JUNE 2005 INDUSTRY NEWS

• On Second Thought Hexagon Metrology to Stay in Rhode Island


• U.S. Navy Chooses Mitutoyo CMM For Calibration Lab


• Symmetricom to Acquire Agilent Technologies' Frequency and Time Standards Product Line


• Acquisition of SPECTRO Expands AMETEK's High-End Analytical Instrument Platform


• World Standards Day - October 6, 2005


• Tektronix Reports Full Year Results and Q4 of Fiscal 2005


• Fluke Announces Acquisition of LEM Instruments


• Tutorials Planned For This Year's NCSL International Conference


• USP Launches Redesigned Web Site


• Hexagon Makes Surprise Offer for Leica Geosystems


• Guildline Instruments News


• Agilent Technologies Presents First Bill Hewlett Award


• Starrett CMM Business Sold to Hexagon Metrology


• Megown Test and Measurement Inc. Is Authorized to the Agilent Advantage Assurance Program


• Shadow Technique Improves Measurement of Micro Holes


• Lattice Trap Improves Optical Clocks


• NIST Method Improves Timing in Oscilloscopes


• ASPE 2005 Summer Topical Meeting - Precision Interferometric Metrology


• Dynamic Technology, Inc. to Provide Service & Repair for Tegam/Tektronix MTI Instruments


• Sypris to Survey Gauss Meter Users at Sensors Expo


• Director of NIST Nomination

Hexagon Metrology North America confirmed on June 23, 2005 that it has signed a lease agreement with the Quonset Development Corporation to develop a new 115,000 square foot facility on approximately 14 acres of land in Kiefer Park, Quonset Point, Rhode Island.   The agreement was signed after a previously announced plan to move the Company to Connecticut was unable to be finalized.   The facility will house Hexagon Metrology’s new North America headquarters and backoffice operations, Brown & Sharpe product engineering and manufacturing, distribution of Brown & Sharpe/Tesa products, plus laboratory, training and demonstration facilities.

Hexagon Metrology worked with the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation and the Town of North Kingstown to secure necessary approvals with the respective boards at the Town and State prior to signing the lease agreement.   The Company plans a groundbreaking ceremony for the new building as soon as next week.

"We are glad to have finally brought this process to a conclusion, and are pleased with the Quonset Point location," said Bill Gruber, President and CEO of Hexagon Metrology North America.   "Our primary motivation now is to move forward with construction and move into the new facility as quickly as possible.   Our reason for relocating is the same as it’s always been: we need a facility that better suits the operational requirements of our business as it exists today.   A new facility at Quonset Point will meet these needs with minimal disruption to our operations and staff."

"With regard to the Connecticut plans, we really appreciate all the effort that the people of North Stonington had made on our behalf, including all the departments and commissions involved, and in particular First Selectman Nicholas Mullane," continued Gruber.   "In the end, however, Hexagon and the State of Connecticut were unable to agree upon the terms and conditions of the State’s assistance agreement."

"I'm very pleased that Hexagon Metrology has indicated their intentions to stay in Rhode Island," Governor Donald L. Carcieri said.   "The Economic Development Corporation and I have been working hard to provide Hexagon with the support they needed to move to Quonset.   We believe that today's announcement will enable us to save over 200 high-paying Rhode Island jobs."

The Hexagon Metrology group of Hexagon AB (Sweden) is the world’s largest manufacturer of precision dimensional measurement equipment and software, with ten manufacturing facilities on four continents and more than forty sales and support locations worldwide.   Hexagon’s brands include Brown & Sharpe, CE Johansson, CIMCORE, DEA, Leitz, PC-DMIS, ROMER, Sheffield and TESA.   More information can be found at www.hexagon.se.

U.S. Navy Chooses Mitutoyo CMM For Calibration Lab

Weapon technology is advancing rapidly and the measurement technology that it needs must advance with it to enable the correct determination of new system effectiveness. In response to this, the U.S. Navy’s Calibration department, NAVSEA, had to replace an old CMM machine to advance their Metrology R&D department.

