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APRIL 2006 INDUSTRY NEWS

 

NVLAP Withdraws from the NACLA MRA

Effective April 15, 2006, NVLAP will no longer be a signatory to the National Cooperation for Laboratory Accreditation (NACLA) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA). The reasons for NVLAP’s decision to withdraw from the MRA are explained in this bulletin.

NVLAP is a fee-supported program and, as such, has been forced to look closely at resources available compared to expenses incurred, both in effort and in dollars. Of primary focus must be the return on the investment made by NVLAP’s accredited laboratories. Broad recognition of the test and calibration results generated by the accredited laboratories is currently achieved through NVLAP’s signatory status in the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) MRA and in the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC) MRA. NVLAP has also participated in the NACLA MRA in order to comply with the NIST requirement that designated conformity assessment bodies (CABs) supporting trade agreements for telecommunications and information technology products be accredited by a NACLA MRA signatory. Outside of this requirement, there has been little interest expressed by the NVLAP-accredited laboratories that NVLAP maintain signatory status in the NACLA MRA.

In order to support continued manufacturer access to a broad base of designated CABs, NIST has broadened its recognition of qualified accreditation cooperations. In addition to NACLA, NIST recognizes other laboratory accreditation cooperations that are in full conformance with the standards of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), including ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO/IEC 17011, and that verify conformance to these standards by evaluation and assessment of peer accreditation bodies. Both ILAC and APLAC meet these requirements for NIST recognition.

NVLAP must look to increase efficiencies and reduce redundancy in its participation in laboratory accreditation cooperations in order to minimize the burden on its accredited laboratories and on NVLAP staff. Under current conditions, NVLAP can no longer justify the costs of continued NACLA MRA participation.

Annex B of NIST Handbook 150, NVLAP Procedures and General Requirements, states that all NVLAP-accredited laboratories must demonstrate traceability of measurement results directly through a national metrology institute (NMI) or through an accredited calibration laboratory. An accredited calibration laboratory is defined as one that has been accredited by NVLAP or an accreditation body (AB) with which NVLAP has a mutual recognition arrangement.

Beginning April 15, 2006, results from laboratories accredited only by those ABs that have signed the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) MRA will be acceptable for the purpose of traceability of measurement results. Please note that ABs that are signatories to the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC), the European Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (EA), or another recognized regional organization MRA have also signed the ILAC MRA. To date, NACLA is not a recognized regional organization and its signatory members have not been invited to sign the ILAC arrangement.

Given the deadline noted in the previous paragraph, results previously accepted from a calibration laboratory accredited by a non-ILAC signatory AB will remain acceptable until the current calibration cycle expires. This means, for example, that it is not necessary to have instruments recalibrated by a laboratory accredited by an ILAC MRA signatory AB until that instrument is due. At that time calibration services must be procured from an NMI or from a calibration laboratory that has been accredited by an ILAC signatory AB. Where accredited calibration services are not available, paragraph B.3.4 of Annex B of NIST Handbook 150:2006 (paragraph B.2.4 of the 2001 edition) applies with no change. Assessors will review this requirement during the next on-site assessment of your laboratory. Please contact your NVLAP Program Manager should you have any questions. NVLAP’s website is http://ts.nist.gov/ts/htdocs/210/214/214.htm.

 

Laboratory Testing Inc. Appoints New Quality Assurance Manager

Frank Peszka of Erdenheim, PA has been appointment to the position of Quality Assurance Manager at Laboratory Testing Inc. (LTI). Frank joined Laboratory Testing in October 2004 as Quality Assurance Specialist with over 30 years experience as a quality assurance professional. In his new position, Frank will implement and maintain the Quality Management System, oversee the preparation of certification documents and administer contract review.

Don DiFilippo of Pottstown, PA, the company’s former Quality Assurance Manager, has retired from LTI. He will remain with the company on a part-time basis as a Quality Assurance Specialist performing vendor audits and assisting with the quality program.

Laboratory Testing Inc. is accredited in accordance with the International Standard ISO/IEC 17025, stating “general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories”. They are accredited for mechanical, chemical and nondestructive testing services by PRI/Nadcap. Their dimensional inspection and calibration services are covered by A2LA accreditation.

Their accreditations to ISO/IEC 17025 through both PRI/Nadcap and A2LA enhance LTI’s Quality Program by ensuring customers that they can meet or exceed their needs and expectations. In addition, these accreditations allow LTI to meet the requirements of automotive and other industry standards which state that vendor laboratories shall be accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 by a recognized accreditation body (e.g. PRI/Nadcap, A2LA, NAVLAP or LAB).

Laboratory Testing Inc. specializes in metal and alloy testing, specimen machining, failure analysis and calibration services. The lab is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 by PRI/Nadcap and A2LA. Mechanical, chemical, metallurgical and nondestructive testing services are performed on metals and alloys including those found in fasteners, tubular products, bars, plates and castings. The metrology division provides dimensional, pressure, force, torque, mass and vacuum calibrations. Field calibration service is offered for surface plates, hardness testers, optical comparators, balances, hand tools and testing machines. LTI can provide new instruments and replacement parts as a representative for manufacturers such as Mitutoyo, Starrett, Boston Centerless and Vermont Gage. Information on LTI services and accreditations is available at www.labtesting.com.


