Cover: The NBS Ad

tion Building in

Gaithersburg, Md., fori

backdrop for this early e\! ing photograph of the oldf

which formerly stood at tj entrance to the Bureau

grounds in Washington, 1|. Together, they symbolizej

continuity of NBS goals al traditions. The gate was i stalled in its new location

during the Bureau's 75th:|

niversary year.
erspective on Standards

Activities of the National

lureau of Standards

ational Bureau of Standards

'ashington, D.C. 20234

01)921-1000

ational Bureau of Standards

uilder, Colorado 80302

03 ) 499-1000

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF

COMMERCE

Juanita M. Kreps, Secretary

Dr. Betsy Ancker-Johnson,

Assistant Secretary for

Science and Technology

National Bureau of

Standards

Ernest Ambler,

Acting Director

Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Spec.

Publ. 467, 40 pages (March

1977)

Supersedes NBS Special

Publication 437

For sale by the Superintendent

of Documents,

U.S. Government Printing

Office, Washington, D.C.

20402.

Order by SD Catalog No.

^13.10:467).

Price $1.20

stock No. 003-003-01716-7

1

(ntents

Yord to

ir Readers

Promoting

Better

Materials Use

14

Protecting

Public

Safety

26

Facilities

and Funds

34

loduction Aiding

Environmental

Protection

17

Improving

Product

Performance

28

People

36

easing

surement

abilities

Conserving

Energy

Resources

20

Expanding

Computer

Applications

30

Directory

38

Isferring

riirch and

Inology

Advancing

Building

Technology

24

Providing

Information

Resources

32

Selected

Publications

40
"It may be truly said of the Bureau of Standards that

its field is the scientific world, and this can be interpreted as widely as the needs of man."

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ANNUAL REPORT 1915

I A Word To Our Readers

The Bicentennial has been a year to celebrate the ac- complishments of America and its peoples. In 1976 the

National Bureau of Standards was proud to be part of this national celebration. In addition, NBS took time to commemorate another anniversary—its seventy-fifth year of existence.

The two events are more than just a happy coincidence.

Because to a very real extent, NBS and modern industrial

America grew up together. Born in an age when fairness to the consumer and equity in trade and commerce were vital

concerns, NBS has continually tailored its programs to res- pond to scientific and technological challenges of a growing

nation.

We took some time this year to reflect on the role that

science and technology has played and is likely to play in

America's history. In this, we were fortunate to have eight

distinguished scientists and engineers come to Bureau

laboratories in Gaithersburg, Maryland, to give their assess- ments of science and technology in America. We also opened

our laboratories in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and Boulder,

Colorado, to the American people and more than 50,000 persons, private citizens as well as public officials, came to talk

with us, share their visions of America, and see for themselves how our work affects their daily lives and jobs.

In reading these highlights of NBS accomplishments you

will gain an impression of how we are contributing to the

solution of many problems of national concern. Dedication

to basic research leading to the humane application of technology will continue to distinguish the work of the National

Bureau of Standards in the years ahead. I i

Ernest Ambler

Acting Director

4

"It is therefore the unanimous opinion of your

committee that no more essential aid could be given

to manufacturing, commerce, the makers of

scientific apparatus, the scientific work of the

Government, of schools, colleges, and universities

than the establishment of the institution proposed in

this bill."

REPORT ON THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

FOR THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COINAGE,

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, 1900

Introduction
iPECTIVE ON STANDARDS 5

America 1900. The \ country was caught up

;ie midst of a great revolui that ultimately would

isform it into an indusI giant admired by the

id. Yankee ingenuity and

^ntion—symbolized by

genius of Thomas A.

son and the electric light

D—galvanized industry

business as never before.

> marvel of the age was

jtricity, and telegraph

I'S crisscrossed the couniarrying the message of a

' prosperity and peace to

hillion Americans.

ut success also created

bs. New industries grew

iflmost overnight, but few

'' Standards of quality and

xbrmance for household

'f ucts, industrial goods, or

:q

)r

ib

H;

le

01

traction materials. A

ent builder had to order

1 20 percent more

rial tnan he actually

d for the job to allow

neven quality and crude

ards of materials. The

t electric light industry,

'n';ig neither the British

'O Jerman standards of the

c'lmpere, ohm, or watt

iictory, adopted its own

lards. As a result, an

'f'ic lamp requiring 10

"Ves at 45 volts was

'bed as 2,000

epower in America,

the same lamp

ired by British or Gertandards was rated at 00 to 500 candlepower.

^Il^re was also confusion

l"«marketplace. Household products were often

poor m quality, and weights,

scales, and dry and liquid

measures varied from shop to shop. A quantity of butter

might appear to weigh more

or less in one store than in

another store down the street. And, although Americans

were adept at inventing and

manufacturing all sorts of

scientific and mdustrial

measuring devices, it was still common in 1900 to send

these devices abroad to be

calibrated.

Against this backdrop, the

Congress created the National Bureau of Standards

in 1901 to provide the basis

for orderly industry and

commerce. The legislation

establishing the Bureau, brief

by modern day standards,

succinctly defined its duties.

". . . the functions of the

bureau shall consist in the

custody of standards; the

comparison of the standards

usecf in scientific investigations, engineering, manufacturing, commerce, and

educational institutions with

the standards adopted or recognized by the Government; the construction, when

necessary, of standards, their

multiples, and subdivisions;

the testing and calibration of

standard measuring apparatus; the solution of

problems which arise in connection with standards; the

determination of physical

constants and the properties

of materials when such data

are of great importance to

scientific or manufacturing

interests and are not to be obtained of sufficient accuracy

elsewhere."

Clearly, the Bureau was to be the source and custodian

of the national standards of

physical measurement.

However, the regulating

powers and the enforcement

of measurement standards

remained the responsibility

of the states. Down through the years,

NBS has provided the country with a scientific basis for

accurate measurements and

sources of information on

basic properties of materials

determined by such

measurements. In addition,

its responsibilities to determine physical constants and

to solve almost any problem

that arises in connection with

standards has made its scope

of research in the physical

sciences exceedingly broad.

The broad intent of its original charter, in the light

of changing needs of science

and technology, along with

additional responsibilities

assigned to NBS by many

pieces of subsequent legislation, has enabled NBS to bridge the gap between the

standards of measurement

envisioned by the early

legislators and the demanding, sophisticated standards

of performance required by

society today. As a result, 75

years after its creation, NBS

is deeply involved in the performance of scientific

research, test method

development, and standards

writing in such areas of national concern as energy conservation, fire safety, computer applications, environmental protection, materials

utilization, and consumer

product safety and performance.

The beneficiaries of the

Bureau's work, described in

1900 as manufacturing,

commerce, science, government, and education, today

also include consumers, law

enforcement officials,

architects and builders,

medical practitioners, scientific and trade organizations.

For three-quarters of a century, NBS has served as a

catalyst for the application of

advanced technology and

associated scientific methods

to society's problems. At

NBS, a diverse staff representing dozens of scientific

and engineering disciplines are engaged in more tnan a thousand projects. The

following pages present a

brief account of some of the

accomplishments and activities carried out at NBS

during the 15-month period

that includes fiscal year 1976

and the transition quarter

ending September 30, 1976.

Throughout this report that

period will be referred to as FY 76. These activities reflect

the spectrum of capabilities

and concerns that prompted

Commerce Secretary Robert

P. Lamont in 1931 to call the

National Bureau of Standards "the people's own

science laboraton/." 'J
6

"The Bureau is called upon to settle questions of

standards that would scarcely have arisen a few

years ago. Another cause contributing to the increased demands along these lines is the necessity for

greater accuracy. What would have been considered

sufficiently accurate a few years ago will no longer

satisfy engineers, manufacturers, merchants, or the

public."

NBS ANNUAL REPORT, 1902

Increasing Measurement Capabilities

The newly established

National Bureau of

Standards largely turned its attention in 1901 to measurement standards for the

burgeoning electric power

industry. It was quickly

recognized that measurement, the Bureau's special

province, was vital to the

strength and growth of the

entire economy. Today, increasingly complex industrial

processes, manufacturing,

technology, and science

demand degrees of precision,

based on accurate measurement, far beyond the range

practiced by the Nation's

scientists at the turn of the

century.

Measurement is much

more than just a way of making sure things fit together. It

is a means of gathering precise, objective information

about the physical world, information that also can help

determine how well a process

or product performs its intended function. NBS

research today ranges from

making precise measurements of such basic physical

quantities as mass, time, and

length to exploiting discoveries on the frontiers of

science to provide scientists

and engineers with measurement tools of ever greater

capability. Accomplishments

during the year reflect this

broad spectrum—from the

most accurate determination

to date of the length of the se- cond, the fundamental unit

of time, to theoretical studies

of small geometric patterns,

which resulted in an instrument that will aid the

manufacture of high-performance microelectronic

devices.

Sophisticated communication systems, such as radio,

television, and computer networks, navigation systems,

electric power grids, and a

host of manufacturers and

users of electronic components and instruments depend on accurate reference

standards of time and frequency. In turn, modern

standards of timekeeping and

frequency are based on the

natural oscillations of cesium

atoms serving as atomic

clocks. The latest and most

accurate generation of NBS

atomic clocks was completed

during the year. Twice as ac-
As science and technology advance, the determinations of fundamental physical constants can be made

with cfieater precision. In the 1920's, Paul R. Heyl

redetermined the Newtonian constant of gravitation.

Today, William A. Koldewyn (1.) and James E. Faller are attempting to measure the gravitational

constant even more precisely.

curate as its predecessor,

NBS 6 became the new NBS

primary standard for the se- cond and the hertz. NBS 6

led to a new determination of

the length of the second, ac- curate to within 8.5 parts in

100 million which is comparable to about 1 second in 370,000 years. As a

result of the NBS measurement and others performed

in West Germany and

Canada, the International

Time Bureau in Paris will

make an adjustment in international atomic time.

An NBS scientist also

developed a portable

rubidium atomic clock that

permits routine comparison

of worldwide timekeeping

more conveniently than existing cesium atomic clocks.

The battery-operated clock,

which can be carried to previously inaccessible locations, nas a precision better

than 1 microsecond.

New ground was broken

in another area of basic

physical research—tem-
Helmut Hellwig developed a portable rubidium atomic clock

which permits more frequent,

inexpensive trips to compare in- dependent clock systems used

as time standards m many

countries.
SPECTIVE ON STANDARDS 9

ted opportunity to imve the quality and

libility of their temiture measurements.

1 the area of gas thernetry, measurements perled with the NBS preci-

: gas thermometer gained

"national acceptance and

Ignition from authorities

sensible for the Interna-

>al Practical Temperature

^e. IPTS provides the

a for accurate ther-

(ynamic calculations and

determinations of

t rial properties based on

If 1. The exceptional

i|bilities attained by NBS

it this unique theric ieter should result in

:v ions to the scale.

le advent of the laser has

la^ possible a whole new

ration of instrumenta31 or medicine, com-

'C e, industry, and science.

Mie safe and efficient use

I Hers, however, the beam

'u be measured to see if its lajicteristics fit the inn',d application. In FY 76

'B! scientists developed a instrument for measur-

'g e intensity of laser

fa s that will reduce the ^ nt of effort required to

determine the intensity. Its unique design means the instrument can be used to calibrate practically any kind

of laser. NBS scientists also

carried out a new photoionization experiment that

created a dense

homogeneous column of

positive ions at relatively low

temperatures. This opens up

a possible route to short

wavelength, vacuum

ultraviolet lasers.

Some of the most enduring accomplishments of NBS

are made on the forefront of

science and technology. During FY 76, NBS contributed

new neutron cross-section

measurements to the Nation's nuclear energy

program. Neutron cross sec- tions for the ^Li (n,a),

•OB(n,oc), and 235U fission

reactions were provided to the National Neutron Data

Center and to the subcommittee of the U.S. Data

Committee concerned with

evaluation of neutron standards. After careful scrutiny,

the subcommittee adopted a recommendation giving

major weight to the new NBS

data on 235U, which represents a downward adjustment as large as 4 percent to the previously accepted data.

Since these three cross sec- tions are used as standards

for a variety of nuclear fuels,

the NBS data are expected to have a large impact on the

design of the breeder and

other reactors.