The largest of the Navy's five systems commands, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) engineers, builds and supports America's Fleet of ships and combat systems. Accounting for nearly one-fifth of the Navy's budget (approximately $20 billion), NAVSEA manages more than 130 acquisition programs, which are assigned to six affiliated Program Executive Officers (PEOs) and various Headquarters elements.

After several tests, the Mitutoyo Legex 12128 was chosen due to its high accuracy. The Legex accuracy ISO-10360-2 specification (0.6+1.5L/1000 um) was the deciding factor for NAVSEA. After installation of the machine, NAVSEA measured the uncertainty of the Legex 12128. The machine probing performance exceeded the published specifications (0.6+1.5L/1000 um).

NAVSEA customers include: Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Commerce (DOC), Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), US Postal Service, National Security Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Canadian DOD, US Army, US Air Force Missile Defense Agency, Assistant Secretary of the Navy – Research, Development and Acquisition (ASN(RDA)), Strategic Systems Programs, Office of Naval Research (Best Manufacturing Practices), AEGIS, Virginia Class Submarines, Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM), Surface Ship Undersea Warfare, Ships Self Defense System (SSDS), Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS).

Mitutoyo America Corporation, a sales and marketing subsidiary of Japan-based Mitutoyo Corporation, provides a nationwide network of Metrology Centers and support operations for application, calibration, service, repair and educational programs for industry.

Symmetricom to Acquire Agilent Technologies' Frequency and Time Standards Product Line

Symmetricom Inc., a worldwide leader in precise time and frequency products and services, and Agilent Technologies Inc. announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which Symmetricom would purchase Agilent's Frequency and Time Standards product line. Under the terms of the proposed transaction, Symmetricom will pay approximately $8.0 million in cash. The acquisition is expected to close in several weeks.

Agilent's Frequency and Time Standards product line includes the 5071A Primary Frequency Standard, one of the highest-performing commercial cesium standards available for timekeeping. The cesium clock, accurate to one second every 162,000 years, is used in government laboratories worldwide. Customers include national time authorities and measurement institutes, such as the U.S. Naval Observatory and the world's time authority, BIPM, in France (BIPM provides the internationally recognized definition of a second of time). The U.S. government also uses Agilent's precision timing instruments for satellite communication ground stations and precision navigation.

"The acquisition of Agilent's cesium products strengthens our technology leadership in high-precision timing," said Thomas Steipp, chief executive officer of Symmetricom. "Having the high-performance products and expertise will allow us to leverage our R&D investments in cesium for the benefit of both Agilent and Symmetricom customers. We are committed to further advancing cesium atomic oscillator technology to serve our customers' full range of requirements for precise time and frequency."

"For more than 40 years, scientists and technicians around the world have trusted Agilent's atomic cesium clocks, and we believe that they are the most precise cesium-based timing tools commercially available," said Bob Burns, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Nanotechnology Measurement Division. "As Agilent focuses on new market areas, we are pleased to transition this important world-leading and historic product line to Symmetricom, where our customers will find continuity with a company that understands their needs and can provide them with strong worldwide support."

Burns added that Agilent and Symmetricom are working closely to ensure a smooth transition for the product line's customers and employees. Symmetricom has made job offers to all of the Santa Clara, Calif.-based Agilent employees who support the product line. Manufacturing will move to San Jose, Calif., following a transition period.

Cesium standards are mission-critical frequency references used in government timekeeping, communications and satellite applications, and aerospace and telecommunications networks worldwide. Agilent (then part of Hewlett-Packard Company) pioneered the cesium standard in 1964 and has historically addressed the high-performance end of the market, including timekeeping for the United States as well as for official time authorities and measurement institutes throughout the world.

Symmetricom pioneered the use of cesium atomic clocks on board the Global Positioning System satellites, enabling full operational capability of GPS in April 1995. The precision and stability of cesium atomic clock technology is the enabling element in GPS's precision navigation accuracy. The evolution of GPS-based systems has resulted in worldwide access to precision signals, which are used in navigation, telecommunications, safety of life and rescue, surveying, agriculture and a myriad of other applications. Symmetricom has also been a leading provider of cesium solutions for the world's telecommunications markets.

