Weights and Measures Division

Finds a New Home

On October 1, 2010, the NIST Weights and Measures Division (WMD) became part of the Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML) when the National Institute of Standards and Technology reorganized its many

divisions and programs into a tighter and more mission focused structure. 

According to NIST Director, Patrick Gallagher, “The goal of this realignment is to ensure that our laboratory managers have a clear and empowered responsibility to meet NIST’s mission of strengthening the U.S.

innovation and industrial competitiveness. It’s about optimizing our organizations to deliver both forefront research results and the related services needed by manufacturers and other customers critical to the U.S.

economy.”

The realignment consists of two main components: 1) replacing the old

single deputy director position with three career associate directors responsible for NIST laboratory, extramural, and administrative programs;

and 2) reducing the number of NIST laboratory units from 10 to 6.

The old management structure consisted of 18 laboratories, extramural program, and administrative units. This structure made it difficult to manage the

organization. With the new structure, NIST management will be strengthened

and be more efficient and effective in carrying out its mission. The realignment does not change the focus of NIST programs, but will enhance the ability

of NIST to work effectively within its own structure.

The Physical Measurement Laboratory mission is to develop and disseminate the national standards of length, mass, force and shock, acceleration, time and frequency, electricity, temperature, humidity, pressure and

vacuum, liquid and gas flow, and electromagnetic, acoustic, utltrasonic,

and ionizing radiation through activities ranging from fundamental measurement research to provision of measure services, standards, and data. 

The realignment has affected the URL for all WMD web pages. The new

home page is located at: http://www.nist.gov/pml/wmd/index.cfm. 

(Information for this article was adapted from the NIST realignment fact sheet and

Tech Beat article of September 28, 2010.)

Inside this Issue

Page

Weights and Measures

Division Finds a New Home 1

Laboratory Metrology Publication

Review 2

Proposed Rules Would Allow

Metric Only Labeling for Some

Products 4

Employee Highlights - Welcome

Marc Buttler 6

Calendar 2

This Month in 

History

March 1, 1781 - Congress announced the ratification of the Articles of Confederation,

which made Congress the governing body of

the new national government. This document was the foundation of the original 13

states through the Revolutionary War until

1789, when the current U.S. Consiitution was

adopted.

March 4, 1681 - King Charles II of England

gave a large tract of land to William Penn to

settle an outstanding debt. This tract of land

became Pennsylvania.

March 4, 1830 - The first meeting under the

new Congress under the U.S. Constitution

was held in New York City. 

March 10, 1862 - The first U.S. government

paper currency was put into circulation.

1

Volume 2 Issue 1

March 1, 2011
Calendar 2011

March 10

Proficiency Testing & Root Cause Analysis

(Webinar)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

March 14 - 18

Measurement Science Conference

Pasadena, CA

Contact: http://www.mscconf.com/msc/index.html

March 15 - 16

Software Sector Meeting

Annapolis, MD

Contact: info@ncwm.net

March 21 - April 1

Basic Seminar for States

NIST/WMD

Gaithersburg, MD

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

April 7

Internal Auditing (Webinar)

Contact: Val Miller atval.miller@nist.gov

April 14

Basic Uncertainty Concepts (Webinar)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

April 21

Documenting Traceability and Calibration Intervals (Webinar)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

April 28

Software Verification & Validation (Webinar)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

May 2 - 6

Basic Industry

NIST/WMD

Gaithersburg, MD

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

May 12

Document Control and Recordkeeping 

(Webinar)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

May 16 - 20

WRAP (members only)

Anchorage, AK

May 9 - 12

Northeastern Weights & Measures Association - Annual Meeting

Saratoga Springs, NY (continued on pg 3)

W&M Connection 2 Volume 2 Issue 1

Laboratory Metrology 

Publication Reviews

By Georgia L. Harris

We are beginning the process of reviewing several NIST Publications covering laboratory metrology topics. These four publications include:

● NIST IR 7082, Proficiency Test Policy Plan 

● NIST IR 7214, Quality Manual For Proficiency Testing and Interlaboratory Comparisons

● NIST Handbook 143, State Weights and Measures Laboratories,

Program Handbook

● NIST Handbook 105-1, Field Standard Weights and Measures, Class

F Weights

We will be accepting comments on the two NIST IR publications through

July 1, 2011, and begin working on drafts shortly after that time. We will

be accepting comments on the Handbook 143 and Handbook 105-1

through September 30, 2011. 

Please submit your comments through the WMD Contact Management

System at https://tsapps.nist.gov/WMD/. Select Comments from the top

menu bar and select whichever publication you want to review. You will

need to specifically identify the section for comments and enter your proposed solution or change. Please read the following additional information about each specific topic.