In a related area, the

developing capability at NBS

to measure absolute neutron

fission rates was applied to the calibration of new detectors for characterizing radiation fields in test reactors.

The method forms the basis

of a wide interlaboratory

effort to achieve measurement consistency for fission rates of reactor fuels. In addition, experiments on the

behavior of atomic nuclei

under bombardment by lowenergy gamma rays gave

scientists a new insight into

the process by which energy

is released in fission.

Progress in understanding

the fusion process, which

could supply unlimited

energy for future generations, is being made at NBS.

In fusion, hot gases are heated to temperatures of

100 million degrees Celsius

and held in a magnetic field.

These intense conditions

create a plasma in which

nuclei are driven into each

other with such tremendous

force that they fuse, releasing

energy in the process. Barely

measurable impurities in the

plasma can cause it to cool to such extent that fusion will

not occur. During the year,

NBS developed a new

transfer standard that will

help scientists accurately

calibrate the instruments

used to detect and measure

impurities in the plasma.

The standard, a compact,

powerful mini-arc ultraviolet source, is now being

used by researchers at Princeton University's Tokamak,

the largest plasma containment machine in the United

States.
10

"Much of the success of the Bureau's work has been

due to the most hearty cooperation of manufacturers, consumers, and technical experts

especially where the results would enure to the

benefit of all . . . the results of the Bureau's work

find through these channels the most ready acceptance and application."

NBS ANNUAL REPORT, 1912

Transferring Research and Technology

Sharing research and

measurement expertise

is one of the major concerns

of NBS. In this area, NBS

has always enjoyed a unique

relationship with industry,

government agencies,

universities, and consumers.

As early as 1904, the

Federal government turned

to NBS to find out what was

wrong with its incandescent

light bulbs. The bulbs,

purchased at the rate of 1 million a year, regularly and

rapidly burned out in

Federal office buildings.

Soon, NBS was testing clinical thermometers, chemical

glassware, inks, and, in fact,

nearly the whole catalog of

supplies purchased for

government use. Manufacturers then began coming to

NBS to obtain assistance on

methods of measurement

and quality control. In

response the Bureau started

to issue standard samples

now known as Standard

Reference Materials—and to provide calibration services

to help in these tasks.

This relationship continues to grow and expand

today as NBS transfers the

results of its research and

technology into the

marketplace. The Bureau

serves as a technical resource

for the states, which are re- sponsible for regulating

weighing and measuring

equipment. In 1965 NBS

embarked on a program to replace the antiquated

weights and measures of the

states, many of which dated

back to 1836. In the past

year, NBS presented new sets of weights, measures, and instruments to Arizona,

Alabama, and NewJersey,

bringing to 49 the number of

states, including the District

of Columbia, that have

received new standards.

Along with the instruments,

NBS provides calibration

services and guidance on installing equipment and training laboratory personnel.

NBS also serves as a technical resource for a number

of Federal government agencies. Among NBS clients are

the Department of Housing

and Urban Development,

the Energy Research and

Development Administration, the General Services

Administration, the Food

and Drug Administration,

the Federal Energy Ad-
11

j

!

Left. Lauriston Taylor of NBS ( 1

. ) and Walter

Brinks of the British National Physical

Laboratory performed the first intercom

parison of X-ray standards between the two

countries in 1931.

Below. William A. Baeley checks instrumentation for calibrating high-voltage dividers used

today with diagnostic X-ray units to prevent

overexposure to X-rays.
12 i

ministration, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

NBS signed several new

interagency agreements during the past year. One agreement will stimulate cooperation between NBS and

ERDA to work on measurements and standards needed

in the Nation's energy

research and development

program. Under another

cooperative program with

ERDA, the NBS Office of

Energy-Related Inventions

received nearly 3,300 inventions for evaluation. The inventions, aimed at conserving or increasing energy supplies, were submitted by individuals and small

businesses. About 2 percent

of the inventions evaluated

are ultimately expected to be

recommended to ERDA for

additional support and

development.

One of the Bureau's key

efforts is the Experimental

Technology Incentives

Program which explores

policies that will allow the

Federal government to stimulate the development,

application, and transfer of

science and technology in the

private sector. In cooperation

with other agencies, ETIP

conducts experiments in

Federal regulatory and procurement practices and

policies and supports

research and development in

the private sector to determine ways of encouraging

desirable innovation in the

marketplace.

In the regulatory area,

ETIP initiated a project with

FDA to develop systems for

monitoring newly approved

medicines for unwanted

reactions. The systems would

help FDA uncover previously

unsuspected adverse effects

more quickly than is now possible.

As a result of one ETIP

experiment in the procurement area, all GSA contracts

for purchases over S 100,000

have a new incentive clause

that encourages government

suppliers to make changes in

products that will result in

cost savings to the government. The supplier then

shares these savings with the

government, but the ultimate

beneficiary is the taxpayer,

because GSA buys S2 billion

worth of supplies and equipment every year. In addition,

it is expected that such innovations in products will

ultimately show up in the

general marketplace.

In another program aimed

at transferring research and

technology, NBS hosted

nearly 90 scientists,

engineers, and technicians as research associates during

the past year. Twenty trade

associations, private companies, and the Federal

government paid the salaries

of research associates to work

at NBS on problems of

mutual concern. During the year, a new

research associate program

with the American Society for

Testing and Materials was

initiated to provide research

on standards for the metals

industry. In another ASTMNBS program, a research

associate developed an apparatus for measuring and

evaluating the quality and

reliability of sealed insulating

glass units. The device was

adopted as part of a standard

test method by ASTM and is now being produced commercially by industry. Two

research associates from

Superconducting Technology, Inc., are working

with NBS scientists to develop the technical basj

for conversion of the

JosephsonJunction Volt;!

Standard from a laboratcj

device to a commercially]

reproducible form.

The NBS guest workeii

program provides a simil j; environment to the reseail

associate program for for

scientists and engineers.

During the past year, NBj

hosted 24 guest workers f|

10 countries.

Under another cooper

tive program, NBS and tl Electric Power Research

stitute developed a new p

'

table calibration unit for verifying the accuracy of \

""f coupling capacitor voltag,

j transformers used in revei^ , metering in high voltage

j lines. VVhen used comm( i'"'' cially by utility companie "

the calibration unit will j

J!

assure the equitable ex- change of energy over ne works of po\ver lines. The,

grograms emphasize tha'h',^,^^^ ureau considers cooper.

tion with the private sectc' on projects oi benefit to • society one of its most impK^

tant missions.

is for
PECTIVE ON STANDARDS 13

Working with the Electric

Power Research Institute, NBS

developed a calibration system

to assure the equitable ex- change of energy over networks

of power lines.

irough its calibration

'csting services, the

lau helps other instituand businesses make

ate measurements. In

i'onnection, NBS proe calibration services to

1 than 950 private firms,

l al, state, and local

'inment agencies,

I'rsities and hospitals,

ipreign organizations.

:lding measurements of

isince, voltage, and

r ion, the services were

Lsted by such diverse

;aizations as power

li's, instrument makers,

ti^rs, and the aircraft init . The services focus on

ititions that require

comparisons to acaly maintained national

lai rds. Fees are charged

Oir the costs of this ser-

'. Vhen calibrated by

SS;he customer s mstrunbecomes a transfer

Krd with NBS-traceable

:uicy.

Mtra\ new calibration

vii s were initiated during

Pit year, including

'girns for impulse

leitors, high-density

?f tic disks, and pressure

ns icers. NBS also

established a calibration ser- vice for the high-voltage

dividers used with diagnostic

X-ray units in support of

FDA's efforts to prevent over- exposure of the public to Xrays.One of the most popular

services offered by NBS is its high-frequency broadcasts

for time and frequency

calibrations. NBS began

transmitting standard radio

frequencies from its station

WWV (originally located in

Beltsville, Maryland, now in

Fort Collins, Colorado) in

1923, and station WWVH

(originally located in Maui,

Hawaii, but later moved to Kauai) in 1948. Together,

the two stations broadcast

time and frequency signals to tens of thousands of regular

listeners in large areas of the

western hemisphere.

Recorded time and frequency information is available to the public from WWV by

calling 303/499-71 11 and

from WWVH by calling

808/335-4363. More than

30,000 calls are received by

the time-of-day service each

week. One regular user of

this time and frequency information is the Bell

telephone service. In

cooperation with other

government agencies, WWV

and WWVH also broadcast

weather digests, alerts on

geomagnetic storms and

solar activity, and other information.

NBS offers measurement

assurance programs as unique supplements to its regular calibration services.

Under these programs, NBS

sends well characterized instruments or samples to participating laboratories. This

service enables laboratories

to determine (and correct

for) differences between their

calibration processes and

those of NBS. In addition,

this system reduces the risk

of damage to instruments

during shipment to NBS for

calibration. This procedure

examines the capability of

the whole measurement

system, rather than the properties of a single instrument

separated from the normal

conditions of its use. During FY 76 NBS began

a new measurement

assurance program for the

power calioration of 1 milliwatt helium-neon lasers,

which make up well over

half of all laser sales. The

service will assist laser

manufacturers and users to make more accurate and

reliable measurements,

which is especially critical in

view of new Federal labeling

requirements for lasers. NBS

also offered a new measurement assurance program for

gage blocks widely used as checks on the accuracy of industrial dimensional

measurements.

Another integral NBS

effort aimed at transferring

measurement expertise is the

Standard Reference

Materials program. SRM's

are materials whose chemical

or physical properties have

been measurecf and certified

by NBS. They are used by

manufacturers to calibrate

instruments and secondary

standards. The program to- day offers more than 950

SRM'sfor sale. In FY 76

alone, nearly 40,400 units

were sold in the United

States and overseas at a value

of S2.4 million. About 40

new SRM's, ranging from

standard magnetic tapes for

computer applications to standards for measuring

sulfur in fuel oil, were added

during the past year. D
14

"The quality of materials depends upon their physical and chemical properties, each of which may be

measured and standardized exactly as their dimensions are standardized . . . Upon this view that

quality may be measured rests the importance of the

movement for unified specifications for materials."

NBS ANNUAL REPORT, 1912

Promoting Better Materials Use

Although people were

concerned about

materials quality in the early

part of the century, they were

not worried about exhausting

the earth's resources. Materials resources are

finite, however, and today

some are in critically short

supply.

To help conserve the Nation's resources, NBS

materials research focuses on

accurately determining the

properties of materials. By

relating these properties to Cerformance, materials may

e used more efficiently,

while insuring their

durability, reliability, and

safety. Achievements during

the past year highlight the

breadth of materials research

at the Bureau—from studies

of materials used in new

energy systems to developing

new techniques for detecting

flaws in materials before they

fail.

Fossil fuels—oil, gas, and,

to a lesser extent, coal—are among our most rapidly

diminishing resources. NBS

scientists work with the

Energy Research and

Development Administration

to find more efficient ways of

using coal, the most plentiful

U.S. energy resource. Of

particular interest is magnetohydrodynamics, or MHD. MHD is a way of

generating electricity from

coal and other fuels that is potentially more efficient and

less polluting than conventional means. One of the

main obstacles to MHD

development is finding

materials that can withstand

the extremely corrosive conditions created in MHD

systems. NBS studies provide

needed endurance and property data on new and existmg MHD materials.

During the past fiscal year,

NBS coordinated all materials evaluation and

characterization activities for

theU.S.-U.S.S.R. tests of

American-designed and

-built electrodes and insulator materials, key components in MHD systems. As a

result of these studies some

of the problems involved

with the materials were identified, paving the way for improvements and, possibly,

long life electrodes. NBS

scientists also developed

several promising new
5PECTIVE ON STANDARDS 15

rode materials as an outth of this work.

5S established a data

r in FY 76 to provide ination on characteristics

iterials used in coal

cation plants, as well as

; il liquefaction plants,

coal is converted into

tieum substitutes. The

1 r collects, evaluates, and

Jninates information reto failure analysis of

t ials.