Acquisition of SPECTRO Expands AMETEK's High-End Analytical Instrument Platform

AMETEK, Inc. has acquired SPECTRO Beteiligungs GmbH (“SPECTRO”), the holding company of SPECTRO Analytical Instruments GmbH & Co KG and its affiliates.  SPECTRO is a leading global supplier of Atomic Spectroscopy analytical instrumentation.  With its headquarters in Kleve, Germany, SPECTRO has annual sales of approximately $104 million.  

SPECTRO designs, manufactures, and services a broad array of atomic spectroscopic instrumentation used to analyze the elemental composition of solids and liquids.  Using optical emission or energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) measurement techniques, SPECTRO’s instruments address the analysis requirements of a variety of end markets, including, metal production and processing, environmental testing, hydrocarbon processing, aerospace, food processing, and pharmaceutical. 

“We are very excited about the acquisition of SPECTRO,” commented AMETEK Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Frank S. Hermance.  “SPECTRO is a highly differentiated business, which significantly expands our elemental analysis capabilities, bringing new technologies and market opportunities to AMETEK.  With this acquisition, our high-end analytical businesses now total nearly $375 million in annual revenue.”

“SPECTRO holds a leading market position for metal analyzers, employing Arc/Spark optical emission spectrometry - a technique widely regarded as the most precise and reliable measurement for this market.  SPECTRO’s Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) optical emission spectrometers also bring to AMETEK the capability to make analytical liquids analysis, opening new measurement opportunities for AMETEK, particularly for environmental testing. 

 “In addition, SPECTRO’s ED-XRF-based products complement those manufactured by our EDAX business, enabling AMETEK to supply a broader range of products to this very attractive market,” added Mr. Hermance.

 SPECTRO joins AMETEK as part of its Electronic Instruments Group (EIG) -a recognized leader in advanced monitoring, testing, calibrating, and display instruments.  AMETEK EIG sells its instruments to the process, aerospace, power, and industrial markets worldwide and had 2004 sales of approximately $667 million.

World Standards Day - October 6, 2005

The U.S. standardization and conformity assessment community will celebrate World Standards Week 2005 with a blend of stimulating forums, networking events and ceremonies during the week of October 3-7, 2005, in Washington, DC. The annual week of activities grew out of the U.S. observance of World Standards Day, which began as a celebration of the birth of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) on October 14, 1946. Today, World Standards Day is sponsored annually by ISO; the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

The goal of World Standards Day is to raise awareness of the importance of global standardization to the world economy and to promote its role in helping meet the needs of business, industry, government, and consumers worldwide. The international event pays tribute to the value of standardization in the global marketplace, to the consuming public and to the thousands of volunteers around the world who participate in standardization activities.

The 2005 U.S. theme of World Standards Day is "Improving Safety and Security Through Standards." Standards and conformity assessment programs for products, services, or processes that have safety and security as their foundation can foster a better society by defending against threats, protecting critical infrastructure, and even saving lives.

The U.S. observance of World Standards Day will be held on Thursday, October 6, 2005, at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC. ASME president Richard E. Feigel will serve as honorary chairman during the WSD exhibition, reception and dinner. Feigel is vice president of engineering for Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company in Hartford, Conn. In this capacity, he is responsible for risk analysis and consults with clients worldwide on strategies for risk mitigation, inspection, and maintenance of boilers and related pressure systems.

WSD is co-chaired by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and ANSI. The administrating organization for this year's event is the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). With participation by some 50 trade associations, professional societies, standards development organizations, corporations, and government agencies, the celebration pays tribute to the value of standardization to the nation's economy and the consuming public.

Read ANSI Online for further information.

Tektronix Reports Full Year Results and Q4 of Fiscal 2005

Tektronix, Inc. reported net sales of $1.035 billion and net earnings from continuing operations of $78.9 million or $0.89 per share for the fiscal year ended May 28, 2005.

"This was a great year for Tektronix. Sales exceeded $1 billion and pro forma earnings grew over 35%," said Rick Wills, Tektronix Chairman and CEO. "The Inet acquisition is yielding much stronger growth than we initially projected. We are excited about the opportunity we see in that business. In addition, the increased investments in engineering in the rest of the business over the last few years have enabled us to make great progress in new product development and contributed to our ability to take market share in several product categories. During the year, we strengthened the management team through internal promotions and external hiring and enhanced the quality and reach of our world-class distribution system."