Interlaboratory Comparisons and Proficiency Tests

For anyone interested in the topic of Proficiency Testing and Interlaboratory Comparisons, NIST’s Weights and Measures Division has a PT/ILC quality manual, policy, and tools available here:

http://www.nist.gov/pml/wmd/labmetrology/roundrobins.cfm

We are working on updating the following two publications and the goal

will be to be compliant with the newly approved ISO/IEC 17043 standard:

● NIST IR 7082, Proficiency Test Policy Plan 

● NIST IR 7214, Quality Manual For Proficiency Testing and Interlaboratory Comparisons

If you are also a member of NCSL International, work has begun on updating Recommended Practice 15, Laboratory Comparisons, (to improve compliance to ISO/IEC 17043). The following message is from Mike

Cadenhead, the Committee Chair: 

The Working Group for this review/update of RP-15 solicits your

comments and suggestions for improvement. NCSLI Member Delegates can download the RP-15 from http://www.ncsli.org. Once

logged in, the member delegate can select “Member Services,”

then “Active Member Pubs,” then “2011 Member RPs” links. A listing of all RPs will then be provided from which they can be viewed

on screen or downloaded. Please keep in mind the copyright re-
Contact: James Cassidy, at

jcassidy@cambridgema.gov

May 16 - 19

Central Weights & Measures Association

Annual Meeting

Grand Rapids, MI

Contact: Vicky Dempsey at

dempseyv@mcohio.org

June 30

Proficiency Testing & Root Cause Analysis

(Webinar)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

July 7

Calibration Method Validation (Webinar)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

July 14

Basic Uncertainty Concepts (Webinar)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

July 17 - 21

NCWM Annual Meeting

Missoula, MT

Contact: info@ncwm.net

Website: http://www.ncwm.net

July 21

Documenting Traceability and Calibration Intervals (Webinar)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

July 28

Software Verification & Validation (Webinar)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

August 2 - 4

Packaging and Labeling (Industry Only)

NIST/WMD

Gaithersburg, MD

Contact: Lisa Warfield at Lisa.Warfield@nist.gov

August 4

Internal Auditing (Webinar)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

August 11

Management Reviews (Webinar)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

August 21 - 25

NSCLI Annual Conference

Gaylord National Convention Center

National Harbor, MD

Contact: http://www.ncsli.org

(continued on pg 4)

W&M Connection 3 Volume 2 Issue 1

strictions for NCSLI publications during your review. Post comments here or send me an e-mail. 

This message was posted on the NCSLI Group Discussion page on LinkedIn

(which is an Open Group). So, you can post there or send Mike an e-mail

message: Mike.Cadenhead@afmetcal.af.mil

Access to the NCSLI Group page does not require membership in NCSLI

and we have provided copies of RP 15 to State labs in prior training seminars. (If you can’t find it or don’t have it, you will need to obtain it from

NCSLI and not NIST). 

NIST Handbook 105-1, Class F Field Standard Weights

We are seeking your input about the planned update for NIST Handbook

105-1, for Field Standard Class F Weights. This standard was last updated

in 1990 and other than a desire to harmonize compliance to international

standards, little input has been received on this document since it was last

updated. There are several approaches that have been regularly suggested

that will impact how we approach preparing a first draft for review. These

are the following options we are considering. 

1. Withdraw/rescind NIST Handbook 105-1 in favor of OIML R111

adoption. 

2. Adopt specific classes of OIML R111 into NIST Handbook 105-1.

3. Revise Handbook 105-1 with as much harmonization to the OIML

R111 standard as practical/reasonable. 

Please submit your opinions on your preferred approach at a short evaluation here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/105-1WeightsReview. This

survey will end by April 1, 2011. So, please submit your input to help

guide the direction we take. 

To see a copy of the current Handbook 105-1 for Field Standard Class F

weights, you can get it here: http://www.nist.gov/pml/wmd/pubs/handbooks.cfm.

Please submit specific technical comments about handbook sections and

changes you would like to see in the document through the NIST Weights

and Measures Contact Management System. Please do not send comments on the survey or document via e-mail - it will save us a lot of time

and effort!

NIST Handbook 143, State Weights and Measures Laboratories, Program Handbook

We are also considering updates to NIST Handbook 143 at this time. This

is the Program Handbook by which the NIST Weights and Measures Division Recognizes State Laboratories and issues certificates of Measurement

Traceability to support your programs. You can get a copy of the current

or past Handbooks here: http://www.nist.gov/pml/wmd/pubs/handbooks.cfm

or here: http://www.nist.gov/pml/wmd/labmetrology/lab-resources.cfm

(see Related Links for PDF or DOC versions).