V ny energy technologies

1 is MHD and coal

i :ation involve high

i| ratures, but the proper1 materials at very low

ij ratures also play an

y tant role in energy

ei ch. For example, at yliw temperatures,

u il gas is transformed

3 liquid. Liquefied

u .1 gas, or LNG, has a

u e only one sixK edth of natural gas

ic makes it easier to store

Itmsport. Millions of

la worth of LNG are

IS Drted and traded every

)r many years, NBS

d /eloped data on LNG

p< ties and methods of

is "ing them accurately

le /arious conditions to

assure equity in the transfer

of LNG Detween buyer and

seller. During FY 76 NBS completed successful tests on the

metering of LNG, measured

thermophysical properties,

and began a study involving

sampling of the composition

of LNG, upon which both

the cargo-heating value and

the quantity are calculated.

These accurate data and

handling techniques form

the basis for all aspects of

LNG technology.

NBS made significant

contributions to materials

research in another area of

national interest—health. A

synthetic implant program

was formed to assist

surgeons, manufacturers,

and other specialists in the

search for safer, more durable synthetic implant

materials. Among results of

research in FY 76 was the

finding that titanium, a common metallic implant

material, is more resistant to corrosion when alloyed with

small amounts of nickel

and/or molybdenum and

given aproper heat treat- ment. The work also

revealed that the strength of

In 1976, NBS scientists worked with Soviet researchers to evaluate and characterize materials for potential use in

magnetohydrodynamic systems. (Photo by William R. Hosier.)

One of the Bureau's early challenges in materials research was to find pot material capable of resisting the corrosive

effect of fluid optical glass. Working with industry, NBS

researchers produced a procelain pot that was regarded as a major contribution to glass manufacturing techniques.
16

Harold Berger inspects neutron

radiographs as part of the NBS

program to improve measure- ment methods ysed in the nondestructive evaluation of

materials.

at least one titanium alloy

used in implants can be increased many times by

proper heat treatment.

A long standing cooperative health program, dating

back to the 1920's, between

NBS and the American Dental Association continued to make progress in the

development of better dental

materials and methods. ADA

research dentists working at NBS developed a procedure

that makes possible for the

first time the simultaneous

use of two cavity-retarding

techniques. The methods,

now used separately by dentists, are direct fluoridation,

which makes the tooth surface less susceptible to decay,

and sealing, wnich fills in

depressions and crevices

where food and bacteria ac- cumulate. The ADA dentists are now testing the procedure on a number of patients. NBS scientists and

ADA dentists also developed

a new technique that may

prolong the life of composite

resin fillings widely used to repair front teeth.

In addition, NBS scientists

last year provided technical

information to the Department of Transportation on

test methods to determine

properties of plastics used in

containers for transporting

hazardous materials. Witn

this information, DOT will

have a firm technical base

which will be useful in

developing standards.

Bureau scientists also prepared a report for DOT on

the use of fracture mechanics

analysis and radiographic

and ultrasonic methods to

help DOT determine the acceptability of flawed girth

welds in the trans-Alaskan

oil pipeline.

Radiography and

ultrasonic inspection are two

of several nondestructive

evaluation methods. NDE

methods are employed in industry to examine materials

for flaws or defects that could

seriously impair the useful

life of the component. NBS

established a nondestructive

evaluation program to help

industry and other government agencies improve the

reliability of materials and

structures through standardized NDE measurements.

Under this program, NBS

and the Electric Power

Research Institute are investigating the possibility of

using acoustic emission, a new NDE technique, to monitor electrical generating

systems and components for

early signs of failure. In

another program with

Argonne National Laboratory, NBS scientists applied

three-dimensional methods

to neutron radiography, providing a powerful probe for

inspecting complex structural components.

NBS scientists also

developed a new instrument

that displays the interior of

integrated circuits and other

semiconductor devices,

which are used in electronic

systems found in industrial

processing, communications,

transportation, and health

services. Called a laser flying-spot scanner, the instrument will aid reliable design

of semiconductor devices

and circuits. _|
PECTIVE ON STANDARDS 17

"To waste, to destroy our national resources, to skin

and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness will result in undermining in

the days of our children the very prosperity which

we ought by right to hand down to them amplified

and developed."

THEODORE ROOSEVELT

MESSAGE TO CONGRESS, 1907

liding Environmental Protection

Some 60 years before the

environment became a popular cause, President

Roosevelt recognized the

importance of protecting the

environment. An ardent

conservationist, his chief

concern was limiting commercial development of the

country's forests and parklands. Were he alive today, it

is likely that Roosevelt would

be equally concerned about

the hundreds of chemicals,

unknown in his day, that

have entered the environment.

Pollutants in air and water

are of particular importance.

Noise, a less tangible form of

pollution that seriously

affects the well being of

millions of Americans, also

threatens environmental

quality. In all three cases

air, water, and noise pollution—accurate measurements are needed to determine' the true levels of pollutants. Without these

measurements, scientists

cannot correctly relate health

effects to levels of pollution,

engineers cannot accurately

assess the effectiveness of

control techniques, and the

government cannot rationally make policy decisions on regulating pollution

As one of the newer

programs at NBS, environmental pollution research is a natural outgrowth of the

Bureau's expertise in

measurement science. NBS

assists the Environmental

Protection Agency by providing a basis for accuracy in

pollution measurement. In

the past year, NBS scientists

developed new measurement

methods and standards and

determined and disseminated technical data on

pollutants to other scientists

and state and local governments.

Air pollution is a global

problem. A major international issue in recent years is whether chlorofluorocarbons—used as propellants in

aerosol sprays and as

refrigerants—are breaking

down the earth's protective

ozone layer. During the year

NBS scientists determined

new data for several crucial

chemical reactions occurring

in the upper atmosphere.

The information provided

the most accurate data

available for computer

modeling studies that are
18

Right. NBS scientists assisted

the National Geographic

Society with two balloon ascensions, m 1934 and 1935, to collect information and data on the

stratosphere. (Photo by Master

Sergeant G. B. Gilbert and Captain H. K. Baisley.)

Far right. NBS researchers to- day are studying chemical reactions that occur in the at- mosphere. Here Albert E. Ledford is shown with a new, NBSdeveloped instrument used to measure very small amounts of

ozone, a serious air pollutant at ground level.

used to predict the effects of

chlorofluorocarbons on the

ozone layer.

In a study of another industrially important chemical, carbon tetrachloride,

NBS scientists showed that it breaks down in the earth's

upper atmosphere in a manner similar to the

chlorofluorocarbons. During

the breakdown process,

chlorine atoms are released

which then react with ozone. These studies indicated that

carbon tetrachloride may

also play a role in ozone

depletion. Meanwhile, en- vironmentally preferred

alternatives to

chlorofluorocarbons have

been identified in a collaboration between NBS and

the National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration.

The NBS-NOAA

researchers found that if the

chlorofiuorocarbon

molecules contain hydrogen,

their reaction with the at- mospheric hydroxyl radical

greatly reduces the amount

of chlorofiuorocarbon

material that can reach the

upper atmosphere and

reduce ozone concentrations.

This information is reflected

in legislation of the State of

Oregon, which restricts the use of non-hydrogen

chlorofluorocarbons. Other

states are considering similar

legislation.

Although ozone in the upper atmosphere protects the

earth from harmful

ultraviolet radiation, in the

lower atmosphere it is a

serious air pollutant. An

NBS scientist developed a new instrument for measuring precisely very low levels

of ozone in the lower at- mosphere. The instrument is the only one of its kind in the

United States, and scientists

from around the country

have used the NBS instrument to calibrate their ozone

measuring instruments.

Calibrations such as these

help assure that measurements of ozone made by

different groups are accurate

and comparable.

Air pollution is not only a health hazard outside—it may also affect industrial

workers who often are ex- posed to potentially toxic

materials in the workplace.

NBS scientists developed a new sensitive monitor for

determining the occupational exposure of a worker

to mercury vapors. The

monitor will help public

health officials protect some

150,000 workers who are employed in industries where

exposure to the hazard of

mercury is a daily occurrence. The Bureau also issued a

series of Standard Reference

Materials for industrial hygiene analysis. These SRM's

provide an accurate way of

calibrating equipment and

methods that are used to determine if workers have

been unduly exposed to high

levels of industrial pollutants

and if the levels of pollutants

in the workplace exceeded

Federal health standards.

Resulting from a joint

program with the National

Institute of Occupational

Safety and Health, the

SRM's will be useful in a

variety of industries where

exposure to toxic substances

like beryllium, lead, and cadmium is frequent.

Public health officials are

also interested in learning

more about very tiny particles found in air pollution.

Particles about 1 micrometer

or less in size can be
SPECTIVE ON STANDARDS 19

thed into the lungs

re they may cause

age to the respiratory aptus. NBS scientists

loped two laser-based

uments that will help

acterize the nature of

particles.

antroUing the levels of

Jtants in water is as

plex a task as it is in air.

ii h public attention has

C5ea on the transforma-

)iof mercury by bacteria

tia more toxic form,

Ciylmercury. MethylmerII enters the human food

ui by being ingested by

>1 A.nother dangerous

e l found in water is cadliv i. An NBS team of

iuists found that certain

giisms also convert cadlu metal into more reac- eompounds. Additional

J(is are underway to

st( rnine if cadmium enters

idiecomes concentrated in

e od chain.

Ms scientists also assisted

ii estigations of

iiciorganisms that may

ayi key role in marine

olgy. The Bureau

-voped and built a non-

>n minating device for

tn /ing water samples

from the deepest parts of the ocean. The device maintains

the high pressures encountered during and after

retrieval. This enables

researchers to study in the

laboratory organisms that

may be present under conditions similar to those found

in their natural habitat.

Using the sampler. University of Maryland researchers

retrieved microorganisms

from 3500 meters and are now trying to determine if they are unique to the deep

ocean. The sampler is sufficiently rugged for any deep

ocean biological sampling

and should open up

the field to many research

laboratories.

Meanwhile, a team of

NBS scientists completed a study of naturally occurring

levels of hydrocarbons in the

marine environment in

Alaska. The study was performed in areas expected to be affected by tankers carrying oil from the transAlaskan oil pipeline. The

study will provide a baseline

against which changes in

hydrocarbon concentrations

may be monitored after the

pipeline opens. During

the study, NBS scientists

designed new methods of

taking samples and analyzing them for low concentrations of petroleum components.

Substances used to improve the quality of life may

nave serious side effects

when they or their byproducts are dispersed into

the environment. Pesticides

that are naturally toxic are a

case in point. During the

year, NBS mathematicians

analyzed and extended a model tracing the movement

of DDT and other pesticides

through soil, rivers and lakes,

the atmosphere, oceans, and

fish. The model takes into

consideration the way in

which pesticides are applied

and their subsequent movement by convection, solution,

precipitation, evaporation,

and photodegradation into

the environment. From the

model, it appears that most

of the DDT ends up on the

ocean floor.

Just as air and water pollution affect nearly everyone's

life, so does noise. Nearly

103 million people in the

United States are exposed

daily to sound levels that can

interfere with normal

activities including communication and sleep. Continued high sound levels can

also cause a loss of hearing, a problem that affects workers

m many industries. A comprehensive program at NBS

provides government, industry, and the research community with reliable and

useful measurements and

standards for noise abatement and control programs.

During the year, NBS scientists completed an investigation of the accuracy and precision of various measurement methods for determining the sound power output

of machines. They also held

a workshop to provide instruction in the operation of

sound level meters used in

the enforcement of Federal,

state, and local noise

regulations. Q
J.0

. . I am impressed with the fact that we are a people of 1 10 million on a continent where we have

already developed the large proportion of our

natural resources, a population growing at a

rate. . . in the next fifty years, doubling up to

perhaps 200 million people. We must face the

solemn economic fact that unless we develop

through science the greater utility of our resources,

expand by discovery their usefulness, we cannot

maintain the standards of living . . . we now enjoy."

SECRETARY OF COMMERCE HERBERT HOOVER

ADDRESS COMMEMORATING 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF NBS. 1926

Conserving Energy Resources

It is truly remarkable that

50 years ago Herbert

Hoover accurately predicted

the energy shortages of today,

for when Hoover referred to natural resources, he was

talking mainly about

petroleum. But it is probably

safe to say that even Hoover

did not foresee the magnitude of U.S. dependence

on oil. In 1976, petroleum

accounted for about 46 percent of the energy used m the

United States, and about 40

percent of this oil was

imported from foreign

countries.