"A strong finish to the quarter enabled us to deliver solid orders and sales above the high end of our revised guidance, despite some mid-quarter softness in demand," said Wills.

"Although down from last year, the Americas and the Pacific regions had their best quarter of the fiscal year for orders and we continue to see growth in Japan," continued Wills. "Our two newest product categories are gaining traction with strong growth in the quarter and good progress in new product development."

For the first quarter of fiscal 2006, the company expects net sales to be approximately $230 - $240 million. Earnings per share from continuing operations are expected to be between $0.20 and $0.26 before mostly non-cash costs related to the acquisition of Inet Technologies and other one-time costs. Assuming stable markets, normal seasonality and the strength of new products in the second half, the company expects the first quarter to represent the low point for the year in terms of both sales and earnings per share.

Recent highlights include the following:

• The TDS6000C, the world's fastest real-time oscilloscope family, received the Ultimate Product Award from the readers of EE Times and eeProductCenter.
• The U.S. Air Force awarded Tektronix a five-year requirements contract to supply digital oscilloscopes which will be used in the installation, maintenance and support of an array of electronic equipment and systems ranging from low-end radio systems to highly sophisticated radar and EW systems.
• The purchase by a number of leading Chinese universities over several years of more than two thousand Tektronix TDS1000 and TDS2000 oscilloscopes which will be used to upgrade the research facilities of their engineering labs.
• Tektronix announced new oscilloscope software and logic analyzer test solutions to facilitate development and implementation of advanced serial data standards such as Fully Buffered DIMM (FB-DIMM) and PCI Express - high speed serial data standards that require robust test and validation.
• Tektronix introduced several new products to support next-generation video technology including the MTS400 Series Compressed Video Test System which provides the highest performance analysis engine on the market along with real-time Video over IP monitoring, the addition of the VC-1 advanced compression video codec and upgrades to the WVR7100 Rasterizer which add Dolby® E and Dolby® Digital capabilities to meet audio quality demands.
• The introduction of several significant logic analyzer products including the TLA7012 portable mainframe and TLA7016 benchtop mainframe which work in combination with automated features and an improved user interface. Tektronix also announced that it achieved market share leadership with just over 50% of logic analyzer sales worldwide in 2004.
• Just after the end of the quarter, Tektronix acquired TDA Systems, a maker of time domain software tools for high speed serial data customers based in Lake Oswego, Oregon. The TDA Systems business will be integrated into Tektronix' sampling oscilloscope product line.

Fluke Announces Acquisition of LEM Instruments

Fluke Corporation, announced that it has acquired LEM Instruments, a division of LEM Group. LEM Instruments is a leading European manufacturer of test and measurement equipment including analyzers and systems for power quality applications, earth/ground testers, insulation testers, low-resistance ohmmeters, clamp meters and clamp-on power meters. LEM Instruments is also the leading supplier of high precision current probes to the automotive market.

"The acquisition of LEM Instruments is a tremendous complement to our growing electrical business," said Jim Lico, President, Fluke Corporation. "They have a strong power quality product offering in the European industrial and utility segments. Coupled with the recent introduction of the Fluke 430 Series Power Quality Analyzers, the addition of LEM Instruments gives Fluke a comprehensive product line backed by strong, global sales channels."

"LEM Instruments and Fluke share a strong commitment to understanding the needs of our customers and helping them to do their job better and faster with innovative, high-quality, easy- to-use tools," said Jan Roetman, General Manager, Fluke Europe. "The combined product offering will enable us to bring a broader range of technical solutions and innovation to the marketplace, benefiting both our channel partners and customers."

Tutorials Planned For This Year's NCSL International Conference

The NCSL International conference is approaching and promises to be of great interest with many outstanding technical and managerial sessions and tutorials scheduled this year in Washington, D. C. This conference, with its many activities, is designed for effective networking and sharing of ideas and expertise within the metrology community.

This year NCSL International will offer 20 tutorials in conjunction with the Annual Workshop & Symposium. For more information about each tutorial please visit www.ncsli.org/conference/.

