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AUGUST 2006 PRODUCT NEWS

 

ACLASS Signs the IAAC Multi-Lateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA)

ACLASS, a Washington D.C. metro area based company, recently attended the 11th Annual General Assembly in Buenos Aires, Argentina and signed the Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) Multi-Lateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) on August 11, 2006 for both calibration and testing. The IAAC is an association of accreditation bodies in the Americas and other organizations interested in conformity assessment. IAAC seeks to promote international and regional acceptance of accreditation granted by its members and to establish a region wide mutual recognition arrangement among its members.

IAAC members are bodies that accredit testing laboratories, calibration laboratories,
inspection bodies, and certification/registration bodies, as well as other types of
organizations involved in standards and conformity assessment. To date, IAAC has 22
full members, 7 associate members, and 11 stakeholder members from 22 countries of the Americas.

Signatories to the IAAC Multi-Lateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) include: OAA
(Argentina); Cgcre/INMETRO (Brazil); SCC (Canada); ECA (Costa Rica); ONARC
(Cuba); EMA (Mexico); INDECOPI-CRT (Peru); ACLASS (USA); A2LA (USA);
ANAB (USA).

“We, as an organization, worked very hard over several years to become a signatory to
the IAAC MLA,” said Keith Greenaway, ACLASS’ President, “The dedication of the
entire ACLASS team is to be commended.”

ACLASS is headquartered in the Washington, DC metro area and is an accreditation
body for the ISO/IEC 17025 standard dedicated to providing quality and reliable
accreditation services.

For more information on ACLASS please visit the web site at www.aclasscorp.com.

 

NACLA Signs MOU with Inter-Americas Accreditation Organization

The National Cooperation for Laboratory Accreditation (NACLA) and the Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cooperate in the coming months and years. Both organizations share the same goal: coordination and improvement of the work of laboratory accreditation bodies (ABs).

NACLA’s mission is to evaluate and grant recognition to U. S. ABs. IAAC provides similar services to ABs throughout the Americas. Both Cooperations participate in the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC); accordingly their evaluation programs are based on the international standards for competence that are endorsed by ILAC.

The MOU cites “the need to foster national, regional, interregional and global schemes for operation and recognition of reliable accreditation programs.” It indicates areas of “cooperation and responsibility”:

  • Training and Development: This includes participation in training activities organized jointly or by each party, when appropriate.
  • Proficiency Testing Programs.
  • Peer Evaluations: In both programs, participation in the evaluation of applicant ABs is a requirement for ABs that have themselves been evaluated and recognized. The MOU calls for interchange of peers on occasion.
  • Information Exchange: The parties will exchange information on accreditation and experience on the operation of regional and national associations, and will seek to discuss and understand each other’s positions on issues of mutual interest.
  • Support on Technical Matters.
  • Projects and Fund-Procurement.

Cooperation among the two organizations is already under way. The Vice President of the IAAC, Pat Paladino, head of the Standards Council of Canada, made a presentation at the 2005 NACLA Laboratory Accreditation Forum held earlier this year. Also, members of both the IAAC and NACLA will participate in a training program for evaluators scheduled for early October, in Ottawa, Canada. The text of the NACLA-IAAC MOU and other information about NACLA can be found on the NACLA web site, www.nacla.net.

 

Introducing the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology

Advances in manipulating and arranging matter on the tiniest of scales have spurred businesses and governments around the world to set their sights on a nanotechnology field of dreams. Helping U.S. industry to be among the first to succeed in this global quest for a diverse array of new products and new capabilities is the role of the new Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Through a distinctive combination of measurement expertise, multidisciplinary research, specialized instruments and fabrication equipment, and partnerships, CNST aims to provide a major technical boost to the nation’s pursuit of an almost unlimited assortment of emerging or only-imagined nanotechnology products. From automotive to aerospace and from chemical processing to consumer electronics, virtually every industry—and every market—stands to benefit.

CNST’s prime objective is to lay the technical groundwork necessary to translate nanotechnology’s many anticipated offerings into practical realities—manufacturable, market-ready products. To accomplish this goal, the center leverages and combines the diverse knowledge and capabilities of NIST, industry, academia, and other government agencies to support all phases of nanotechnology development, from discovery to production.

Based in the Institute’s world-class Advanced Measurement Laboratory, the center features a large Nanofabrication (Nanofab) Facility. CNST's “clean room” is equipped with a still-growing array of state-of-the-art—and, sometimes, unsurpassed—tools for making, testing, and characterizing prototype nanoscale devices and materials. These instruments will be available to collaborators and to outside users through a proposal process.

To continue reading the article click through to: http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/factsheet/CNST_factsheet.htm.

