S h i Pl i d P f 

Strengt

hening Planning an

d

Per

formance 

NIST Measurement Services

Visiting Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology Committee on Advanced TechnologyOctober 13 October 13-14, 2010 14, 2010Patrick GallagherDirector
NIST Role in Measurement

 Equitable commerce depends on a stable monetary system and a 

reliable system of measurement – a fact recognized by the U.S. Constitution.

“The Congress shall have power To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof,

and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures”

U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8

Reliable measurements are also important to the health Reliable measurements are also important to the health,

safety and well-being of society at large.

 NIST provides the basic measurement infrastructure of the U S NIST provides the basic measurement infrastructure of the

U.S.

“To develop, maintain, and retain custody of the national standards of measurement and 

provide the means and methods for making measurements consistent with those 

standards.” 

15 USC 271 2(b)(2) 15 USC 271 2(b)(2)

 The NIST Measurement Services are the means by which the 

physical, chemical and biological measurement infrastructure is 

supported at the appropriate level of uncertainty via unbroken chains of traceability to internationally recognized standards.
NIST Realigned Organizational Structure Realigned Organizational Structure

Director

Associate Director for Laboratory Assoc ate ecto o o at o iate Director for Innovation Associa

and Industry Services

Baldrige Performance Excellence Program

Hollings Manufacturing Extension 

ssoc ate ecto o abo ato y

Programs (and Principal Deputy)

Material Measurement Laboratory

Physical Measurement Laboratory

ssoc a

Managem

Office of Fac

Ma

Partnership

Technology Innovation Program

Engineering Laboratory

Information Technology Laboratory

Center for Nanoscale Science and

Office of Financia

Office of Wor

Office of Inf

Center Ma

for Nanoscale Science and

Technology

NIST Center for Neutron Research

Office of Safety, 
NIST Realignment

Structure of the Laboratory g Pro rams

Associate Director for Laboratory

Programs

Standards Coordination Office Special Progr

Material

Measurement

Laboratory

Physical

Measurement

Laboratory

Engineering

Laboratory

Information

Technology

Laboratory

Center for

Nanoscale

Science and

Laboratory Laboratory Laboratory Science and

Technology

Metrology Laboratories Technology Laboratories User 
NIST Measurement Services

Focus should be on how the NIST metrology laboratories deliver the

not necessarily on a specific set of services.

 Development and dissemination of validated measurement me

protocols

 Development and dissemination of new measurement instrum NIST Traceability:

o Standard Reference Data (SRD)o Standard Reference Materials (SRMs)o Calibration Services

Ensure that industry-performed measurements are traceable standards

 Development of testing protocols and the support of laborator

accreditation programs enable the NIST Laboratories to directlU.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness
Impact of NIST Measurement Services

For over a century, the measurement services programs of NIST have ensuaccuracy and reliability of nearly all measurements in the United States. U S I d t d th C U.S. In

dus

try an

d the 

Consume

r SRM

NIST distributes over 1200 different Standard Reference Materialsthat assure the accuracy of millions of measurements made dailyin medical clinics, manufacturing plants and industrial labsthroughout the United States. For example, NIST SRMs for sulfur

SRM

in fossil fuels enable fuel producers to more efficiently formulate products that meet the varying regulatory requirements of different markets.

 F d lA i F

e

deral Agencies 

NIST measurement programs provide critical federal agencies such as the DoD, DoE, FAA, EPA, and NASA, with the measurement 

support necessary to carry out their mission. For example, In 2009 

NIST 

p pp , erformed 203 calibrations for DoE that supported over 70,000 

subsequent calibrations in support of the reliability and performance of the entire U.S. nuclear arsenal.

 State A

gencies

NIST calibrations are critical for all state weights and measures offices. In 2006 and 2007, 16 NIST calibrations for mass, volume, temperature, and length underpinned more than 360,000 calibrations done by state laboratories.
Areas of concern

 Needs assessment and analysis P d i ( h d NIST id t bilit ) Program design (e.g. how does NIST provide traceability).