USP Launches Redesigned Web Site

U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) announced that it has redesigned its Web site to better serve an increasingly diverse audience of international partners and constituents. The Web site, located at www.usp.org, will streamline navigation as well as provide improved archiving for news and information. The Web site content is intended to educate various audiences and enable viewers to find the information they are searching more quickly and more accurately.

The new site includes a multi-lingual portal for Spanish and other languages. By translating the site into additional languages, USP hopes to communicate better with audiences worldwide and reflect the organization’s growing international perspective throughout its activities and programs.

 “Our Web site reflects who we are and exemplifies the growing role that we are playing in international public health,” said Roger L. Williams, M.D., executive vice president and chief executive officer.

 The Web site also offers several new features that will help to streamline navigation, including the addition of multiple portals, shortcuts for accessing information from the home page, and re-organization of the main sections of the site.

Two new features on the home page will offer visitors shortcuts to finding the information they need. The shortcut allows visitors to pick a topic from a drop-down menu based on what they want to do on the site. The first shortcut allows visitors to specify who they are and tailors news and information based on their specific needs.

Hexagon Makes Surprise Offer for Leica Geosystems

Hexagon, the Swedish engineering group, on June 13 sold its automation division and made a surprise cash offer for Leica Geosystems in a bid to take a leading global place in the measurement technology business.

Hexagon, which is controlled by Swedish businessman Melker Schöling, is offering SFr440 ($345) per share for Leica Geosystems, representing a 16 per cent premium, and valuing the world's second-largest maker of measuring equipment at about $798m.

The Swedish company said it had also agreed to sell its automation division, which represents a quarter of annual turnover, for SKr1.15bn ($150m) to Swedish venture capital fund Segullah, as part of its strategy to focus on metrology and polymers.

After the proposed Leica acquisition, Hexagon would be a world leader in measurement technology.

Ola Rollen, chief executive of Hexagon said: "Following this acquisition, future focus will primarily be on growth and utilization of the different strengths of the two companies".

Analysts said Hexagon's takeover bid had caught them and Leica Geosystems' leadership by surprise and that they now expect the Swiss firm to oppose Hexagon's offer in the hope of encouraging counter bids.

If Hexagon's offer is successful, Leica Geosystems will merge with Hexagon's metrology division and will develop, manufacture and market information systems for one, two and three dimensional measurement applications.

Hexagon, which has roughly double the revenues of Leica Geosystems, aims to fund the acquisition through equity and bank financing and said its board intended to propose a new share issue after the conclusion of the transaction. Hexagon said the offer period would run for 20 days from June 27 and could be extended. The bid is conditional upon acceptance from holders of at least 50.1 per cent of Leica Geosystem's share capital.

Visit Hexagon's website for further information.

Guildline Instruments News

Guildline Instruments is pleased to announce new changes in our sales, service and support philosophy for the United States. These changes are largely in response to requests for better pricing, marketing and sales information and access to technical information about the Guildline Product Line. This change also allows Guildline Instruments a better method of improving the level of customer service and support via direct contact with factory personnel.

Although it was not commonly understood, Guildline Instruments Limited products were sold in the US by a distribution company known as Guildline Instruments Incorporated. Even though the names were similar, these corporations were and are completely independent of each other.

Guildline Instruments Limited has ended their sales and service relationship with Guildline Instruments, Inc. While this relationship has ended and the name Guildline Instruments, Inc. will disappear, Guildline Instruments Limited remains committed to providing superior product and factory service within the US market.

With the US being a very important and integral partner to Guildline Instruments, we are very pleased to announce that we have set up a new Florida office just for US sales and support. Additionally, we have established a new website dedicated to the US market at www.guildlineUSA.com. This site also provides contact information for service and support on your current Guildline equipment and information about our new products and current Guildline products. Please update your contact information for Guildline Instruments.

Guildline Instruments Limited is pleased to announce that it has a calibration lab that will shortly be accredited to ISO 17025 for resistance. More news on our accreditation will be forthcoming shortly. We look forward to bringing you expanded product lines in AC and DC resistance standards, measurement bridges, peripheral AC and thermometry products.