Science, said Hoover,

could help the Nation in- crease its energy options and

use its existing energy supplies more efficiently. This is the goal of many current

Federal efforts, including

those led by the Energy

Research and Development

Administration. NBS is one

of several government agencies contributing to ERDA's

multibillion dollar energy

research, development, and

demonstration program.

NBS scientists and engineers

develop technical information, test methods, and standards needed to promote the

widespread use of solar

energy systems and energy

conservation practices and

technologies. The Bureau

also supplies data to ERDA's

nuclear energy and fossil

fuels program.

The sun, the most available and abundant potential

energy source, received a

great deal of public attention

during the year. Many new

solar energy systems are on

the market, but builders and

consumers are unable to

make meaningful comparisons among the various

systems because there are no uniform methods for

measuring their

performance.

To remedy this situation,

NBS engineers, with support

from ERDA, are developing

standard methods to test the

performance of solar collectors and thermal storage

units, the two principal components in all solar heating

and cooling systems. The

NBS-proposed test methods

are now under review by the

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air

Conditioning Engineers. In

the meantime, NBS has been

coordinating a test of solar
;rspective on standards

21

lectors at 20 laboratories

loss the country to deterne the suitabiHty of the

) posed standards. It is exiled that the NBS test i:hods will form the basis

(ASHRAE voluntary per-

(jnance standards,

n addition, NBS

'lineers are developing

ittdards for the Department

illousingand Urban

^ elopment on solar

inestic hot water and space

K ing systems. This

irmation will be used in

( unction with HUD's

VI imum Property Stan-

^2is to determine the acCibility of solar equipi;t for mortgage

1 ranee. ne of the main questions

'bit solar energy is its cost

O pared to conventional

'Cingand cooling systems,

i^i ng the year, an NBS

'^Womist published

elines that will provide

'fSirchers and analysts with

'fble and consistent pro-

*res for comparing the

Womic merits of solar

•^"f^ systems with conven-

'U systems.

^Uil solar energy and

* new energy technologies are available widely,

conserving existing energy

resources will be an important option. The Bureau's

measurement expertise has

made a valuable contribution

to the Nation's energy conservation efforts, since the

ability to measure precisely

where energy is used—and

wasted—is the first step in

determining how it can be

saved and used more effi- ciently.

Working with the General

Services Administration, the

Federal Energy Administration, and ERDA, NBS

engineers designed an extensive monitoring and instrumentation system to evaluate

the energy consumption of a new GSA office building in

New Hampshire. An important feature of this building is that before it was built, NBS

computer studies were used

to assist the GSA design team

in choosing the most effective

building designs, materials,

and heating, cooling, and

ventilating equipment. These

studies estimated that the

building would use a third

less energy than a comparable conventional building.

The data collected from the

monitoring system will allow

NBS to evaluate the actual

performance of various

energy conservation features

in the building against the

theoretically expected performance. This information

will aid architects and

builders in designing energy

conserving buildings in the

future.

The Bureau continued to make significant contributions to the development of

energy conservation standards for new building

designs. A widely publicized

voluntary consensus standard on energy conservation

in new buildings, adopted by

ASHRAE in 1976, was

derived in part from NBS

research. The NBS staff is now aiding in the preparation of guidelines for implementation of this and other

standards. It is also helping

HUD and other Federal

agencies develop energy consei"vation standards.

Another application of

Bureau measurement ex- perience is HUD's Modular

Integrated Utility System.

MIUS is an innovative

system designed to ease the

burden on public utilities by

As part of an NBS-FEA project

to develop test methods lor

measuring the energy use of

major appliances, NBS

researchers measured the

amount of energy actually used

by cooks in preparing meals.

•RSPECTIVE ON STANDARDS 23

aviding in a single package

the utility needs of a cominity. A significant advance of MIUS is the conserion of fuel through recov-

'of energy normally

sted when essential utility

vices are supplied from

S)arate sources. During FY 76 NBS

' eloped a detailed perforiince specification

'i HUD, spelling out

*nimum performance

pj'els for MIUS products

ai services. This specificai\ \ was used to design a fjUS demonstration plant

ut could provide all utility

Svices for a residential and

c nmercial community

uier construction in Maryd. After the plant is built,

S will measure its perforince and compare it to the

pnal predictions of imved utility performance

1 energy savings.

I^ast year, NBS began

e'luating for HUD a total

et rgy plant serving a resid itial and commercial

In a attempt to help conserve

the Nation's petroleum

resources, a major concern even

in the 1920's, NBS scientists

studied the automobile below

for ways to improve combustion

by obtaining better knowledge

of fuels, ignition, lubrication,

and carburetion. At the left, Donn Ebberts ( 1

. ) and John

enkins adjust solar collectors

)eing tested by NBS for ERDA

as part of a continuing search

for better and more emcient

ways to use the Nation's energy

resources.

iplex in Jersey City, New

;ey. NBS designed and in-

'led the data collection

em that is being used to

nitor the performance of

the plant. The evaluation

will assist decision makers in

comparing the potential of

alternative community

energy systems.

The Nation's 46 million

owner-occupied homes also

offer a significant opportunity for energy conservation. A popular consumer

booklet published by

NBS and FEA was distributed during FY 76 to more than a quarter million

homeowners. The booklet,

Making the Most of Your

Energy Dollars in Home Heating and Cooling, helps homeowners determine the best

level of investment in insulation, storm windows, and

other energy conservation

improvements to get the

maximum savings on home

fuel bills. The Bureau is also

assisting the Federal Community Services Administration in its nationwide

program to help low

income families make energy

conservation improvements

in their homes.

In addition, NBS worked

with FEA and the Federal

Trade Commission during

the year to develop test metnods for determining the

energy efficiency of household appliances. The test methods will be used in a mandatory appliance labeling program. NBS

established an appliance test- ing laboratory and developed

recommended test methods

for eight products. Bureau

engineers also studied product design options that have

potential for improving product efficiency.

Other energy conservation

efforts at NBS were aimed at the industrial and commercial sectors which use nearly

half of the Nation's energy

budget. During the fiscal

year, NBS and FEA issued a supplement to the widely distritauted Energy Conservation

Program Guidefor Industry

and Commerce, a technical

handbook designed to help

businesses and industries

establish or improve energy

conservation programs.

NBS and FEA also

developed a Waste Heat

Management Guidebook to inform engineers and plant

managers of the options for

recovering and using heat

normally lost in industrial

processes. It is estimated that a typical plant could save about 20 percent of its fuel by

installing waste heat recovery

equipment. LJ
"The construction industry is one of the largest and

most important to the people of the United States

and it is a function of the division of building and

housing to study the needs of the industry and their

relation to the public welfare. It endeavors to see that these needs are met and the public welfare advanced, partly through its own efforts and by enlisting the aid of other branches of the Federal government. . .and partly by presenting its conclusions to

the industry itself."

NBS ANNUAL REPORT, 1922

Advancing Building Technology

Asevere housing shortage was one of the

major crises facing the

United States after World

War I. Stimulating construction became the personal

crusade of Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover, who

called upon the National

Bureau of Standards to assist

in his whirlwind campaign.

NBS was a logical choice

since by 1922 it had already

amassed considerable ex- perience in testing and

measuring the strength and

thermal performance of

building materials. It was

called upon to publish

material on the economics of

home building and ownership and to recommend revisions in local building and

plumbing codes to increase

uniformity. The Bureau also

developed improved building

practices and materials for

the states to adopt.

Today, the building construction industry is one of

the largest in the United

States, with about 3.3 million

workers and SI 40 billion

worth of new construction

annually. NBS building

research continues in the

Center for Building Technology, where researchers

from three dozen scientific

and technical disciplines

work together to develop

technical information,

measurement methods, performance criteria, and imgroved building practices,

tudies during the past year

reflect the broad base of

CBT concerns, ranging from

investigations of lead paint

poisonmg to new energy

standards for buildings.

In P^' 76 NBS was'asked

by the Department of Housing and Urban Development

to investigate the existing

problems and standards for

thermoplastic piping, increasingly used to replace

metal in some plumbing applications. After a comprehensive investigation,

which included studies on

the flammability of thermoplastic piping, NBS

researchers concluded that

plastic piping for residential

plumbing can be an effective

substitute for metallic piping.

This was a significant finding because of the reduced

cost of thermoplastics.

However, Bureau scientists

noted that when thermoplastics are used, certain

precautions must be takei ); the building designer, the

contractor, and the occupkl

of the residence to maintei

safety. The information firr the study is expected to fo'n guidelines for future use ( the materials.

In another study relate :o plumbing, NBS engineer

collected technical data o the use of smaller ventins x

plumbing systems. Smalt

venting reduces construe! n costs because less materials

required. The NBS data serve as the technical bas

for improving standards fit will incorporate the use o' smaller vents into plumbig

codes.

One material that has

raised serious safety ques

tions in recent years is lea- based paint. This paint ws used extensively in home

before the 1940's and is s i present in many homes,

especially those located ii fi- ner city areas. Under con

tract to HUD, NBS

engineers and scientists af working on identifying tf extent of the problem anon

evaluating methods for ; detecting and eliminatinj

lead-based paint.
RSPECTIVE ON STANDARDS 25

Investigations for the building and construction industry began at NBS in the 1920's. The studies, which ranged from elevator safety

code work to fire -resistance testing of building materials, continue

todav on new materials resulting from improved technologies.

Bradley A. Peavy, Jr., utilizes a variety of sensors to study the

thermal performance of a mobile home in NBS' environmental

chamber.

)uring the year, NBS

:|archers concluded the

Ut comprehensive survey

ij statistical analysis of the

i: poisoning problem ever

l ertaken in a major

iropolitan area. The study

tl serious doubt on the

>.;-held assumption that

;< poisoning among small

bfren is mainly caused by

ii;hildren eating leadad paint. In fact, the

J ey of 4,000 dwellings in

i( Pittsburgh area showed

0 Jrrelation between paint

Hd in homes and lead

3ientration in blood. Inf , the study revealed that en living in the oldest

J ings, regardless of the

in of paint used in the

usiings, had the highest

M sntrations of lead in

'e systems.

lie study implies that

' other factors may con- h ^ to lead poisoning, in-

'u'lg lead in air, dust, dirt,

nd|/ater pipes, and even

cation of houses near

idi trial plants or vehicular

af]:. NBS will continue to

'orvvith HUD to deter-

''n the importance of these

'ct' s. In conjunction with

'ei idy, NBS developed a J

manual for use by local

officials responsible for performing lead paint surveys.

Another serious safety

problem in the home is slippery surfaces. About 8

million Americans slip and

fall in their homes each year.

Nearly 10,000 die as a result

and another 1

'/- million

suffer disabling injuries. A

visiting university engineer

working at NBS developed a new instrument to test tne

slipperiness of floor and

bathtub surfaces. The new

tester is light in weight, compact, easy to operate, and

offers several technical improvements over current friction measurement methods.

The instrument will be used

to help establish standards

for slip resistance of surfaces.

The rising costs of singlefamily houses mean that

many more families are turning to mobile homes as an

alternative. During the past 5

years, mobile homes have

supplied nearly a third of

new single-family housing in

the United States. Along

with the mobile home boom

has come concern for their

safety and durability. During

the year, NBS provided

HUD with technical information which was used in

the Federal Mobile Home

Standard. This standard,

which went into effectJune

19, 1976, is aimed at making

mobile homes safer from fire

and more livable, durable,

and energy efficient.

Wind is another problem

that affects mobile homes, as well as many metropolitan

and rural communities that

have low-rise, low cost, and

often substandard housing.

Under the sponsorship of

the Agency for International

Development, NBS

developed improved criteria

and design aids for protecting low-rise buildings against

wind damage. In addition,

an NBS engineer developed

a pressure probe useful in

carrying out wind-related

research on mobile homes

and other low-rise structures.