The international standard, ISO/IEC 17025, on which this handbook is

based, was recently re-approved without change, which means it will be in

place for another five years with no new requirements. So, for sections 4

and 5, we can only accept input on the WMD Notes on interpretation or

application as that specific section is based on the documentary standard.
August 31 - September 1

Weighing Sector Meeting

Sacramento, CA

Contact: info@ncwm.net

September 1

Calibration Report Evaluation (Webinar)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

September 8

Calibration Method Validation (Webinar)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

September 12 - 15

Central Weights & Measures Association

Cedar Rapids, IA

Contact: Vicky Dempsey at

dempseyv@mcohio.org

September 15 - 18

Western Weights & Measures Association

San Obisipo, CA

Contact: Brett Saum at bsaum@co.slo.ca.us

October 6

Annual Submission Process (Webinar)

(Limited to State Laboratory Participants)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

October 12 - 13

Northeastern Weights & Measures Association

Interim Meeting

Norwich, CT

Contact: James Cassidy at

jcassidy@cambridgema.gov

October 13

Document Control & Recordkeeping (Webinar)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

October 16 - 19 (tentative)

Southern Weights & Measures Association

Contact: Dale Saunders at

dale.saunders@vdacs.virginia.gov

November 10

Annual Submission Process (Webinar)

(Limited to State Laboratory Participants)

Contact: Val Miller at val.miller@nist.gov

Calendar 2012

January 22 - 25

NCWM Interim Meeting

New Orleans, LA

Contact: info@ncwm.net

Webinars are conducted by the WMD Laboratory Metrology Group. You can get additional

W&M Connection 4 Volume 2 Issue 1

The remaining sections can be changed, modified, and updated as appropriate. The technical sections are nearly identical to what is currently in

the NVLAP Handbook 150-2g (NVLAP will be updating the 150-2 handbooks in the near future to reflect requirements.) If you would like to be a

part of any of the working groups that review survey responses, comments, and drafts, and help to prepare various drafts and responses to

comments, please send an e-mail to: gharris@nist.gov and let me know. 

Please be assured that everyone will have an opportunity to provide input

on near-final and final drafts before they are published, and we will

post/send notices of the status through various e-mail/website/newsletter/organizational media. 

W&M NEWS WEB LINKS

WISCONSIN WEIGHTS & MEASURES IN THE NEWS

Report states that consumers are getting what they pay for. Read further here:

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/article_9fc33806-345c-11e0-b9bf-001cc4c03286.html

DOES YOUR LUGGAGE NEED TO GO ON A DIET?

Read about Boston’s Logan Airport and baggage fees.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/02/03/i-team-possible-luggage-fee-overcharging-at-logan/

GAS PUMP ACCURACY: ARE YOU GETTING WHAT YOU PAY FOR?

Maryland Weights and Measures discuss gasoline pumps pass/fail procedure.

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=117052

Proposed Rules Would Allow

Metric Only Labeling for Some

Products

By Mark Esser

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has issued two

publications calling for the amendment of labeling laws to allow the voluntary use of only metric units on some consumer products. NIST researchers suggest that adoption of metric labeling will lead to greater

agreement between state and federal labeling laws and simplify domestic

and international commerce.

The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA) specifies the type of information that must appear on a consumer product label, including the kind of

product, name of the manufacturer or responsible party, and net contents.

Products that aren't covered by the federal law are regulated by the

states, which generally follow the guidance of the Uniform Packaging and

Labeling Regulations (UPLR), a publication (Handbook 130, Uniform Laws
IN THE FIELD

Is there a W&M topic that you would like

to have discussed in the Weights and

Measures Connection?

How can we better serve our W&M

community?

Do you have a safety tidbit to share?

Do you have a W&M event that you wish

to post in the Connection’s calendar?

Submissions can be sent to the Editor,

Linda Crown at linda.crown@nist.gov

W&M Connection 5 Volume 2 Issue 1

and Regulations in the areas of Legal Metrology and Engine Fuel Quality)

produced by NIST and the National Conference on Weights and Measures

(NCWM). The rules in the UPLR are recommended regulations that only

become law if and when adopted by individual states. 

In 1992, NIST and the NCWM supported Congress's decision to amend the

FPLA to allow manufacturers to label their products with U.S. customary

units (inch/pound/pint, etc.) and metric units (centimeter/kilogram/liter,

etc.), known as dual unit labeling. Since then, NIST and the NCWM have

been working with the states to help them adopt laws that would permit

metric only labeling of products under their jurisdiction. Forty-eight states

have adopted this approach.

From left to right, cartons A and B feature a dual net quantity of contents statement on the label, as required under the current Fair Packaging and Labeling Act

(FPLA). Carton C (far right) features only a metric label, as is recommended by the

Uniform Packaging and Labeling Regulation (UPLR), but prohibited by the FPLA.