Essco Lab Calibration Announces New Calibration Capabilities

Essco Lab Calibration is proud to announce that they are now able to calibrate the following Agilent Network Analyzers up to 50 GHz: 8722, E8363B, E8364B, E8361A
8510/8516, 8510/8517, N5230A Opt.420/425, N5230A Opt.520/525

Essco Calibration, located in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, has the most complete set of capabilities under one roof to serve a variety of businesses. Essco serves all industries, including aerospace, automotive, biotech, high tech, manufacturing, medical and nuclear from all around the world. Essco's quality system is registered to ISO 9001:2000 (BVQi Certificate #125891) and accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:1999 (A2LA Certificate #1388.01). Our system is compliant to the requirements of: ANSI/NCSL Z540, ISO10012:2003, MIL-STD-45662A (cancelled) and applicable portions of 10CFR Part 21 and Part 50 App B, 21CFR Part 211, and 21CFR Part 820.
To learn more visit http://www.esscolab.com.

 

AMETEK Achieves Record First Quarter Results

AMETEK, Inc. announced first quarter results that established records for sales, operating income, net income and diluted earnings per share. AMETEK's first quarter 2006 sales of $423.9 million were up 27% over the same period of 2005. Operating income for the first quarter of 2006 was $70.8 million, a 32% increase from the $53.6 million recorded in the same period of 2005. Net income in the first quarter of 2006 increased 30% to $40.3 million, or $.57 per diluted share, from the first quarter 2005 level of $31.0 million, or $.44 per diluted share. "AMETEK had an outstanding quarter which exceeded our expectations," noted Frank S. Hermance, AMETEK Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Strong internal growth of 9%, combined with the contributions from acquired businesses enabled us to grow the top-line by 27%. Operating income margin was up 70 basis points and net income was up 30% as we translated the top-line growth into bottom-line performance," he commented. For the 2006 first quarter, Electronic Instruments Group (EIG) sales increased 31% to $236.4 million. Operating income was $47.7 million, compared with $36.3 million in the first quarter of 2005, an increase of 32%. Operating margins for the quarter improved to 20.2%, from 20.0% in the first quarter of 2005. "EIG had a great first quarter. Sales were up on strong core growth in our power, process and analytical, and aerospace businesses together with the contribution from the acquisitions of SPECTRO, Solartron and Pulsar Technologies. Operating income was up 32%, benefiting from the top-line growth and continued focus on operational excellence improvements," said Mr. Hermance. For more information visit http://www.ametek.com.

 

Agilent to Increase Headcount in India

Testing and measurement equipment maker Agilent Technologies has announced it will invest $ 25 million over the next two years in India and increase the headcount to 2,000 from 1,200 at present. The company is setting up a new research and development centre at Manesar (Haryana) near Delhi. The 10-acre campus will be one of Agilent's largest worldwide and over time house many more employees than the number given out by the company.

The new facility will house employees involved in R&D as well as engineering support and financial services for Agilent globally. The company is presently headquartered at Udyog Vihar in Gurgaon.

The campus will be fully operational in two years and provide 200,000 square feet of building space in the initial phase. "Agilent is a leader in the electronics, telecom and life sciences test and measurement market. Our India operations have now reached critical mass, and investing in a state-of-the art campus is the next logical step. With this campus, we are looking to increase our India headcount substantially over the next two years," said Agilent President and CEO Bill Sullivan.

"We have been on a high growth path in India since we began our R&D and financial services operations in 2001," he added. "With the test and measurement market in India growing at an accelerated rate, we are expecting to triple the revenues from India in the next two to three years."

Agilent had cumulative revenues of $5.1 billion for the fiscal ending December 2005. Of
this, the Indian operations contributed approximately $100 million.

"In keeping with our strong commitment to India, we will be investing $25 million over the next two years in not only creating the requisite infrastructure but also in recruiting,
training and deploying the best talent to support our global markets," said Agilent
Technologies India president and country general manager Venkatesh Valluri.

Agilent currently undertakes high-end R&D electronic design automation (EDA) test tools and modules for test and measurement systems, and communication solutions to support software and firmware applications for Agilent Technologies.

Visit http://infotech.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1490550.cms to read the article.

 

Davis Inotek Signs Purchase Agreement to Buy GE Instrumentation Services

Davis Inotek Instruments, LLC, has signed a final purchase agreement with GE Consumer & Industrial to buy its Instrumentation Services unit - a calibration and repair operation based in Duluth, Ga., that serves more than 1,000 manufacturers throughout the country. Financial details were not disclosed. The sale is subject to the completion of all necessary transaction documentation and is expected to close in May.

"The acquisition of GE Instrumentation Services Business provides a unique platform for the execution of our strategic growth initiative," said Davis Inotek President and CEO Lee Rudow. "Our combined companies will offer a broader scope of capabilities, more flexibility and the nation's largest network of calibration laboratories through its 30 regional facilities," he added.