 

Fluke Corporation Offering Principles of Metrology Workshop at NCSLI Training Center

Fluke Corporation is offering Principles of Metrology at the NCSLI Training Center in Boulder, Colorado on September 18-22, 2006. Principles of Metrology is a five-day workshop covering electrical/electronic measurements and calibration. Participants will receive extensive hands-on time with a wide range of measurement instruments. This course covers all aspects of dc/low frequency calibration.

For more information contact Fluke at phone 425-446-6330, fax 425-446-5992, email caltraining@fluke.com, or visit www.calibration.fluke.com.

 

Soliciting Comments for VIM Draft 3rd Edition

Andrew Wallard, the BIPM Director is soliciting editorial comments for the International Vocabulary of Metrology - Basic and General Concepts and Associated Terms, VIM 3rd Edition.

This final VIM 3rd draft is available to view on NCSLI’s website (http://www.ncsli.org/vim/index.cfm) for comments. Also available for viewing are the cca 700 worldwide comments received since 2004.

 

Hexagon Metrology to Host Grand Opening of North Kingstown, Rhode Island Headquarters

Hexagon Metrology Inc. announced it will host an invitation-only Grand Opening celebration of its new North American headquarters on September 14, 2006 in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The company's newly constructed building is located at 250 Circuit Drive in the high-tech Quonset Business Park. Hexagon Metrology is the world's largest manufacturer of precision dimensional measurement equipment and software. Honored guests include Governor Donald L. Carcieri, RIEDC Executive Director Saul Kaplan, Hexagon AB CEO and President Ola Rollen, and Hexagon Metrology North America President Bill Gruber. All members of the Press are cordially invited to attend the Grand Opening. Please RSVP with Belinda Jones at 860-399-1147, or belinda.jones@hitechmarketing.com.

From 8:45am-10am, Hexagon Metrology will offer tours of the new facility and showrooms. At 10am, the celebration will continue with honorary speakers presenting the history of Hexagon and its leadership role in the metrology marketplace today. At 11am, all visitors will gather for the official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in front of the building.

The Hexagon North American headquarters is a 126,000 sq. ft., high efficiency, environmentally controlled structure with over 12,000 square feet devoted to product showrooms, a state-of-the-art training center, and a calibration laboratory. The company will conduct more than 80 software training classes at this location each year, training an average of 500 students. Value-added customer services such as contract programming and inspection will be offered at this location. The 58,000 sq. ft. manufacturing complex will support the production, assembly, calibration and testing operations for Brown & Sharpe coordinate measurement systems. The facility will also serve as Hexagon Metrology's worldwide manufacturing center for the fabrication of air bearings. The company is pursuing A2LA accreditation and plans to offer commercial calibration services for dimensional gages and Hexagon Metrology has ten manufacturing facilities on four continents supported by 40+ sales and support locations worldwide. Hexagon name-brand metrology products are widely used by aerospace, defense, medical, automotive, shipbuilding antenna, and space hardware industries.

Hexagon Metrology serves the high precision measurement and inspection needs of Worldwide manufacturers with its extensive line of metrology hardware, software, accessories, and customer services. The company's name-brand portfolio of quality assurance products include Brown & Sharpe, Leica Geosystems, ROMER, Sheffield, PC-DMIS, DEA, Leitz, and TESA. Visit www.hexagonmetrology.us for more information about Hexagon Metrology North America and its trusted brands.

 

Another Example of Importance of Calibration

A district attorney is asking the New York State Police Superintendent's office to investigate whether a state police crime lab corrupted evidence in a drug trial.
Tompkins County District Attorney Gwen Wilkinson says she made the request after dismissing drug charges against a defendant when questions were raised about the integrity of evidence in the county court case by the defense attorney.

W-H-C-U in Ithaca, NY reports Wilkinson lost confidence in the evidence after it appeared that a lab technician may have faked data recorded on the calibration sheets for one of the instruments used for drug testing.

State police had no immediate comment about the request, which Wilkinson said she filed yesterday. Wilkinson said she acted quickly because of the evidence tampering scandal involving state police that occurred in the 1990s.

Source: http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=5299642&nav=4QcRCfuu

 

Symmetricom Reports Fourth Quarter and FY2006 Financial Results

Symmetricom, Inc., a worldwide leader in precise time and frequency products and services, today reported financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended June 30, 2006.

Fiscal fourth quarter revenue was $50.5 million, a 10.9 percent increase over the prior quarter revenue of $45.5 million and a 11.2 percent increase over revenue of $45.4 million in the fourth quarter of the previous year. For the 2006 fiscal year ended June 30, 2006, revenue was $188.2 million, compared with $189.1 million in the 2005 fiscal year ended June 30, 2005.

