NEWS

 

Instron Corporation's Force Calibration Service

Instron is pleased to announce a new and unique force calibration service. Instron has the capability to calibrate secondary force standards up to 240,000 pounds (ISO376) and 130,000 pounds (ASTM E74), using the largest deadweight stack in North America outside of NIST.

Instron can accommodate most calibration methods. The calibration method can be in tension, compression, or both modes, and can consist of increasing and decreasing loads. We can also provide full hysteresis analysis of your load cell with both an increasing and decreasing load calibration.

Instron’s Force Calibration Laboratory is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 by NVLAP (Lab Code # 200301-0).

For more information contact Instron at www.instron.com or email: matthew_banik@instron.com

 

EsscoLab's New Fiber Optic Onsite Service & Products

Essco Labs has invested heavily in training and state-of-the-art fiber optic calibration instruments from Agilent Technologies to become one of the first independent labs to support the growing needs of the fiber optic industry. This now includes offering fiber optic calibration service onsite.

Accurate optical power measurement forms the basis of most lightwave test instrumentation. In an area where small losses can make the world of difference, calibration is required. High integrity calibrations are no longer the province of the distant manufacturer. Calibration service for your fiber optic and most all of your general test equipment is available from Essco, a registered, accredited calibration laboratory with 40 years of experience serving the challenging and changing economy.

Typical categories of fiber optic instruments serviced are:

  • Optical Power Meters
  • Optical Sources

  • Optical Attenuators

  • Optical Amplifiers

  • Return-Loss Measurements

  • Optical Lightwave Meters

  • Optical Time-Domain Reflectometers (OTDR)

  • Optical Converters

  • Optical Spectrum Analyzers


Agilent's Position on 'Indeterminate' Points

Agilent has posted on their Metrology Forum web site Agilent's position on 'indeterminate' points. Agilent has considered this situation at great length, in conjunction with input from its customers. The result is an approach that strikes a good balance between what is metrologically precise and what customers really want and Agilent's desire to provide realistic, commercially acceptable ISO 17025 calibration service.

Visit the Metrology Forum and read the article, Specification Compliance Decisions with respect to "ISO 17025 Calibration."



ISO 13485 Draft Guidance Due Out In November

Draft guidance on the application of ISO 13485 will be released for public comment in November and is expected to be finalized in February.

ISO 13485 provides quality management system requirements for medical device manufacturers. The guidance will offer direction on implementing all the different sections of ISO 13485 and will offer additional helpful tips on use of the standard. Stay informed with recent updates to FDA's CDRH web site by visiting the CDRH NEW mailing list subscription site at http://list.nih.gov/archives/cdrhnew.html

 

Preliminary Program for NACLA's Laboratory Accreditation Forum Now Available

The third annual NACLA Forum on Laboratory Accreditation/Annual General Meeting (AGM) is scheduled for April 5 - 6, 2003 at the Sheraton Columbia Hotel in Columbia, Maryland. All persons representing organizations with a stake in the accreditation of laboratories: Accrediting Bodies, Calibration and Testing Laboratories, Manufacturers, and Government Agencies should attend. Past NACLA Forums/AGMs have been well received and have conveyed valuable information about important accreditation developments. As in 2003, the NACLA AGM will feature an extensive dialogue between NACLA leaders and AGM attendees.

Topics covered include: measurement uncertainty in the testing laboratory, an in-depth description of the most important persons in the accreditation equation -- assessors, the bottom line value of accreditation and recognition, the latest developments in NACLA and an opportunity to dialogue with NACLA leaders about the program.

Visit NACLA for registration information.

 

A2LA Policy on Measurement Traceability

The American Association of Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) has made available a policy document to explain the concept of measurement traceability, how it can be achieved, and how it can be demonstrated. A2LA requirements pertaining to measurement uncertainty are described. This document is intended for all A2LA-accredited and enrolled calibration and testing laboratories. The Traceability Policy is available at http://www.a2la2.net/policies/tracepol.pdf

 

Thermo Electron Acquires Laboratory Services Provider LMSi

Thermo Electron Corporation, a leading global supplier of laboratory instruments and services, announced that it has acquired Laboratory Management Systems, Inc. (LMSi) of New Castle, Delaware. LMSi is a supplier of regulatory instrument and consulting services to the pharmaceutical and related industries, and generated revenues of $11 million during its 2003 fiscal year. In its nine-year history, LMSi has been ranked three times on Inc. magazine’s annual “Inc. 500” list of America’s fastest-growing private companies.