A proposed FPLA amendment would permit U.S. manufacturers to choose either

dual or metric labeling for their products.

However, some manufacturers worry that the option to label products

solely with metric units will confuse consumers and that it will force manufacturers to redesign product packaging.

To allay these concerns, NIST Metric Program coordinator, Elizabeth Gentry, notes that many products, especially wine and distilled spirits, have

been sold with metric-only labels since the early 1980s. A study by her

group found that 193 of 1,137 products surveyed in 19 retail stores were

labeled with metric units only. More than half of those products were

made or distributed by U.S. companies. Moreover, she notes that, under

the proposal, use of metric only labeling would be voluntary, as would

packaging modifications.

Gentry says there is nothing compelling manufacturers to change package

sizing simply because they have the option to use only metric units on

their labels. Manufacturers would be free to continue including U.S. cusinformation by contacting Val Miller

at:

301-975-3602 or by e-mail at:

val.miller@nist.gov or viewing the Laboratory Metrology Group web page at:

http://www.nist.gov/pml/wmd/labmetrology/webinars.cfm

Additional details on the above calendar

items can be found at: 

http://ts.nist.gov/WeightsAndMeasures/calendar3.cfm

TRIVIA

The Weights and Measures Act of 1824 in England

declared that this measure was equal to “10 imperial pounds weight of distilled water weighed in

air against brass weights with the water and the air

at a temperature of 62 degrees of Fahrenheit’s

thermometer and with the barometer at 30

inches.” What was this measure?

Answer: The original British Imperial Gallon.

More interesting triva can be found at:

http://www.foodreference.com/quiz/html/quizanswers-427.html

What was the exact length of the “Carolingian foot

introduced by Charlemagne when he tried to establish uniform weights and measures throughout

the Frankish Empire?

Answer: Exactly a third of a meter, or about 13 and

1/8 inches.
W&M Connection 6 Volume 2 Issue 1

tomary units in the dual unit labeling scheme. The proposed changes to the FPLA would not apply to unit pricing, advertising, recipes, nutrition labeling or other general pricing information. 

“We're suggesting these changes to the FPLA in response to requests by U.S. manufacturers and consumers,” says Gentry. “Manufacturers want to take control of the limited space on their packaging and giving them the option of using

only metric units will offer manufacturers more flexibility."

Download NIST’s Guide to Voluntary Metric Labeling or 

http://www.nist.gov/pml/wmd/metric/upload/Voluntary-Metric-Labeling-Dec2009.pdf

Download NIST’s Labeling Marketplace Assessment or 

http://www.nist.gov/pml/wmd/metric/upload/Marketplace-Assessment-Metric-Labeling-Retail-Stores-Dec2009.pdf

(This article first appeared in the NIST Tech Beat, June 23, 2010)

WMD WELCOMES MARC BUTTLER

By Tina Butcher

The Weights and Measures Division is excited to welcome a new staff member, Marc Buttler, to our team! Marc joined

our staff on January 19 and comes to us with extensive experience in the area of legal metrology, with an emphasis on

measuring devices. Marc holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado. He spent the last 25

years working for Micro Motion, Inc. (a division of Emerson Process Management) in Boulder, Colorado, where he led

and managed national and international measuring system product lines and participated in standards development activities related to legal metrology measurement technology. Marc served for the past five years on the National Type

Evaluation Technical Committee’s Measuring Sector, the group responsible for developing proposed type evaluation criteria and test procedures for the National Conference on Weights and Measure’s (NCWM) National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP), and he also participated in a number of type evaluations. For the past several years, Marc has been an

active member of the U.S. National Working Group for the Development of Hydrogen Measurement Standards Device

Standards Subcommittee, the group that developed the tentative code for commercial hydrogen measuring devices

adopted by the NCWM in July 2010. Marc also brings experience working with international legal metrology standards,

having actively participated in U.S. National Work Groups (USNWGs) on measurement-related International Organization

of Legal Metrology (OIML) recommendations, including R 117, “Dynamic volue and mass measurement for liquids other

than water,” and R 139, “Compressed gaseous fuel measuring systems for vehicles,” for nine years. 

In his new role at WMD, Marc will spend the bulk of his time working in the Legal Metrology Devices Group, where his

primary duties include serving as technical advisor to the NTETC Measuring Sector; serving on the USNWG on Hydrogen

Measurement subcommittees on Devices and Fuel Quality; participating in the development of national and international standards related to commercial measuring instruments; developing and delivering training materials; developing

test procedures; and researching and developing solutions to a wide variety of measurement-related legal metrology issues. In addition to his work in the Devices Group, Marc will spend a portion of his time working with the Laws and Metric Group in the area of biofuels.

Employee Highlights

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