Agilent Technologies Presents First Bill Hewlett Award

At Agilent, innovation has been a hallmark of the company ever since the Hewlett-Packard Co. was formed in 1939. With this culture so ingrained in its history, Agilent has been able to consistently deliver cutting-edge solutions through myriad global economic conditions. Key to this success are the employee inventors that research and develop next-generation technologies. In recognition of these dedicated employees and their leading-edge technological contributions, Agilent has presented the first Bill Hewlett Awards, highlighting four outstanding patented technologies that have had a significant effect on the commercial market.

Named for Hewlett-Packard co-founder Bill Hewlett, this employee award honors Hewlett's passion for invention and his unusual ability to translate breakthrough technologies into successful new products. Following is a description of each of the four award-winning patents, the products that embody the patented technologies, and the award-winning inventors.

• Film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) duplexer -- U.S. Patent (USP) #6262637; Agilent inventors Paul Bradley, John Larson, Richard Ruby. The FBAR duplexer technology separates incoming and outgoing communications to allow for simultaneous two-way voice or data transmission. The small-format duplexer has replaced one of the largest components of mobile phone handsets, enabling manufacturers to dramatically reduce handset size while offering the feature-rich capabilities that consumers demand. The device is one of the main forces behind the mobile-phone market's rapid growth.
• Radio frequency test set with concurrent measurement architecture -- USP #6587671; Agilent inventors Kerwin D. Kanago, Dave Platt, Jim Summers, Rich Ryan. This technology allows the two parts of a mobile phone function (receiver and transmitter) to be tested simultaneously. Previous products executed individual tests sequentially, resulting in longer test times and higher manufacturing costs.
• High-speed analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with on-chip memory -- USP #6707411; Agilent inventors Ken Poulton, Tom Kopley and Robert Neff. An ADC is a component that takes continuous, high-speed analog electrical signals and transforms them into digital values for use in a computer or other digital system. Agilent's ADC chip is used in the company's high-speed digital oscilloscopes. The chip's built-in memory eliminates the need to transfer data from one chip to another at full speed. This capability simplifies the system and reduces the cost and power consumed in the scope. These advancements allow Agilent's oscilloscopes to feature the highest sample rate available today and the lowest power-per-sample rate.
• Optical mouse sensor -- USP #6433780; Agilent inventor Jason Hartlove. Agilent pioneered optical sensing for mouse technology and supplies these sensors to all major optical mouse manufacturers worldwide. Unlike traditional mechanical mice, optical mice have no moving ball or cavity that can clog up with dust or dirt, making the device more reliable and longer-lasting. In addition, optical mice need no mouse pad and offer more precise pointing and movement than mechanical mice.

Starrett CMM Business Sold to Hexagon Metrology

Hexagon has through its wholly owned US subsidiary, Sheffield Measurement Inc., acquired all assets belonging to CMM Systems, which earlier was part of a product line within Starrett Metrology Systems. The seller is the listed American company L.S. Starrett.

The acquisition includes a stock of new and used CMMs including spare parts, production equipment, as well as intangible rights. The purchase price amounts to 1.5 MUSD. Starretts product line, CMM Systems, has had an annual turnover of approx. 10 MUSD, and possesses a large installed base of CMMs in the US.

Megown Test and Measurement Inc. Is Authorized to the Agilent Advantage Assurance Program

Megown Test and Measurement Inc. has been added as an authorized reseller to the Agilent Advantage Assurance Program. Pre-owned instruments sold under the Agilent Advantage Assurance program have been evaluated, calibrated and guaranteed by Agilent to meet performance standards, giving customers a low-risk option for purchasing preowned test equipment.

Megown Test and Measurement Inc. is a leading U.S. provider of pre-owned test and measurement equipment for a variety of industries including electronics, aerospace and defense, communications, and higher education. The company offers fully refurbished equipment and has a proven track record of customer satisfaction.

Under the Agilent Advantage Assurance program, Agilent or HP brand pre-owned instruments purchased through an approved Agilent reseller are sent to Agilent for evaluation and calibration to full product specifications. Instruments covered by the program come with two years of protection against all repair costs and two years of free technical support. Agilent Advantage Assurance equipment has been available through resellers on eBay since March 2004.