Telecom Solutions Division (TSD) revenue in the quarter was $36.6 million, an increase of $4.4 million or 13.7 percent over the prior quarter revenue of $32.2 million, and an increase of $5.9 million or 19.4 percent over the prior year period revenue of $30.7 million. Fourth quarter 2006 revenue included $3.7 million from the "other revenue" component, which primarily consists of manufacturing performed for third parties. As previously stated, the company anticipates exiting this "other revenue" business in the later half of fiscal 2007; therefore, going forward this component will be reported separately from the TSD business. TSD revenue in fiscal 2006 was $129.2 million, compared with $130.3 million in the prior year.

Timing, Test & Measurement Division (TT&M) revenue in the quarter was $13.9 million, compared with $13.3 million in the prior quarter and $14.7 million in the prior year period. TT&M revenue in fiscal 2006 was $59.0 million, flat with prior fiscal year revenue of $58.8 million. During the third and fourth quarters of fiscal 2006, TT&M revenue was affected by funding delays for a number of government programs.

"Over the past year, we established our position as a technology leader, innovator and full service synchronization and timing provider for wireline, wireless and cable next-generation networks," said Thomas Steipp, president and CEO of Symmetricom. "We reached notable milestones in our cable initiative and we made significant progress with next-generation projects among our major accounts in North America and Europe."

Visit www.symmetricom.com for more details.

 

Mr Test Equipment Introduces Surplus Buy Back Program

Mr Test Equipment is pleased to announce the introduction of its Surplus Buy Back Program providing liquidation, valuation, asset recovery, de-installation and disposition services for surplus electronic test and measurement equipment.

Intensifying worldwide competition makes capital allocation more critical than ever. Stockpiles of surplus and idle test equipment accumulate faster than it can be sold, taking up valuable laboratory / factory space, consuming finite capital resources.

Surplus electronic test equipment is typically an untapped source of revenue and return for its owners. While most companies place great focus on their supply chain management, little attention is given to the management of surplus, non-producing assets. Surplus and idle equipment is many times invisible in organizations. Periodically, engineering departments should look to sell, dispose or remarket surplus, out-dated, end-of-life electronic, testing instruments.

Mr Test Equipment is an international company that specializes in sales of used and refurbished, calibrated, electronic test and measurement equipment like oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, signal generators, power supplies, power meters communication analyzers, etc. “We purchase test equipment instruments from various suppliers, manufacturers and industry clients who are in the process of upgrading to new testing equipment. Our industry targets include communication sectors, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, energy, automotive, machinery, military, defense, government and healthcare labs” states Stephen Hopkins, Director, Mr Test Equipment.

Mr Test Equipment can also provide on-site assistance of asset management. Mr Test Equipment helps reduce client risk by selling off idle, excess equipment. The on-site team expedites disposition of unused assets from packing to shipping.

Mr Test Equipment is an international company that specializes in sales of used and refurbished, calibrated, electronic test and measurement equipment like oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, signal generators, power supplies, power meters communication analyzers, etc.

For more detailed information visit http://www.mrtestequipment.com/.

 

NAPT’s Fall 2006 ILC/PT Schedule

NAPT is in the final planning stage for the upcoming Regional ILC/PT’s. We have chosen 5 different locations. Those sites are located in Ontario, Kentucky, North Carolina, New York, and Michigan. We are anticipating these events will occur during October and/or November. In order to finalize the Regional ILC/PT we need to hear from all interested labs as soon as possible. For these Regionals to become confirmed we need to insure value for participation is obtained by all participants. Only through an appropriate number of participants, can these Regionals be conducted and successful.

NAPT (www.proficiency.org) is the only administrator of Proficiency Testing that provides the opportunity to participate in these types of proficiency tests through regional events. NAPT’s goal is to provide its’ participants with in-depth meaningful reports, therefore a meaningful level of participation is required for a regional event to come together. It is our recommendation that calibration labs take advantage of this opportunity to participate, as we are not sure when it will present itself again. We would ask each lab to contact their accreditation body regarding their accreditation requirements should you have any questions about your proficient testing requirements.

The ILC's that will be offered are:

  • Analytical Scale
  • Bench Scale
  • Calibration of a CMM
  • Optical Comparator
  • Hardness Test
  • Surface Plate
  • Height Gage

The cost to participation in these regional ILC’s can be as low as $153 per ILC/PT. NAPT offers membership package pricing which reduces the price of each test as the purchased number of tests increase. We are also offering an additional 10% discount for those who sign up by August 4th. Requests to participate must be made by August 18th at which time confirmation for each event location will be determined.

To learn more visit www.proficiency.org or contact Judy by phone at 763-525-1488.
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