High-rise buildings are

also affected by wind. The

problem of swaying is particularly noticeable in nighrise buildings constructed

after Word War II, because

the newer buildings are taller

and made with lighter, but

stronger, materials. During

FY 7d NBS engineers

developed a procedure for

building designers to use in

estimating the effects of wind

forces on tall buildings. This

will lead to safer building

design and increased comfort

for occupants. [~~1
26

"The Bureau is an intensely practical service, bearing directly and daily upon the life of our people. At

one end of its work is research into things as yet

unknown. At the other end is the putting of things

discovered and determined at the service of our people."

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ANNUAL REPORT, 1 91 5

Protecting Public Safety

The Bureau became involved in protecting

pubHc safety early in its history. In the autumn of

1904 a fire started on Bureau

grounds where several of its uildings were still under

construction. A staff member

Culled out all the hoses in the

uildings to get a line to

reach the fire, only to find

that the hoses could not be

coupled because of the

differences in threads.

Eventually the fire was put

out, but it was a grim re- minder that the same lack of

interchangeable standard

threads had been largely

responsible for the

widespread destruction of the

great Baltimore fire a few

months earlier. In that fire,

70 city blocks were

destroyed. Engine companies

arriving from other cities

found themselves unable to help because their hoses

would not fit Baltimore hydrants.

Soon afterward, the

Bureau became involved

with the standardization of

fire hose couplings. This

marked the first of many

NBS projects aimed at protecting public safety. Today,

NBS is active in many areas of consumer safety including

fire safety and crime prevention.

Despite great technological advances in firefighting

in the last three-quarters of a

century, fire is still a serious

problem in the United

States. More than 12,000

Americans are killed in fires

every year, and 250,000 are

severely burned. Property

losses total nearly S3 oillion.

The Bureau's Center for

Fire Research conducts technical programs to help meet

the national goal of reducing

fire losses by 50 percent in

the next generation.

Research ranges from

developing flammability

standards Tor products to investigating the chemistryof

fire and flame processes.

An analysis of fire data undertaken by NBS and the

National Fire Protection

Association during FY 76

revealed that fires starting in

home furnishings are the

major cause of fire deaths.

This finding reinforced the

need for early warning

systems such as smoke detectors in homes. It is estimated

that properly installed and
'ERSPECTIVE ON STANDARDS 27

The Bureau became involved in fire-resistance testing early

in its history. Shown above is testing performed on automatic

sprinkler systems for airplane

hangers in the 1930's. At the

left, Randall Lawson demonstrates the test used today to evaluate the ease with which

materials will ignite.

aintained smoke detectors

luld save up to 3,000 lives a

ar. During the year,

ireau -developed perfor-

^nce criteria for residential

loke detectors were incorrated into a national stan-

'Xd that permits the devices

ibe evaluated on a common

Isis. This standard also profiles a realistic measure of

t;ir performance in actual

l;s.

In addition, NBS studied

[ way in which materials

2i furnishings in a room or

t iding interact during a

f ', since nearly a third of all

fi deaths occur because the

C 'tents of the room—rather

tin the structure itself

^n. The Bureau developed

|st procedure that

«!ematically evaluates the

h ards posed by furnishings

^vell as structures. This

w k will lead to a better und'itanding of the role fur-

" lings play in fires and

these hazards can be

Hiimized.

; ransportation fires are

ar.her serious problem,

^•kingwith the

^^hington Metropolitan

T'lsit Authority, NBS

sCjUists studied, characi

terized, and pinpointed the

fire hazards likely to arise in

new urban mass transit vehicles. The research was coor- dinated with the Department

of Transportation's efforts to develop new and improved

fire safety standards for mass

transit vehicles.

In addition to fire

research, the Bureau is working in other areas affecting

consumer security—crime

prevention and law enforcement. Through its Law Enforcement Standards

Laboratory, NBS provides

the Justice Department with

technical information ranging from standards for procuring sophisticated police

equipment to guidelines for

Crotecting homes against

reak-ins.

During the year, NBS

developed a new voluntary

door security standard to help thwart crimes of opportunity against homes and

small businesses. The standard sets down requirements

for door assemblies and

entryways that will resist

break-ins. An outgrowth of

technical work for the standard was a new consumer

booklet, Home Security Starts

at Your Door. The booklet

gives homeowners, apartment dwellers, and store

owners practical ways to protect their buildings from

being burglarized.

In the security area, the

Bureau generated six

different standards for the

various types of sensors used

with intrusion alarms in both

commercial and residential

buildings. The alarms are designed to reduce or avoid

some of the multibillion dollar losses from burglaries and

similar crimes.

An important part of NBS

work is preparing guidelines

and standards that will help

law enforcement officials buy

the best and safest equipment

for police officers. Bureau

scientists developed a standard setting fortn performance and labeling requirements as well as test methods

for batteries used by police in

radio transmitting and

receiving units. In addition,

the Bureau developed a standard to insure the reliability

of portable X-ray systems

used by police in disarming

bombs.

Last year the Bureau completed tne first study of body

measurements of law

enforcement officers. The

results of this effort will allow

suppliers of police equipment to proauce properly

sized products, from

uniforms to firearm trigger

guards.

Two new Standard

Reference Materials to aid

forensic scientists and law

enforcement officials in making more accurate analyses of

evidence were issued during

the year. One SRM will hefp

insure accurate calibration of

the instruments used to determine the alcohol content of the blood or breath of

persons suspected of

drunken driving.

The other SRM will help

forensic scientists calibrate

equipment used to identify

glass fragments submitted as evidence, such as automobile

headlight glass, i
28

"In many of these cases, methods of testing must be

perfected, and information regarding these

materials is acquired which will prove of great value

to the producer and the consumer, thus bringing

about better conditions under which such materials

are bought and sold."

NBS ANNUAL REPORT, 1902

Improving Product Performance

Consumers in the late

1800's, like those to- day, were confronted with a multitude of products in the

marketplace. Unfortunately,

consumers did not always get

what they expected. One ex- ample of outright fraud at the

turn of the century was lard

oil for cooking that contained

a high percentage of paraffin

oil. Another example—many

soaps were so harsn on

clothes, that they were

described in Congressional

hearings in 1900 as "worse

than useless."

Shortly after NBS was

established, the Bureau staff

began to work with private

standards-making groups,

trade associations, technical

societies, industry, and con- sumers to develop the standards needed for producing

better products more effi- ciently.

Drawing on its long

experience in testing and

measuring qualities of

materials, the Bureau today

is more than ever concerned

with the safety, quality, and

reliability of consumer

products. NBS supplies the

Consumer Product Safety

Commission with test

methods and data on potentially hazardous products,

enabling CPSC to remove

such items quickly from the

marketplace if necessary. For

CPSC the NBS Center for

Consumer Product Technology evaluates dozens of

products with suspected

nazards or safety problems,

ranging from fireplace logs to power saws to football

nelmets.

One of the most significant of these projects dealt

with bicycle safety. An estimated 476,000 injuries

resulted from bicycle-related

accidents in 1975 and about

1 7 percent of these were due

to construction faults in the

bicycles. CPSC's new regulations requiring manufacturers to meet strict performance and construction

standards in making bicycles

will help eliminate tnese

problems. NBS scientists and

engineers developed most of

the tests that will be used by

CPCS to enforce the new

regulations.

The Bureau also coordinates the development of

voluntary product standards,

if specific standards do not

already exist in the private
ERSPECTIVE ON STANDARDS 29

ctor. NBS has collaborated

1 more than 100 of these

itionally recognized re- lirements for particular

oducts, ranging from glass

)ttles to toys, that the indus-

/ involved has agreed to

jllow. These standards play

important part in the

arketplace by insuring betand safer product perforance. During FY 76, NBS issued

lir new voluntary product

•ndards. The most far-

' ching of these was a stan-

( d establishing nationally

' ognized safety require-

"nts for toys used by

c idren up to 14 years of

a The standard will allow

f ducers and distributors to

"ntify toys that conform to standard through apP priate marking, labeling,

a I advertising. This lets the

c sumer know which toys

iply with the standard

3

' gives added assurance

«! the toy should be safe

diing normal use. Other

Wmtary product standards

ed durmg the year in-

'^Vle those for school paste,

P''ts and inks for art educa-

"j m school, and home

P' ground equipment used

by children between the ages

of 2 and 10.

Consumers are brought

directly into the standardsmaking process through a nationwide network of 12

Consumer Sounding Boards.

Sponsored by NBS and

several other organizations,

the boards provide standards

organizations with direct

grassroots opinions of those

who use consumer products.

During FY 76, consumers

and manufacturers held

sounding boards to discuss

such issues as energy labels

on home appliances, safety

questions involving ladders,

packaging of potentially

poisonous products, and care

labels in clothes.

In other areas, NBS completed a study for the Federal

Trade Commission to assist

it in determining what may

be reasonably expected of

consumers in fulfilling their

end of warranty requirements for so-called portable

products. If, for example, a consumer is required under

the condition of a warranty to return a product for repair

and the consumer cannot lift or carry the product, should

the product be serviced in the

home or picked up by the

company for servicing? The

study helped FTC define the

various factors that influence

whether a product is truly

portable.

NBS researchers are also

developing special techniques to measure the performance of new, more efficient

hearing aids as part of a continuing effort to improve

medical services to thousands of veterans. Last year,

NBS and the University of

Maryland tested more than

100 hearing aid models to help the Veterans Administration select quality

products.

In addition, the Bureau is carrying out research for the

Occupational Safety and

Healtn Administration to determine performance re- quirements for guardrails,

linemen's belts, life lines,

lanyards, body harnesses,

ana other safety devices intended to protect workers in

industrial environments. Q

Over the years, NBS has tested

and evaluated the performance

of hundreds of products. At the

upper left, Robert E. Berger

operates a drop test mechanism

used in a study to develop procedures for testing impact resis- tance of helmets. In 1928, NBS

researchers, above, worked to determine why street light

globes were blown away by high

winds.
30 NBS

"Automated calculating machinery represents one

of the important developments of recent years. Such

machines handle large amounts of statistical data

with revolutionary speed, thoroughness, and efficiency."

NBS ANNUAL REPORT, 1948

Expanding Computer Applications

Tn 1948 NBS had just

X launched a new project

for the Armed Forces and the

Bureau of Census involving

the design and construction

of an electronic digital computer. A natural outgrowth of

the Bureau's World War II work in electronic components, the device was ex- pected to help solve some of

the complex computational

problems of the military and

scientific communities and to handle masses of statistical

data faster and more effi- ciently than conventional

means.

Less than 2 years after the

Bureau began the project,

the National Bureau of Standards Eastern Automatic

Computer was dedicated. At

that time, SEAC was the

fastest general purpose,

automatically sequenced

electronic computer operating in the United States. Initially the Bureau was envisioned as the central national

computer facility for the

government. But the idea

C

roved to be short lived ecause other government

agencies needed their own

computers. Because of their

experience, NBS scientists

assisted in the design and

operation of the first Federal

computers.

Although it was recognized in the 1940's that

automatic calculators would

have significant impact on

the solution of scientific

problems, few people

realized that computers

would one day affect many

aspects of daily life. Today,

there are hundreds of thousands of computers in operation across the country in

such areas as education,

health care, retail trade, air

traffic control, and national

defense. The modern computer operates at speeds

thousands of times faster

than its early predecessors.

The Bureau's multifaceted

computer sciences and technology program provides

standards, technical advice,

and research aimed at improving the use of computers

in the Federal government.

With more than 8,600 computers, the government is the

largest single user of computers in the world.

Federal computers store

enormous amounts of personal data which by law

must be protected from

unauthorized use. During

the year, NBS issued technical guidelines to help Federal

agencies implement the Privacy Act of 1974. The

Bureau also developed a computerized model for

comparing costs of alternative methods used to assure compliance with the Act.

With the model, agencies can evaluate the cost of proCosed compliance methods

efore adopting them.

The growing reliance on

computers for record-keeping functions has important

implications for the privacy

of the personal records involved. The Bureau sponsored the first in-deptn

analysis of privacy practices

in one area of record-keeping—health care. This

analysis will serve as a model

for analyzing privacy issues

in other areas, such as personnel and bank records, as well as providing specific

recommendations for

safeguarding medical

records.

The NBS computer standards effort helps overcome

the inefficiencies caused by

incompatibilities between

computer systems and comCuter-produced information

y providing for more effec- tive use of data, software

(computer programs), and

equipment and for improvements in the quality of computer services.