Shadow Technique Improves Measurement of Micro Holes

Sometimes seeing a shadow can be as good or better than seeing the real thing. A new measurement method* developed by researchers working at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a case in point. The method uses the shadow cast by a small glass probe to infer the dimensions of tiny, microscale holes or other micrometer-sized components. The technique may provide an improved quality control method for measuring the interior dimensions of fuel nozzles, fiber optic connectors, biomedical stents, ink jet cartridges and other precision-engineered products.

Designed to be implemented with the type of coordinate measuring machine (CMM) routinely used in precision manufacturing settings, the method uses a flexible glass fiber with a microsphere attached on one end. The glass probe is attached to the CMM's positioning system, inserted into the part to be measured, and systematically touched to the part's interior walls in multiple locations. A light-emitting diode is used to illuminate the glass fiber. While the microsphere inside the part is not visible, the shadow of the attached fiber—with a bright band of light at its center—shows the amount of deflection in the probe each time the part's interior is touched. A camera records the shadow positions. Based on prior calibration of the force required to bend the probe a specific distance, the part's dimensions can be determined with an uncertainty of about 35 nanometers (nm). The method can be used for holes as small as 100 micrometers in diameter.

"Our probe has a much smaller measurement uncertainty than other available methods and it is very cost effective to make," says Bala Muralikrishnan, a NIST guest researcher from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

The thin, glass fiber is about 20 millimeters long and 50 micrometers in diameter, making it especially useful for measuring relatively deep holes not easily measured with other methods. Replacement probes cost about $100 compared to about $1,000 for those manufactured using silicon micromachining techniques.

Lattice Trap Improves Optical Clocks

Researchers in Japan have demonstrated a way to trap neutral atoms that could herald a new era in timekeeping. The team believes that an optical clock based on strontium atoms trapped in an optical lattice could lead to clocks that are accurate to one part in 10 to the 18th (Nature 435 321).

The gold standard in timekeeping is currently the caesium-133 atomic clock, which is accurate to 1 part in 10 to the 15th and is used to define the second. Optical clocks - based on single trapped ions or cooled atoms - are promising candidates to replace the atomic clock but they are hard to stabilize. However, this could be about to change thanks to work being carried out by Hidetoshi Katori and colleagues at the University of Tokyo and the National Metrology Institute of Japan.

By trapping a cloud of 10,000 cold strontium atoms at a temperature of just 2 microkelvin in a one-dimensional "optical lattice" the Japanese team says it has created a highly stable optical clock with an oscillator frequency of 429 terahertz. The lattice is formed by the peaks and troughs of the standing wave formed by reflecting light with a wavelength of 813.4 nm from a mirror. The atoms are trapped at the peaks of the standing wave.

"Our optical lattice clock demonstrates a line-width that is one order of magnitude narrower than that observed for neutral atom optical clocks and its stability is better than single ion clocks," they write in Nature.

Trapping the atoms in the lattice enhances the stability of the clock by preventing the collisions between atoms that plague traditional neutral atom clocks. At the same time, the large number of atoms gives a strong signal. Single-ion clocks, on the other hand, emit a weak signal that needs to be averaged over a long time period.

For more information visit the article from Physics Web.

NIST Method Improves Timing in Oscilloscopes

A new method for correcting common timing errors in high-speed oscilloscopes has been developed by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The method improves the accuracy and clarity of measurements performed in the development and troubleshooting of components for wireless and optical communications, military radar and other technologies.

Oscilloscopes display graphical representations of electrical and optical signals as waves, showing how the signals change over time. These instruments often have inaccurate internal clocks that distort output patterns, and they also can exhibit random timing errors called jitter. These errors may lead, for example, to false detection of failure in a communications module that is actually working, or to increased electronic "noise" interference with measurements of microwave signals from radar.

The NIST method, based on an approach developed in laboratory experiments and implemented in freely available software, constructs an alternative time base. The software analyzes an oscilloscope's measurements of both a signal of interest and two reference waves that are offset from each other. The reference waves are generated by an external device and are synchronized in time with the signal being measured. Measurements of the reference waves are compared with a calculation of an ideal wave to produce an estimate of total time errors due to distortion and jitter. These errors then can be corrected automatically for each measurement made by the oscilloscope.