LMSi specializes in performing instrument and computer systems validation, metrology, and certification, as well as a range of associated consulting services. The company has developed a broad portfolio of analytical instrument validation protocols and operating procedures that enable laboratories to comply with U.S. Food and Drug Administration requirements.

“This acquisition is an important step in our strategy to offer customers comprehensive laboratory solutions that include full product support, for almost any instrument, anywhere,” said Marijn E. Dekkers, president and chief executive officer of Thermo Electron. “Adding LMSi’s regulatory and compliance expertise to our global laboratory service network will allow us to be a regulatory validation and consulting partner to customers who face increasing productivity, quality, and regulatory challenges.”

Chuck Whitney, a founder of LMSi, remarked, “Combining LMSi’s expertise with Thermo’s global resources and extensive line of products and services significantly benefits our mutual customers, who are some of the leading names in the pharmaceutical industry. Thermo is uniquely positioned to offer customers unparalleled product breadth and the security of partnering with a well-recognized global services provider.”

A world leader in high-tech instruments, Thermo Electron Corporation helps life science, laboratory, and industrial customers advance scientific knowledge, enable drug discovery, improve manufacturing processes, and protect people and the environment with instruments, scientific equipment, and integrated software solutions.

Transcat’s CEO Carl Sassano Elected Chairman of the Board; Former Chairman Cornelius J. Murphy Named Lead Director

Transcat, Inc., a leading global distributor of professional grade test, measurement, and calibration instruments and a provider of calibration and repair services, is pleased to announce that Carl E. Sassano, President and Chief Executive Officer, has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors, succeeding Cornelius J. Murphy who has been elected Lead Director. As Lead Director, Mr. Murphy will preside over regularly scheduled meetings of independent directors, act as a liaison between the Board and management, and work with Transcat’s Chairman, President and CEO Carl Sassano to provide general board leadership.

Mr. Sassano stated, “We wish to acknowledge Neil’s exceptional contributions to Transcat, Inc. which span 12 years of dedicated service. We are both grateful for his long and highly effective service as a director of the Company and pleased that he has chosen to remain as Lead Director, allowing us to continue to draw upon his many years of experience.”

“As CEO, over the past year and a half we have developed an organizational and business model for profitable growth. The markets for test and measurement instruments and calibration services surpass a billion dollars each and we are well positioned to grow within them. I am thrilled to be leading both the company and the Board as Transcat enters this growth phase.”

Commonly Asked Questions About Mass Standards

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, Weights and Measures Division is asked numerous questions throughout the year regarding mass standards, specifications for mass standards, mass manufacturers, calibration intervals, availability of documents and publications, and sources of calibration. The Weights & Measures Division summarizes the answers to many commonly asked questions.

This page of FAQs can be found at: http://ts.nist.gov/ts/htdocs/230/235/caqmass.htm

 

Michell Leads the Way to Cool Calibration

Michell Instruments Limited, the UK's leading supplier of hygrometers and moisture analysers, is yet again leading the way in the provision of traceable dew point calibration.

For twenty years, Michell's humidity calibration systems have been maintained traceable to the premier national standards held by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), London and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Washington, USA. For much of that time the lowest achievable humidity level claimed by both NPL and NIST has been -75 °C dew point, which is equivalent to one part per million of moisture in dry gas. Recently the NPL has extended its capability down to -90 °C dew point (0.1 ppmV) and now offers a UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) calibration facility to that low level.

As part of a strategic investment into the capability to produce high performance hygrometry for the pure gas and semiconductor industry, Michell has had its primary transfer standard hygrometer, a S4000 TRS Cooled Mirror Dewpointmeter, successfully calibrated at NPL to this new low limit and can now offer traceable calibration to -90 °C dew point on all of its low end hygrometer products. Instruments to benefit from this extension of traceability are the Easidew, Transmet, Cermax and Pura product ranges. Pura in particular is designed for use in high purity gas applications and is, Michell believes, the only such product to benefit from traceability to a National Standard down to 0.1 ppmV (in the semiconductor industry known as 100 parts per billion).