During the year, NBS

added several governmentwide automatic data processing standards and guidelines

to Its Federal Information

Processing Standards

Publications (FIPS PUB)

Series. One of these, FIPS

PUB 40, provides help in the efficient design of optical

character recognition forms ;, for data entry and for

machine processingof data. Another guideline, FIPS

PUB 42, assists data process

ing users in evaluating computer systems for competitive

Crocurement by conducting

enchmark mix demonstrations. These demonstrations

enable Federal agencies to determine how different

computers and/or computer

programs would perform in actual situations.

The Bureau also intensified its development of

j interface standards and ' began a cooperative prograr

with the General Services j
PECTIVE ON STANDARDS 31

Administration to foster interchangeability of computer

equipment. In its effort to improve quality and to reauce costs of software,

NBS developed testing and

evaluation methods for computer programming. In FY

76 a technical assessment

was published of low-cost,

commercial data base software, which is fast becoming

the key component of automated record handling

systems.

Like all modern, hightechnology systems, computers require measurement

and quality control standards

to assure reliable operation.

During the year, NBS made

available to the computer industry a Standard Reference

Material for 1 /4-inch digital

magnetic tape cartridges.

This SRM, together with the

previously developed SRM's

for l/2-inch computer tape

and digital cassettes, will serve to control the quality of

magnetic media anci effect

interchangeability among

various data processing

systems.

In addition, the Bureau

concluded a series of tests to determine the effects of

lasers, microwaves, radar,

and magnets on data stored

on magnetic media.

Guidelines are being

developed to help Federal

agencies provide secure and

cost-effective media storage.

NBS also focuses on

automatic control of

machines in both manufacturing and service tasks.

Computer-aided manufacturing in particular offers the

opportunity to increase national productivity while

decreasing manufacturing

costs. In this area, NBS identified and evaluated existing

standards for computeraided manufacturmg for the

Air Force and recommended

areas for future standards

development. The project is part of a multi-million dollar

effort by the Air Force to ad- vance the state of the art of

computer-aided

manufacturing.

In addition to this project,

NBS scientists continued

development of a new

memory device that can be

used for real time control applications. Galled a cerebellar model arithmetic comCuter, the device was inspired

y a model of that part of the

The development of computers

is one of the best examples of

advancements in technology

over the past three decades. At

the left, James S. Albus operates

a robot manipulator that is controlled by a cerebellar model

arithmetic computer. Shown

below is the fastest general purpose, automatically sequenced

electronic computer in operation in 1950, which was

developed at NBS.

brain that controls and coordinates muscular actions

such as picking up a drinking glass. The device is currently being tested as a servo- controller for robot

manipulation and will be applicable to other areas such as controlling machine tools,

aircraft and missile systems,

and remote undersea and

planetary exploration vehicles.

In the international area,

the Bureau represented

the United States in computer-related activities of the

United Nations and the

Organization for Economic

Cooperation and Development. Also during the year,

Bureau computer scientists

visited and were visited by

computer interest communities in more than 30

different countries. U
32

"A most important service which the Bureau renders is in furnishing to the public, to the various industries, and to the government. . .information on

subjects within the Bureau's field."

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ANNUAL REPORT, 1914

Providing Information Resources

Since 1901, providing information nas been

one of the Bureau 's most important functions. Through

its various services, NBS

shares the results of its technical research with many audiences.

In addition to the many

thousands of telephone calls

and letters answered by the

technical staff each year,

NBS also receives thousands

of requests for information

from the general public. In

FY 76 the NBS information

and inquiries staff received

31,000 letters and 13,900

telephone calls concerning

everything from energy conservation to standard colors.

Inquiries on the metric

system of measurement were

particularly heavy during the

year, stimulated by new

legislation establishing a voluntary changeover from

the customary system of units

to the metric system. More

than 70,000 additional re- quests for information on

metric conversion were

received and answered. NBS

also established a National

Metric Speakers Bureau,

with more than 125 persons

providing metric information

to all kinds of organizations.

In addition, the Bureau

published and distributed

widely an educator's guide

for teaching metric and a consumer metric information kit. NBS publications are an

important source of information to consumers, industrial

organizations, government

agencies, universities, and

professional associations. Fifteen categories of publications, ranging from the Consumer Information Series to the NBSJournals of

Research to technical

handbooks and monographs,

are issued. Last year, NBS

published more than 40,000

pages of research in the open

literature.

The Bureau provides an

information center on standards, and during the fiscal

year, 14,000 standards were

added to its data base. This

brought the collection to over 240,000 standards published

by more than 500 aomestic,

foreign, and international

standards organizations. In

FY 76 the Standards Information Service responded to

more than 5,700 individual

inquiries for information.
;rspective on standards 33

fjS also supplied informatii and publications to a

ciringhouse operated by

il National Conference of

S::e Legislators. This

ciringnouse provided

Viable scientific and technil information to state

iislative science commit-

!( and more than 7,600

kslators. inother communications

l( —videotapes—is used by

in the field of electronic

ifinology. In FV 76 a

vi:otape on laser scanning

ootive semiconductor

^ ces was made available

' oan without charge to injted persons. In the

v' otape presentation, the

(i'gn of tne scanner is (I'Tibed in detail, and

Jf iy of its applications are

flayed and discussed.

BS is responsible for

Staining the National

*idard Reference Data

'^!;em, a nationwide

i!:ram designed to give

^Cjitists and engineers easy

^< ss to reliable data.

|IDS was established in

•'} and now has a network

ore than 40 individual

centers and other pro-

«l located at NBS and

across the country. NSRDS

responds to new needs for

reliable data that appear each

year and disseminates the information to industry,

government, and the

academic community. In FY

76 NBS and its collaborators

compiled critically evaluated

data in such areas as energy,

the environment, industrial

processes, materials utilization, and the physical

sciences.

Direct contact with

Bureau activities and services

is provided through con- sumer publications, tours,

and exnibits. In honor of its 75th anniversary and the Nation's Bicentennial, the

Bureau held open houses at

its facilities in both

Gaithersburg, Maryland,

and Boulder, Colorado, at- tracting more than 50,000

people. In addition, about

4,000 people attended NBS

tours, conducted twice

weekly and by special re- quest.

NBS conferences are an

important means of exchanging information and ideas

of mutual concern to beneficiaries of Bureau work.

In FY 76 NBS sponsored or

Communicating its activities to

its publics has been one of NBS'

main objectives from the beginning. The Bureau's first letter,

shown below, was an early in- dication of interest in NBS. Today, many thousands of requests

for information are answered by

NBS staff members each year.

i

^y%<^>.i<-r<i/, & ^Qfia-^ -Sr^^A.^ .^OC^-

cosponsored 1 12 conferences, with more than

15,000 participants. Exhibits

on subjects such as metric

and time were displayed at 76 meetings and other events

where they were viewed by

over 2 million people.

Anyone wishing more

detailed information on any

aspect of NBS activities is en- couraged to contact the

Office of Technical Publications, National Bureau of

Standards, Washington,

D.C. 20234.
34 N

"Obviously, the Bureau of Standards, occupying the

position of a court of highest appeal in matters pertaining to weights and measures, must possess

material standards as perfect as possible; the

methods of measurement employed must be the

latest and best; the instruments used must be the

most effective that can be bought or built; (and) the

laboratory facilities should be complete in all

respects. . . ."

NBS ANNUAL REPORT, 1904

I

Facilities and Funds

To carry out its research

and services, NBS

operates modern physical

plants in two locations. In

Gaithersburg, Maryland, located north of Wasnington,

D.C., NBS has 27 buildings

in a campus-like setting on

223 hectares ( 1 hectare

equals 2.5 acres). The

Bureau has 14 buildings on

83 hectares in Boulder, Colorado. TheJoint Institute for

Laboratory Astrophysics,

cosponsored by NBS and the

University of Colorado, is also located in Boulder. Here

scientists carry out studies on

atomic and molecular

physics.

In Ft. Collins, Colorado,

NBS radio stations WWV

and WWVB broadcast standard time and frequency information. Another station,

WVWH, broadcasts from

Kauai, Hawaii. The Bureau

also has a facility in Clearing, Illinois, with a railway

master track scale and two

railway test cars that are used

to calibrate master track

scales owned by railways

around the country.

As one of the Nation's

largest physical science

laboratories, the Bureau

houses a number of special

facilities and equipment. A

high flux nuclear research

reactor is used daily by scientists from NBS, other agencies, and universities in projects ranging from nuclear

theory to analysis of food

contaminants. Another

facility, the Synchrotron

Ultraviolet Radiation

Facility, is one of the few of

its kind in North America.

Having been converted into a

storage ring, SURF is now

capable of producing intense

short wavelength ultraviolet

radiation, which is especially

useful for radiometry in

studies of controlled nuclear

fusion energy sources and at- mospheric and space science

programs.

Among other NBS

facilities are a cryogenic flow

research facility, a fire

research laboratory, an ex- perimental computer facility,

and anechoic and reverberation chambers. In addition,

an extensive instrument

shops division answers

specialized research needs,

ohop capabilities include

glassblowing, optics, and

metalworking.

Many of the Bureau's

facilities are available for i ? by the scientific and

engineering communities.

These facilities are descrit i more fully in Special Techr

cal Facilities at the National

Bureau of Standards. This !

•

f)age booklet is available I rom the Superintendent (!

' Documents, U.S. Govern

ment PrintingOffice,

Washington, D.C. 20402,j^

and may be ordered by I

SD Catalog No. I

Cl3.11:413/l976 Ed.,for i

SI. 35.

11 The Bureau's budget f(H

FY 1976 and the transitio P

guarter was $142.2 millio

)irect Congressional ap

propriations accounted foi about 56 percent of NBS , funds, with an additional

f percent resulting from wo^

performed by NBS for otfr government agencies. Tbi

sale of NBS goods and sei|

vices, such as calibrations^ i

j and Standard Reference

'

Materials, provided the fiM

6 percent. Support for I ^

Bureau programs from ot^t^^ agencies reflects its role aA?]j|

major physical sciences , research laboratory for th'i- entire Federal governmer|l-
RSPECTIVE ON STANDARDS 35

S Gaithersburg laboratories

Boulder laboratories.

TOTAL NBS OPERATING FUNDS (All Sources)

(in millions of dollars)

Fiscal Fiscal Fiscal Fiscal

1975 1976 TQ 1977

(actual)(actual)(actual) (est.)

Provide a national system

for physical measurement

Physical measurements,

units and standards

Reference measurements

for physical quantities

Provide services to improve use of materials

Properties and performance of materials

Reference materials

Environmental pollution

measurements

Provide services to improve the application of

technology

State weights and

measures services

Voluntary engineering

standards

Building science and technology

Electronic technology

Product performance and

safety

Fire Research

Improve the application of

computer technology

Support services to other

agencies

Experimental Technology

Incentives Program

TOTAL

35.9 39.4 10.0 42.5

25.1 26.7 6.7 28.9

12.0 12.7 3.3 13.6

25.6 28.3 7.6 30.1

20.0 21.3 5.8 22.8

2.1 2.5 .6 2.7

3.5 4.4 1.2 4.6

29.6 30.2 7.6 33.2

.7 .7 .1 .7

1.9 2.0 .8 2.8

11.0 12.9 3.2 13.5

3.5 3.8 .9 3.9

5.5 6.4 1.5 6.3

5.8 4.5 1.1 6.0

9.9 7.7 2.5 8.3

2.8 3.0 .7 3.4

2.7 4.9 .3 3.1

106.5 113.5 28.7 120.6

I' lgthe cornerstone of the main NBS laboratory, Washington,

f, in 1903.
36 N

"The nature of the Bureau's work is such that it

should command at all times a certain proportion of

the best scientific ability, the most skilled workmen,

and the most accurate clerical service."

People

NBS ANNUAL REPORT, 1920

Guided by the NBS Executive Board and tiie Visiting Committee, the

Bureau staff works to in- crease measurement competence and share its scientific

and technical expertise with

the scientific community, industry, and the pubhc.