GE Management stated, "This transaction aligns the Instrumentation Services operation with a strategic company that has metrology services as a core competency and a strong interest in investing and growing this type of business. We are pleased with the agreement and believe it gives the Instrumentation Services operation tremendous opportunity for growth and longevity in the future."

More information is available at http://daviscalibration.com/geis/.

 

Beyond the Kilogram: Redefining More SI Units

The world's official standard for mass—a 115-year-old cylinder of metal—likely will join the meter bar as a museum piece in the near future. Will the standards for electric current, temperature and amount of substance soon follow?

Measurement experts long have planned to replace the kilogram standard—its mass actually fluctuates slightly—with a definition based on an invariable property of nature. The next logical step in the quest for the most precise, consistent and accessible measurements possible is to redefine several more units of the International System of Units (SI), according to a new paper by five eminent scientists from three countries.

The paper, published online April 6 by Metrologia, advocates redefining not only the kilogram but also three more base units of the SI that are not currently linked to true invariants of nature—the ampere, kelvin and mole (used to measure electric current, thermodynamic temperature, and amount of substance, respectively). The paper suggests that all four units be redefined in terms of four different fundamental constants or atomic properties to which precise values would be assigned. A property of nature is, by definition, always the same and can in theory be measured anywhere.

The paper represents the collective opinions of the authors, including one from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, who heads an influential international metrology committee, as well as three scientists from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the former director of the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM) near Paris.

The paper does not represent the official policy position of any of the authors' three institutions. However, much of the paper echoes, and suggests a practical strategy for implementing, an October 2005 recommendation by the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM).

For more information, see www.nist.gov/public_affairs/newsfromnist_beyond_the_kilogram.htm.

 

Ashcroft Holdings to be Acquired by Nagano Keiki Co., LTD.

John McKenna, CEO, announced that an agreement has been signed for Nagano Keiki Co., Ltd. (Nagano) to acquire the majority assets of Ashcroft Holdings, Inc. ("Ashcroft") from KPS Special Situations Funds ("KPS"). The assets of Ebro Electronics GmbH, headquartered in Germany, will remain in the KPS portfolio.

McKenna further commented, "I am extremely excited about the opportunity to bring these two world class companies together. Ashcroft's strong brand and broad product portfolio, combined with Nagano's leading position in Japan, strong Asian presence, and superior technology, will create a major force in global pressure sensing. This new entity will provide enhanced products and services to customers worldwide."

The sale is expected to close in the second quarter of 2006.

Nagano Keiki Co., Ltd. is a leading manufacturer of pressure gauges, transmitters, and temperature gauges primarily used in automobiles. The company also makes equipment for the semiconductor industry, such as pressure regulators, transducers, digital pressure gauges and power supplies. Listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

Ashcroft Holdings Inc. manufactures gauges, thermometers, switches, transducers, transmitters, calibration equipment and isolators for pressure and temperature measurement, monitoring and control. Product brands include Ashcroft®, Heise®, WillyTM and Weksler". As a global provider, Ashcroft Inc. maintains a network of manufacturing facilities, sales offices and distributors worldwide. Headquartered in Stratford, CT, it also has operations in Brazil, Germany, Canada, Mexico and Singapore and joint ventures in Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. The company's website can be accessed at: www.ashcroftinc.com.

 

NVLAP Releases NIST Handbook 150:2006

The National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) recently released the 2006 edition of NIST Handbook 150, NVLAP Procedures and General Requirements. The new edition, which supersedes and replaces the 2001 edition, incorporates changes resulting from the release of ISO/IEC 17025:2005, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, and ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment—General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. The new handbook is available for downloading in Adobe PDF format on the NVLAP web site at NIST Handbook 150:2006 and will be published in paper format in the near future.

2006 Woodington Award Winner

In recognition of his past efforts and the fact that he continues to make significant contributions to the science of measurement, the 2006 Woodington Award winner is Mr. Del Caldwell. Del has been involved in the field of test, calibration and metrology for over 40 years. His career began as a bench technician on aircraft system measuring equipment, and then progressed to an engineer developing microwave primary and secondary standards in conjunction with NBS. He created many unique and innovative calibration methods and developed and managed the Navy’s Metrology R&D program for many years.

During his career he authored numerous significant publications and papers dealing with complex technical and program management issues. In 1989, he was an active participant in the development of the NCSL Guide for Expressing Measurement Uncertainty. He was instrumental in the development of the NCSL sponsored ANSI / Z540 standard on management and operation of standards and calibration laboratories and their systems. He participated in NCSL committee efforts to develop ISO 17025 and the rewrite of ISO 10012. He currently serves as the Chairman of the NCSL working group to formally revise ANSI / Z540. He is a past President of NCSL and remains professionally active in the measurement community. Upon his retirement from the Navy’s Metrology Engineering Center, he was honored with the Navy’s Meritorious Civilian Service Award.

Visit the Measurement Science Conference website at http://www.msc-conf.com for more information.
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