Over the coming months Michell will be applying this extended measurement capability to its own United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited humidity calibration laboratory and expects to be able to offer UKAS calibrations to -90 °C dew point from early in 2004, giving a complete range from 100ppb to 25,000 ppm (-90 to +20 °C dew point).

 

Emerson's Schleiss Receives Prestigious Honor for Leadership in Process Automation Industry

T. Duncan Schleiss of Emerson Process Management received the prestigious E.G. Bailey Award from the Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society (ISA) for his leadership and vision in the process automation industry.

Schleiss, vice president of marketing for Emerson Process Management's systems business, was honored for numerous contributions to the society and process automation industry, including helping to launch Emerson's industry-leading DeltaV™ digital automation system.

Schleiss is only the 14th recipient of the award in the society's 58 year history. He received the award during the 2003 ISA Expo's Honors and Awards banquet.

Society President Robert P. Ives lauded Schleiss for his "leadership in the design, development and application of a new and innovative automation system utilizing digital communication protocols."

In the early 1990s — before personal computers became widely accepted for process control applications — Emerson pioneered a new frontier in automation technology that would enable process manufacturers to operate plants at full potential by dramatically reducing installed costs without having to rely on costly computer experts.

The DeltaV digital automation system launched in 1995 is part of Emerson's PlantWeb® digital plant architecture that reduces engineering and conversion costs, and enables operational benefits by improving plant throughput, availability, and quality.

Schleiss joins an elite group of Emerson leaders who have been honored by the society, including Emerson Process Management President John Berra, who recently received ISA's "Life Achievement Award." ISA's InTech magazine in August ranked several Emerson visionaries among the 50 most influential people credited with advancing automation, instrumentation, and control technologies, including Berra; Marion A. "Bud" Keyes, senior vice president of Emerson Process Management; William "Bill" Fisher, founder of Fisher Controls; and Vernon Heath, founder of Rosemount.

Renishaw Creates Canadian Subsidiary to Support Group's Products

Renishaw has established a full-service Canadian subsidiary in Mississauga, Ontario, to support applications of its world-class inspection probe, calibration system and encoder products. Located in Canada's industrial heartland, the new subsidiary is staffed by experienced company employees with strong technical and product backgrounds.

With headquarters in the UK, Renishaw plc is a world leader in technologies for automated part inspection, machine calibration, and micron-level positioning control. It has supplied process improvement technologies to manufacturing companies worldwide since 1973. The global leader in touch-trigger inspection probe systems for CNC machine tools and coordinate measuring machines (CMMs), Renishaw has diversified into other market sectors with scanning systems, laser calibration systems, precision encoders and Raman spectroscopy systems.

Daniele Nori, Canadian general manager, formerly held management positions in Renishaw's Italian and Indian offices.

Paul Moore, technical support leader, has more than 20 years Renishaw experience with heavy concentration in machine tool applications. He previously held positions with Renishaw in the UK, Far East and Brazil.

Four other experienced Renishaw technical specialists round out the start-up staff for the new office.

"Our first priority was to provide strong technical and applications support to our existing Canadian customers," says Nori. "The facility will also have sales responsibility and next we will be adding those positions."

The new Canadian subsidiary can be reached at:

Renishaw (Canada) Limited
2180 Dunwin Drive, Unit #1
Mississauga ONT L5L 5M8
Phone: 905-828-0104
Fax: 905-828-5519
Email: canada@renishaw.com

 

Pyrometer Instrument Company Launches Temperature Measurement Web Site

Pyrometer Instrument Company, Inc. has launched its new Innovations and Technology for the Future -- Temperature Measurement Web Site at www.pyrometer.com. In-depth product information, technical articles and paper, infrared and emissivity fundamentals, blackbody theory and news events make this web site extremely informative for industry and laboratory users.