The staff has grown from

its original 11 in 1901 to

about 3100 full-time

employees. Approximately

2600 are located in

Gaithersburg, Maryland,

with the remainder in

Boulder, Colorado. More

than 1400 Bureau staff members are physical scientists

and engineers, and more

than 42 percent of the professional staff have earned doctorates. The professional

staff, the largest percentage of

the NBS staff, is supported

by administrative, clerical,

housekeeping, and

groundskeepmg personnel.

The staff also includes about

335 technicians.

The NBS Executive Board

oversees the efforts of the entire Bureau staff For advice,

the Executive Board turns to

the NBS Visiting Committee, created by the Bureau's

Current staff members turn o»i to honor fellow employees

receiving awards.

Organic Act. The Committee IS concerned with all aspects of the Bureau, including the scientific wellbeing of programs and the

condition of equipment and

facilities. Yearly, the Committee reports its findings to

the Secretary of Commerce.

The contributions of NBS

employees to the advancement of science and technology are often recognized

by outside organizations.

During the fiscal year, those

staff members honored by

independent and professional organizations included:

Paul reece achenBACH, chief of the Building

Environment Division,

received the F. Paul Anderson Award for outstanding

scientific achievement from

the American Society of

Heating, Refrigerating, and

Air Conditioning Engineers.

JAMES S. ALBUS of the Institute for Computer

Sciences and Technology

received an IR-100 Award

for development of a cerebellar model arithmetic computer as one of the year's

most significant new technological products from Industrial Research magazine.

DAVID W. ALLAN of the

Time and Frequency Division received an IR-100

Award for development of a dual mixer time difference

measurement system as one

of the year's most significant

new technological products

from Industrial Research

magazine.

HAROLD BERGERof the

Institute for Materials

Research received the

Tutorial Award of the

American Society for Nondestructive Testing for his

contribution since 1969 as editor of Materials Evaluation.

PHILIP E. BLOOMFIELD

and SEYMOUR EDELMAN of the Polymers Division were each awarded the

1976 Army Research and

Development Achievement

Award for developing a

piezoelectric polymer device

used in artillery shells.

FREDERIC CLARKE of

the Center for Fire Research

was selected as a Congressional Fellow by the

American Political Science

Association.

NBS staff members in 1909.
;rspective on standards 37

IJTH M. DAVIS, director

(the Institute for Computer

,'iences and Technology,

us elected to membership

i the National Academy of

ligineering and as chairim of the Electric Power

J;search Institute Advisory

()uncil.

\AYNE HANSON of the

"^me and Frequency Serv:es Section received the

175 Carlton Award for the

tst technical paper from the

/rospace ana Electronic

^stems Society of the Ins ute of Electrical and

lictronic Engineers.

•HN L. HALL and

ESJ. SNYDER of the

nt Institute for Laboratory

rophysics received an

100 Award for developntnt of a laser intensity

bilizer as one of the year's

ist significant new techlogical products from Inirial Research magazine.

lARK HAMILTON,

)RDON DAY, ROBERT

iELAN, and JON GEIST

he Institute lor Basic

: ndards received an

I) 100 Award for developiTnt of an electrically calib ted pyroelectric

fc iometer as one of the

yir's most significant new

teinological products from

hustriai Research magazine.

](^N HASTIEofthelnoianic Chemistry Section

»v honored by the Marylad Academy of Sciences as

31 of five distinguished

yc ng scientists in Maryland

fol975.

S^ANS V. HAYWARD of

Scienter for Radiation

Search was one of six

>y("ien honored by the Civil

'C'ice Commission for outteding contributions to the

^fi iency and quality of the

e;ral career service.

^l.MUT HELLWIG of

'hiFime and Frequency

Oilsion received an IR-100

Avird for development of a

poable rubidium clock as

onof the year's most signifi-

•al new technological profrom Industrial Research

"i^azine.

FRANCIS L. HERMACH

of the Electricity Division

received the 1976 Morris E.

Leeds Award for outstanding

contributions to the field of

electrical measurements

from the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.

JAMES HILL and

TAMAMI KUSUDAofthe

Thermal Engineering Section received the Crosby

Field Award from the

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air

Conditioning Engineers for

the best technical paper in

1975.

DAVID HOGBEN of the

Applied Mathematics Division was elected a Fellow of

the American Statistical

Association for his contributions to statistical computing

systems.

EMANUEL HOROWITZ,

deputy director of the Institute for Materials

Research, was elected to Honorary Membership in

the American Society for

Testing and Materials for his

contributions to standards

development in textiles,

plastics, and surgical implants.

MADELEINEJACOBS of

the Office of Information

Activities received second

place from the National

Association of Government

Communicators for authoring a public service

announcement on an NBS

energy conservation booklet.

CHARLES TOHNSON of

the Applied Mathematics

Division was honored by the

Washington Academy of

Sciences for outstanding

scientific achievement in the

mathematical sciences in

1975-76.

TAMAMI KUSUDAofthe

Thermal Engineering Section received the Distinguished Service Award

and was elected a Fellow by

the American Society of

Heating, Refrigerating, and

Air Conditioning Engineers

for his research on energy

conservation.

MELVIN MEYERSON,

chief of the Product Systems

Analysis Division, was

elected a Fellow in the Standards Engineers Society for

unusual professional distinction in the field of standardization.

CEDRIC POWELL of the

Optical Physics Division was

elected a Fellow of the Institute of Physics (United

Kingdom).

JACOB RABINOWofthe

Institute for Applied Technology was elected to membership in the National

Academy of Engineering.

HAROLDJ. RAVECHE of

the Heat Division was

honored by the Maryland

Academy of Sciences as one

of five distinguished young

scientists in Maryland for

1975.

ROBERT ROSENTHAL of

the Computer Networking

Section was honored by the

American Federation of Information Processing

Societies for the outstanding

review paper presented

at the 1976 National Computer Conference.

ROBERTJ. RUBIN of the

Institute for Materials

Research was elected President of the Philosophical

Society of Washington.

DAVID E. SAWYER and

DAVID W. BERNING of

the Institute for Applied

Technology received an

IR-100 Award for development of a laser-flying spot scanner as one of the year's

most significant new technological products from Industrial Research magazine.

HARRY A. SCHAFFT and

FRANK E OETTINGER

of the Electronic Technology

Division were honored for

their outstanding contributions to the electronic industry by the Electronic Industries Association.

JOHN B. WACHTMAN,

JR, chief of the Inorganic

Materials Division, was

elected to membership in

the National Academy of

Engineering.

NBS EXECUTIVE

BOARD

Dr. Ernest Ambler

Acting Director

Robert S. Walleigh

Acting Deputy Director

Dr. Arthur O. McCoubrey

Director, Institute for Basic

Standards

Dr. John D. Hoffman

Director, Institute for

Materials Research

Dr. James R. Wright

Acting Director, Institute for

Applied Technology

Dr. Ruth M. Davis

Director, Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology

Dr. Howard E. Sorrows

Associate Director for

Programs

Richard P. Bartlett, Jr. Associate Director for Administration

Dr. Edward L. Brady

Associate Director for Information Programs

NBS VISITING

COMMITTEE

Dr. John G. Truxal*

Chairman July 1, 1975 - June 30, 1976

Dean, College of

Engineering

State University of New York

at Stony Brook

Mr. Charles E. Peck

ChairmanJuly 1, 1976 - June 30, 1977

Vice President

Construction Group

Owens-Corning Fiberglas

Corporation

Dr. Edwin A. Gee

Senior Vice President E. I. du Pont de Nemours and

Company

Dr. Robert H. Dicke

Department of Physics

Princeton University

Dr. W. Dale Compton

Vice President, Research

Ford Motor Company

Mr. William D. Carey^

Executive Officer

American Association for the

Advancement of Science [D

*Dr. Truxal's term expiredjune 30, 1976. + Mr. Carey was appointed for the term July

1, 1976 -June 30, 1981.
38

r

fB

Directory

The NBS staff is organized into

four major institutes. They are

the Institutes for Basic Standards, Materials Research, Applied Technology, and Computer Sciences and Technology.

The institutes are supported by

the Office of the Associate

Director for Administration, the

Office of the Associate Director

for Programs, and the Office of

the Associate Director for Information Programs.

This amalgam of people and

programs forms a community

dedicated to service. The interdisciplinary approach allows

NBS to proviae the Nation with

scientific measurements of high

precision and accuracy, coupled

with actual solutions for current

technological problems.

This annual report has only

highlighted some of the

Bureau's programs. For more

information on specific projects

contact thepeople listecl in this

directory. To reach members of

the Gaithersburg, Md., staff,

dial (301)921 + extension or

write to the National Bureau of

Standards, Washington, D.C.

20234. Bureau stafflocated in

Boulder, Colo., can be contacted on (303)499-1000 or at the National Bureau of Standards, Boulder, Colo. 80302.

Boulder staff members are designated in the directory with

asterisks.

Office of the Director

Ernest Ambler, Acting Director

(241 1

Rooert S. Walleigh, Acting

Deputy Director (2451)

AllenJ. Farrar, Legal Adviser

(2425)

George A. Sinnott, Assistant to the Director for Congressional Affairs (2441

Jordan D. Lewis, Director,

Office of Experimental

Technology Incentives

Program (3185)

Institute for Basic Standards

The Institute for Basic Standards provides the central base

within the United States for a complete and consistent system

of physical measurements and

coordinates that system with

measurement systems of other

nations. It furnishes the

research and essential services

leading to accurate and uniform

physical measurement and

reliable data throughout the Nation's scientific, industrial, and

commercial communities. IBS

also operates the Boulder

Laboratories and cosponsors the

Joint Institute for Laboratory

Astrophysics with the

University of Colorado.

Arthur O. McCoubrey, Director, Institute for Basic Standards (3301)

David T. Goldman, Deputy

Director, Institute for Basic

Standards and Manager of

Acoustics and Noise

Program (3304)

H. Thomas Yolken, Program

Manager, Nuclear

Safeguards Measurements

(3747)

Chester Page, Coordinator, In- ternational Standardization

Activities (3526)

Joseph M. Cameron, Chief

Office of Measurement Services (2805)

Burton H. Colvin, Chief, Applied Mathematics Division

(2541)

Barry N. Taylor, Chief,

Electricity Division (2701

John A. Simpson, Acting Chief

Mechanics Division ^2 1 7 1

Ralph P. Hudson, Chief, Heat

Division (2034)

Karl G. Kessler, Chief, Optical

Physics Division (200n

James E. Leiss, Director, Center

for Radiation Research

(2551)

Bascom W. Birmingham,

Deputy Director, Institute

for Basic Standards (3237)*

Robert Harrington, Program

Coordinator (3239)*

Rayrnond C. Sangster, Program

Manager, Strategic Planning

(4329r

StephenJ. Smith, Associate

Director for Research Coordination (3546)*

Gordon H. Dunn, Acting Chief,

Laboratory Astrophysics

Division (3527)*

Jesse Hord, Acting Chief,

Cryogenics Division (4108)*

Harold S. Boyne, Chief,

Electromagnetics Division

(4343)*

James A. Barnes, Chief,

Time and Frequency Division

(3294)*

Institute for Materials Research

j The Institute for Materials ; Research conducts research

provjde a better understand j of the basic properties of mi 'er and materials and develops

standards for measuring tne I properties to help insure th( i proper utilization by the Na '

tion's scientific, industrial, ; J commercial communities. 1 IR also develops, produces, am j distributes Standard Refereje

Materials which provide thi i basis for calibration of instr

j ments and equipment, facil \U

comparison of measuremei i on materials, and aid in the pri trol of production processes ji industry. I John D. Hoffman, Director

Institute for Materials

Research (2828)

Emanual Horowitz, Deput

Director, Institute for

Materials Research (28"

Harold Berger, Manager, P n- destructive Evaluation , Program (3331 )

j Donald G. Fletcher, Mana r, Fibrous Systems Progra

(3668)

William H. Kirchhoff Ac( g Chief, Office of Air and

Water Measurement (3 i5)

J. Paul Cali, Chief, Office

Standard Reference

Materials (3479)

Philip D. LaFleur, Chief,

Analytical Chemistry

Division (2851)