The NIST correction method can be applied to older standard equipment, can correct time records of almost any length and can be applied to electromagnetic signals of almost any frequency. It also provides the user with an estimate of the residual timing error after the correction process has been completed.

The Timebase Correction software package is available free of charge at www.boulder.nist.gov/div815/HSM_Project/Software.htm.

ASPE 2005 Summer Topical Meeting - Precision Interferometric Metrology

This meeting will cover new developments in interferometric metrology – including new concepts and analyses, instrument development and application examples. In addition to paper sessions, there will be open discussion sessions and opportunities to make brief informal presentations on a variety of topics of interest. The talks will cover a broad range of technologies and highlight potential areas for future development.

The objective of this meeting is to bring together specialists and practitioners from industry, government and academia to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas. The meeting will emphasize discussions as much as the presentations and the participants are encouraged to identify areas needing further research.

ASPE is now accepting early registrations for the ASPE 2005 Summer Topical Meeting which is being held at The Inn at Middletown, Middletown, Connecticut. Early registration will end on June 21, 2005, and after this time the meeting registration fee will increase. The objective of this meeting is to provide an informal atmosphere of technical exchange. To achieve this goal, the registration will be limited to 65 attendees. Advance registration and early room booking are strongly advised.

Contact ASPE for further information.

Dynamic Technology, Inc. to Provide Service & Repair for Tegam/Tektronix MTI Instruments

TEGAM, Inc. has recently entered into a maintenance agreement with Dynamic Technology, Inc. (DTI) in Cleveland, Ohio. Beginning April 25, 2005, DTI began performing all repair and calibration services to the Tektronix Modular Test Instruments line.

DTI, founded in 1987, is the largest and fastest growing 3rd party full-service metrology laboratory in the Midwest. The company has one of the most robust scopes of accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) and Z-540-1. More than 2,600 customers nationwide trust DTI with the calibration, repair, and management of their test, measurement, and diagnostic equipment.

TEGAM is confident that DTI will provide the highest quality service to our customers and their instruments. To arrange for repair or calibration of Tektronix Modular Test Instruments, please contact DTI at (440) 442-8080. For more information about Dynamic Technology, Inc., visit www.dynamictechnology.com

Sypris to Survey Gauss Meter Users at Sensors Expo

Sypris Test & Measurement's Magnetics Division, a subsidiary of Sypris Solutions, Inc. announced it will survey gauss meter users at Sensors Expo & Conference, June 6-9 at McCormick Place, Chicago to determine next generation instrumentation needs in the magnetic measurement, test and related industries.

"We're excited about the prospect of having so many users in one place," said Gary Turner, Director of Sales & Marketing, Sypris Test & Measurement Magnetics Division. "Thousands of users will attend Sensors Expo, providing us with a larger population from which to draw data we will use to create the next generation of F.W. Bell gauss meters. This is an opportunity for everyone who uses gauss meters to influence the design of future gauss meters."

Sypris will utilize a specialy designed "Voice of the Customer" survey to measure and track the changing needs of gauss meter users. The questionnaire is designed to elicit specific feedback in key areas of importance to gauss meter users including range, accuracy, display functions, operating features and other design aspects.

Sypris will also demonstrate the F.W. Bell 5100 deries handheld gauss meter, various current and voltage sensors and bench-top gauss meters. Building on F.W. Bell's reputation for precision and durability, the 5100 offers the best accuracy in its class, and is the only handheld gauss meter with DSP (Digital Signal Processing).

Director of NIST Nomination

President George W. Bush intends to nominate William Alan Jeffrey, of Virginia, to be Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology at the Department of Commerce. Mr. Jeffrey currently serves as Senior Director for Homeland and National Security and Assistant Director for Space and Aeronautics in the Office of Science and Technology Policy at the White House. Earlier in his career, he was Deputy Director of the Advanced Technology Office of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Office Agency. Mr. Jeffrey also served as Assistant Deputy Director for Technology in the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office. He earned his bachelor's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as well as his master's degree and Ph.D. from Harvard University.

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