The web site features Pyrometer's exclusive ePyroCal Emissivity Calculator to help infrared users understand heh impact of emissivity errors on infrared temperature measurements. An informative article details the causes and solutions for varying emissivity measurement technology that Pyro offers.

In addition to technology and product news, visitors can request quotations, contact the sales department, customer service or corporate offices directly from the web site.

 

NIST-NACLA MOU Renewed and NACLA Planning To Relocate

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Cooperation for Laboratory Accreditation (NACLA) have renewed their memorandum of understanding (MOU) that was originally signed in July of 2000. The renewed MOU incorporates some changes based on the experiences of the past three years, and reiterates NIST's support of NACLA, at a time when NACLA is preparing to relocate its business office from NIST, in Gaithersburg, MD, to Orlando, FL.

"We want to assure all NACLA stakeholders that the organization's relocation from NIST is not an indication of diminished support for or reliance on NACLA by NIST," according to Rich Kayser, Director of NIST Technology Services. “NIST staff will continue to participate actively in NACLA, and NIST will continue to rely on NACLA recognition of the competence of laboratory accreditation bodies located in the United States in carrying out its responsibilities as a designating authority for several trade agreeements between the United States and other economic regions."

According to the terms of the original MOU, NIST was to provide generic verification for other Federal agencies of NACLA's conformance to the accepted criteria for recognition bodies. Under the revised MOU, NIST will carefully monitor NACLA's performance to ensure that NIST’s own continued reliance on NACLA is warranted; and, upon request, NIST will provide a similar verification service for other Federal agencies.

In signing the new MOU for NACLA, Dr. Louis Dixon, NACLA President, stated his appreciation
for NIST's support in the past and for NIST's plan to continue to support, participate in, and rely on NACLA.

"NIST's support for NACLA has been invaluable," Dr. Dixon said. "The fact that NACLA is now able to establish its new offices, independent of NIST, is an indication of NACLA's maturation.
The revised MOU represents a new phase in the constructive relationship between our two organizations; we are now equal partners in the challenging endeavor of coordinating U.S. laboratory accreditation."

NACLA will relocate its offices at the end of 2003 and will provide full details of the relocation at that time. A copy of the renewed NIST-NALCA MOU can be found on the NACLA web site,www.nacla.net/Documents/NIST-NACLAMOU.pdf

 

FDA Training Program for Regulatory Project Managers

The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) has announced a continuation of the Regulatory Project Management Site Tours and Regulatory Interaction Program. This training program was initiated in 1999, and is intended to give CDER regulatory project managers an opportunity to tour pharmaceutical facilities and to exchange regulatory experiences with their industry counterparts. The Site Tours Program is intended to enhance review efficiency and quality by providing CDER staff with a better understanding of the pharmaceutical industry and its operations. Further, this program is intended to improve communication and cooperation between CDER staff and industry.

To learn more about this Program please view the Federal Register notice at: www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/2003n-0455-n000001.pdf

 

Mettler-Toledo Reports Third Quarter 2003 Results
Mettler-Toledo International Inc. announced net earnings of $24.2 million, or $0.53 per share on a diluted basis, for the quarter ended September 30, 2003. This represents a 4% increase over net earnings per share of $0.51 for the third quarter of 2002.

For the nine-month periods ending September 30, net earnings per share were $1.47 in 2003 and $1.46 in 2002. These amounts exclude restructuring charges in both periods and a one-time tax gain in 2002. On a reported basis, net earnings per share were $1.38 in 2003, versus $1.52 in 2002.

Sales for the quarter were $320.8 million, compared with $307.0 million in 2002. This represents a 5% benefit from currency and flat local currency sales. Adjusted operating income amounted to $39.8 million, compared with $40.2 million in the prior year.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2003, the Company reported sales of $934.0 million, compared with $876.4 million for 2002. This represents a 7% increase in reported sales, consisting of an 8% benefit from currency and a 1% decline in local currency sales. Adjusted operating income in 2003 amounted to $113.3 million, compared with $113.8 million in the same period of 2002. Adjusted operating income after restructuring charges was $107.8 million in 2003 and $85.1 million in 2002.