Ronald K. Eby, Chief,

Polymers Division (373

A. William Ruff, Acting CW, i Metallurgy Division (21

John B. Wachtman,Jr., Chf

Inorganic Materials Di >i< (2891)

JohnJ. Rush, Acting Chie

Reactor Radiation Divi an (2421)

Milton D. Scheer, Chief, Vy^'-

cal Chemistry Division ! (2713)

Ito
iSPECTIVE ON STANDARDS 39

litute for Applied Technology

le Institute for Applied Techloey (lAT) is concerned witti

: development and applican of science and tecnnology

:he solution of such societal

)blems as building perform-

:e, fire safety, consumer proct performance and safety,

;rey conservation, and the

iability of electronic compoits. lAT is also responsible

the Department of Comrce's Voluntary Product

indards and National Voluny Laboratory Accreditation

)grams, for assisting in mainiing uniform weights and

asures regulations and prolures in the 50 states, and for

ividing a library of national

1 international standards.

les R. Wright, Acting Director, Institute for Applied

Technology (3574)

prge Suzuki, Acting Deputy

Director, Institute tor ApDlied Technology (3434)

k E. Snell, Manager, Energy

Conservation Programs

'3235)

)rge P. Lewett, Chief, Office

)f Energy-Related Invenions(3694)

le A. Rowland, Chief, Standards Application and

\nalysis Division (3731

i3on C. French, Chief,

electronic Technology Diviionf3357)

iley 1. Warshaw, Director,

Renter for Consumer Proiuct Technology (3751)

' vin R. Meyerson, Chief,

'roduct Systems Analysis

Oivision (2907)

ilrewj. Powell, Chief, Prouct Ensrineerin? Division

3311)^

tiard N. Wright, Director,

'enter for Building Technology (3377)

ard O. Pfrang, Chief,

tructures. Materials, and

afety Division (2196)

' eece Achenbach, Chief,

uilding Environment Divion(3637)

''er DriscoU, Chief,

'echnical Evaluation and

application Division (3704)

aes G, Gross, Chief, Office of

uilding Standards and

'odes Services (3447)

^ 7 E. Thompson, Acting

nief. Office of Housing and

|Uilding Technology (3233)

0! W. Lyons, Director,

enter for Fire Research

>143)

^' 5rtS. Levine, Chief, Fire

;ience Division (3845)

A. Benjamin, Chief, Fire

ifety Engineering Division

Institute for Computer Sciences and

Technology

The Institute for Computer

Sciences and Technology is the

scientific and technical arm of

the Federal government's

automatic data processing

management system. In this

role, ICST provides advisor)'

services to Federal agencies to support the formulation of

automatic data processing

management and procurement

policies and to assist individual

agencies in solving specific

automation problems. ICST

also develops Federal Information Processing Standards and

conducts research in computer

science and technology.

Ruth M. Davis, Director,

Institute for Computer

Sciences and Tecnnoloev

(3151)

M. Zane Thornton, Deputy

Director, Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology (3155)

EdwinJ. Istvan, Associate

Director, Telecommunications Technology (3553)

Joseph H. Wegstein, Manager,

Pattern Recognition and

Description Program (3438)

John M. Evans, Acting Chief,

Office of Developmental

Automation and Control

Technology (2381)

Harry S. White, Jr., Chief,

Office of ADP Standards

Management (3157)

W. Bruce Ramsey, Chief, Computer Services Division

(3424)

Seymourjeffery, Chief, Systems

and Software Division

(3531)

Thomas N. Pyke,Jr., Chief,

Computer Systems

Engineering Division (3436)

EdwinJ. Istvan, Acting Chief,

Information Technology

Division (3553)

Office of the Associate Director for Programs

The Office of the Associate

Director for Programs plans,

develops, and evaluates Bureaulevel programs and policy as well as providing guidance for

Bureau-wide planning and

programming. In addition, the

office recommends priorities

and alternatives at the Bureau

level for resource allocation,

staffs Bureau -level programmatic matters, and monitors

NBS management by objectives. Howard E. Sorrows, Associate

Director (2446)

Stanley D. Rasberry, MBO, Executive Assistant ( 367 1

Raymond G. Kammer,Jr.,

Senior Analyst (3130)

Howard E. Morgan, Economist

(3135)

Wayne A. Cassatt, Energy

Coordinator (3132)

Robb Thomson, Assistant for

Scientific Affairs (3814)

Peter R. DeBruyn, Industrial

Liaison (3591

John D. McKinley, Scientific

Assistant (3196)

James M. Wyckoff, State and

Local Government Liaison

(3814)

Elaine Bunten, Visiting Committee/Evaluation Panel

Liaison(3591)

Office of the Associate Director for Administration

The Office of the Associate

Director for Administration

provides support services such

as procurement and personnel

consultation to the Bureau staff

Richard P. Bartlett, Jr., Associate Director (2477)

Larry D. Stout, Chief, Accounting Division (2507)

Karl E. Bell, Chief, Administrative Services Division (3444)

Raymond G. Kammer, Acting

Chief, Budget Division

(2544)

Mati Tammaru, Chief, Personnel Division (3555)

John N. Brewer, Chief, Plant

Division (2825)

Norman H. Taylor, Chief, Supply Division (2525)

John T. Hall, Chief, Management and Organization Division (3567)

John L. Pararas, Chief, Instru- ment Shops Division (2436)

Office of the Associate Director for Information Programs

The Office of the Associate

Director for Information

Programs promotes the optimum dissemination ana accessibility of all scientific and

technical information to the

staff, sponsors, customers, and

interested publics of NBS. It also administers the Standard

Reference Data System, which

provides critically evaluated

data in the physical sciences to the Nation's scientists and

engineers, and conducts the

NBS publication program. In

addition, ADIP fosters and

coordinates the NBS liaison for

international standards-writing

organizations and assists the

Department of Commerce and

U.o. industry in assuring adeauate U.S. representation in the

evelopment of international

standards.

Edward L. Brady, Associate

Director (3641)

Samuel E. Chappell, Programs

Coordinator ( 364 1

David R. Lide, Jr., Chief, Office

of Standard Reference Data

(2467^

Robert T. Cook, Acting Chief,

Office of Information Activities (3181)

W. Reeves Tilley, Chief, Office

of Technical Publications

(2493)

Patricia W. Berger, Chief,

Library Division (3405)

William E. Andrus,Jr., Chief,

Office of International Standards (3662)

H. Steffen Peiser, Chief, Office

of International Relations

(2463)
40

Selected

Publications

During fiscal year 1976 and

the transition quarter ending

September 30, 1976, more than

1,200 papers appeared in NBS

publications and journals. The

following is a selected list of

publications issued during this

period. Unless otherwise stated,

all publications are available at the price indicated from the

Superintendent of Documents,

U.S. Government Printing

Office, Washington, D.C.

20402. For a complete list of

NBS publications, write for

Publications of the National

Bureau of Standards, NBS

Special Publication 305, Supplement 7, $7.55.

Increasing Measurement

Capabilities

Apparatusfor Testing

Oceanographic Resistance Thermometers, George T. Furukawa

andJohn L. Riddle, SD Catalog

No. C13.46:894, $1.60.

The National Measurement System

for Time and Frequency, Allan S. Risley, SD Catalog No.

C13.10:445-1,$1.20.

Self-Study Manual on Optical

Radiation Measurement, Fred E. Nicodemus, SD Catalog No.

C13.46:910-1,$2.10.

Transferring Research and Technology

A Measurement Assurance

Program for Electric Energy, N.

Michae1 Oldham, SD Catalog

No. C13.46:930, 55 cents. Catalog ofNBS Standard

Reference Materials, SD Catalog

No. C13.10:260-1975-76, $1.50.

Productivity Measurement in R&D,]o\m T. Hall and Roger

A. Dixon, SD Catalog No.

C13.46:890, $1.10.

Promoting Better Materials Use

The Destructive Pull Test, ]o\\n

Albers, SD Catalog No.

013.10:400-18, $1.25.

Proceedings ofa Workshop on Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

and Ion Microprohe Mass Analysis,

Kurt F.J. Heinrich and Dale E. Newbury, SD Catalog No.

013.10:427, $3.00.

Reliability Technologyfor Cardiac

Pacemakers, Harry A. Schafft,

SD Catalog No. 013.10:400-28,

$1.25.

Aiding Environmental Protection

Chemical Kinetic and Photochemical Datafor Modeeling Atmospheric Chemistry, Robert F. Hamjpson,Jr., and David Garvin, SD Catalog No.

013.46:866, $1.85.

Standards on Noise Measurements,

Rating Schemes, and Definitions:

A Compilation, Thomas L. Quindry, SD Catalog No.

013.10:386, $1.90.

Trace Hydrocarbon Analysis: The

National Bureau of Standards

Prince William

Sound/Northeastern GulfofAlaska

Baseline Study, S. N. Chesler et. al., SD Catalog No. 013.46:889,

$1.80.

Conserving Energy Resources

Development of Proposed Standardsfor Testing Solar Collectors and Thermal Storage Devices,

James E. Hill et. al., SD Catalog

No. 013,46:899, $3.10.

Energy Conservation Program

Guidefor Industry and Commerce,

Robert Massey,' SD Catalog No.

C\?>A\A\b,%2.90\ Supplement I SD Catalog No. 013.11:115/1,

$2 25. NBSLD, the Coniputer Program

for Heating and Cooling Loads in Buildings, Tamami iCusuda, SD

Catalog No. 013.29/2:69, $4.60.

Advancing Building Technology

Acoustical and Thermal Performance ofExterior Residential Walls,

Doors, and Windows, H.J. Sabine

et. al., SD Catalog No.

013.29/2:77, $2.35.

The Buffeting of Tall Structures by

Strong Winds, Emil Simiu and

Daniel W. Lozier, SD Catalog

NumberOl3. 29/2:74, $1.55.

Metrication Problems in the Construction Codes and Standards Sector, Charles T. Mahaffey, SD

Catalog No. 013.46:915, 75

cents.

Protecting Public Safety

Attacking the Fire Problem: A Plan

for Action, Frederic B. Clarke

and Deborah Woolf Raisher,

SD Catalog No. 013.10:416,

$1.00.

Fire Endurance of Gypsum Board

Walls and Chases Containing

Plastic and Metallic Drain, Waste

and Vent Plumbing Systems, W.J.

Parker et. al., SD Catalog No

013.29/2:72, $1.80.

Home Security Starts at Your Door,

Consumer Information Center,

Pueblo, Colorado 81009, free.

Improving Product Performance

An Overview of Floor Slip-Resii

atice Research with Annotated 1 Bibliography, RobertJ. Brune

ber, SD Catalog No. 013.46: 5 $2.30. r Voluntary Product Standardfor

Safety of Home Playground

Equipment, PS 66-75, SD

Catalog No. 013.20/2:66.75,

cents.

Dejlci lion Performance Crtteru. ,/ Floors, Robert A. Crist and Ja t R. Shaver, SD Catalog No.

013.46:900, 75 cents. !

Expanding Computer Applicatior

Criteriafor the Performance E> . , tion oj Data Communications S, vicesfor Computer Networks. D > S. Grubb and Ira W. Cotton

Catalog No. 0 1 3.46:882, 85

cents. i

Guidelinesfor Benchmarking ih i ADP Systems in Competitive Pi curement Environment, Joseph i L. Walkowicz, SD Catalog >'

i 013.52:42,45 cents. A Methodologyfor Evaluating

Alternative Technical and Info mation Management Approacht

Privacy Requirements, Robert

p Goldstein, Harry H. Seward

and Richard L. Nolan, SD

Catalog No. 013.46:906,

$1.35

Providing Information Resources

Critical Survey of Data Sources Ceramics, Dorothea M.John:

andJames F. Lynch, SD

Catalog No. 013.10:396-2,

$1.25.

Directory of United States Standardization Activities, Sop

J. Chumas, SD Catalog No.

013.10:417, $6.75.

Successful Experiences in Teac

Metric, SD Catalog No.

013.10:441, $2.30.
r: MadeleineJacobs

: Sharon A. Washburn

ler: Charles Messina,Jr. mporary photos by:

lersburg) H. Mark Heifer

ler) Harry D. Govey

ical photo assistance:

W. Weinstein

Ii

;



i