 Program execution

 Pricing delivery and other service considerations Pricing Pricing, delivery delivery and other service service considerations considerations Staffing taffing

 Pe o a ce e cs erformance metrics

 Assessment
Path Forward

 Identify measurement needs Analyze the position of NIST measurement services in a particular measu

Analyze the position of NIST measurement services in a particular measu

system. 

 Develop detailed plans for the development and delivery of

NIST measurement services – plans will address:

o vertically integration of the measurement activities,

o long term and near term goalso app p ro riate milestones and metrics

 Managing programs according to plans Review process for both services and research activities 
Discussion
Impact of NIST Measurement Services

For over a century, the measurement services programs of NIST have ensuaccuracy and reliability of nearly all measurements in the United States. F d lA i F

e

deral Agencies 

NIST measurement programs provide critical federal agencies such as the DoD, DoE, FAA, EPA, and NASA, with the measurement support necessary to carry out their mission.

 DoE

In 2009 NIST performed 203 calibrations for DoE that supported over 70,000 subsequent calibrations in support of the reliability and performance of the entire U.S. nuclear arsenal.

 State Weights and Measures Offices

NIST calibrations are critical for all state weights and measures agencies. In 2006 and 2007, 16 NIST calibrations for mass, volume, temperature, and length underpinned more than 360,000 calibrations done by state laboratories. length underpinned more than 360,000 calibrations done by state laboratories.

 U.S. Industry

NIST distributes over 1200 different Standard Reference Materials thatassure the accuracy of millions of measurements made daily in medical 

SRM

clinics, manufacturing plants and industrial labs throughout the UnitedStates. For example, NIST SRMs for sulfur in fossil fuels enable fuel producers to more efficiently formulate products that meet the varying regulatory requirements of different markets.
Impact of NIST Measurement Services

 Air Force

8 NIST calibrations performed annually for the Air Force underpin 22,000 high voltage calibrations + 158,000 AC measurements

+ 77,000 inductance calibrations 77,000 inductance calibrations

+ over

400,000 DC voltage calibrations. These calibrations support 

the F-16 Fighting Falcon program, the accuracy of fuel gauges on every AF aircraft, the F-22 weapons system, and components on the F-15.

 X-ray Mammography

by law, all 11,000 mammography x-ray clinics in the U.S. must 

be traceable to NIST standards.

 Nuclear equipment

the NIST Mn bath is the foundation of all neutron calibrations in the U.S., which impact the U.S. nuclear weapons programs, nuclear power plants, and all nuclear-powered equipment.

 Electric Power

NIST-traceable calibrations ensure the accuracy of over 100 million electric power meters in the U S that measure the cost million electric power meters in the

U.S. that measure the cost

of over $300 billion worth of electricity annually. Electric 

utilities are totally dependent upon NIST calibration services to prove the accuracy of all of these transactions.
Impact of NIST Measurement Services

 Length

for dimensional metrology, NIST calibrates over 5,000 master gauges each year. Each gauge block calibration explicitly controls a thousand controls

a thousand subsequent gauge block subsequent gauge block calibrations calibrations

performed in industrial laboratories. 

 Pharmaceutical Dosing

the pharmaceutical industry relies on NIST the pharmaceutical industry relies on NIST-traceable traceable mass

measurements to ensure accurate dosing of medicines at the 

sub-milligram level.

 Temperature

instrument vendors, as well as pharmaceutical, chemical, aerospace, microelectronic, and petroleum industries rely on NIST’s thermometry and humidity measurement services to 

establish accuracy, which enables the manufacturing and sale 

of their products in national and international markets products in national and international markets.

 Treatment Cost

cholesterol SRMs and a NIST-developed method has led to an improvement in improvement in clinical diagnostic measurement clinical diagnostic measurement precision precision

from over 20 % to 3 %. Treatment cost savings are estimated at 

over $100 million per year.