Robert F. Spoerry, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We achieved our financial targets for the quarter even as we continue to operate in a challenging global economy. Although sales were flat in local currency, gross margins continued to increase over the prior year, thanks to cost-savings initiatives such as manufacturing consolidation. As expected, adjusted operating income in the quarter was constant with the prior year. Cash flow generation was very strong at $36.7 million, which represents a 21% increase over the prior year amount. In the coming weeks, we plan to refinance our existing bank debt, which is due in May 2004, with a new bank facility that provides greater financial flexibility than our existing one. Given the attractiveness of longer-term rates, we are exploring options to raise debt in the capital markets in conjunction with this refinancing."

Spoerry concluded, "Our strategic initiatives remain firmly on track. Due to an accelerated R&D investment over the last few years, our product pipeline is at a record level. We began the rollout of our new laboratory products with a new generation of analytical balances. These instruments provide value to customers through enhanced throughput and better ergonomics. Other core growth initiatives, such as expanding our services offering and broadening our product portfolio in Asia, are also yielding benefits. We remain diligent in our cost-reduction initiatives and, in the fourth quarter, we will complete our transfer of production from South Carolina to China."

 

FARO Technologies Reports 59% Increase In Fiscal Third Quarter 2003 Revenues

FARO Technologies, Inc. reported its fifth consecutive profitable quarter, exceeding its targeted range of sales and earnings, fueled by an increase in sales and a reduction of operating expenses as a percentage of sales.

Net income was $3.3 million, or 26 cents per diluted share, in the quarter that ended September 27, 2003, compared to $72,000, or one cent per diluted share in the year-ago quarter, which ended September 30, 2002. Excluding a $1.1 million gain from settlement of litigation, net income was $2.2 million, or 17 cents per diluted share in the quarter ended September 27, 2003.

Sales for the quarter were $19.2 million, a Company record for any quarter and a 58.7% increase from $12.1 million in the third quarter of 2002. Sales increased from higher laser tracker and FaroArm unit sales and from price increases on the laser tracker and FaroArm products in January 2003. Sales in the third quarter of 2003 exceeded the high end of the Company's $16-$17 million forecast by $2.2 million, or 12.9% as a result of an increase in new orders and because of a ramp up in production to meet its goal of shorter delivery times.

"We had new order bookings of approximately $17.3 million during the quarter, an increase of $3.4 million, or 24.4% compared to approximately $13.9 million in the year-ago quarter," said Simon Raab, President and CEO. "We continue to achieve strong growth despite a sluggish manufacturing sector."

 

Varian Medical Systems Reports Record Earnings, Sales, Net Orders, andBacklog for Fiscal-Year 2003

Strong demand for new radiation therapy products led to another year of record earnings, sales, net orders, and year-ending backlog for Varian Medical Systems in fiscal year 2003. The company today reported net earnings of $43.6 million ($0.61 per diluted share) for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2003, versus net earnings of $33.8 million ($0.48 per diluted share) in the year-ago quarter. Net earnings for fiscal year 2003 were $130.9 million ($1.84 per diluted share) versus net earnings of $93.6 million ($1.33 per diluted share) for fiscal year 2002.

Fourth-quarter sales were a record $303.3 million, up 16 percent from the year-ago quarter, bringing sales for the fiscal year to $1.0 billion, up $168.5 million or 19 percent higher than totals for fiscal year 2002.

The company also reported record net orders of $322.3 million for the fourth quarter, up 10 percent from the year ago quarter. Total net orders for fiscal year 2003 were $1.2 billion, up 18 percent from the fiscal year 2002 total. The backlog at year's end stood at $808.4 million, 16 percent higher than at the end of fiscal year 2002.

"The company had another superb fourth quarter, setting all-time records for any quarter for net orders, sales, gross profit, operating earnings, and earnings per share," said Richard M. Levy, chairman and CEO of Varian Medical Systems.

"We strengthened our balance sheet during the quarter, ending the year with $407.4 million in cash and marketable securities after buying back $37.2 million in company stock during the quarter," said Levy. "Our operating cash flow for the quarter was $68.3 million - a record for any quarter in the company's history. Accounts receivable days sales outstanding also improved to 73 days at year's end, down 7 days from the end of last year."

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