Skip to main content    

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

**Official websites use .gov**              A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.            

**Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**              A **lock** (  LockA locked padlock) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.            

https://www.nist.gov/manufacturing/charters-freedom-project/testing-and-assembly

            -  Topics  -  All Topics 
-  Advanced communications 
-  Artificial intelligence 
-  Bioscience 
-  Buildings and construction 
-  Chemistry 
-  Climate 
-  Cybersecurity 
-  Electronics 
-  Energy 
-  Environment 
-  Fire 
-  Forensic science 
-  Health 
-  Information technology 
-  Infrastructure 
-  Manufacturing 
-  Materials 
-  Mathematics and statistics 
-  Metrology 
-  Nanotechnology 
-  Neutron research 
-  Performance excellence 
-  Physics 
-  Public safety 
-  Resilience 
-  Standards 
-  Transportation 
 
            -  Publications 
            -  Labs & Major Programs  -  Laboratories    -  Communications Technology Laboratory 
  -  Engineering Laboratory 
  -  Information Technology Laboratory 
  -  Material Measurement Laboratory 
  -  Physical Measurement Laboratory 
-  User Facilities    -  NIST Center for Neutron Research 
  -  CNST NanoFab 
-  Research Test Beds 
-  Research Projects 
-  Tools & Instruments 
-  Major Programs    -  Baldrige Performance Excellence Program 
  -  CHIPS for America Initiative 
  -  Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) 
  -  Office of Advanced Manufacturing 
  -  Special Programs Office 
  -  Technology Partnerships Office 
 
            -  Services & Resources  -  Standards and Measurements    -  Calibration Services 
  -  Laboratory Accreditation (NVLAP) 
  -  Quality System 
  -  Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) 
  -  Standards.gov 
  -  Time Services 
  -  Office of Weights and Measures 
-  Software 
-  Data    -  Chemistry WebBook 
  -  National Vulnerability Database 
  -  Physical Reference Data 
  -  Standard Reference Data (SRD) 
-  Storefront 
-  License & Patents 
-  Computer Security Resource Center (CSRC) 
-  NIST Research Library 
 
            -  News & Events  -  News 
-  Events 
-  Blogs 
-  Feature Stories 
-  Awards 
-  Video Gallery 
-  Image Gallery 
-  Media Contacts 
 
            -  About NIST  -  About Us    -  Leadership 
  -  Organization Structure 
  -  Budget & Planning 
-  Contact Us 
-  Visit 
-  Careers    -  Student programs 
-  Work with NIST 
-  History    -  NIST Digital Archives 
  -  NIST Museum 
  -  NIST and the Nobel 
-  Educational Resources 
 

## Manufacturing

-  Charters of Freedom Project  Expand or Collapse    -  Origins of the Charters of Freedom Project 
  -  By Design: Secure, Functional, Attractive—Preserving, protecting, and more. 
  -  Piece-by-Piece: Specifications and Components 
  -  Testing and Assembly 

# Testing and Assembly

## Share

Facebook

Linkedin

Twitter

Email

NIST built two prototype encasements, which were tested extensively to evaluate the design and to analyze the performance and integrity of each component. The prototypes now serve as the back-ups that the National Archives hold in reserve, just in case.

### Pressure and leak testing

Before installation of the charter pages, all encasements underwent full-system tests. In all tests, seal performance far exceeded the design requirement.

NIST also conducted studies to determine whether the encasement glass could withstand abrupt and large changes in atmospheric pressure. The prototype encasements were subjected to wide swings in pressure until the glass finally broke. "There are no known ways," researchers concluded, "that the encasements would see the level of pressure difference causing glass failure, except due to a gross error. . ."

### Assembly

As the encasements were completed, they were shipped in special containers to NARA, where final testing and installation of the Charter pages was done. Several steps in the process are shown here:

### NARA conservators prepare to put the transmittal page into a humidity chamber. The treatment raises the moisture content of the parchment, permitting it be flattened and dried under restraint to reduce distortions.Credit:            Earl McDonald/NARA        

### NIST and NARA staff members prepare to place the titanium frame on the base of the encasement.Credit:            Earl McDonald/NARA        

### NIST mechanical engineer Chris Evans adjusts the spectrometer situated outside two sapphire windows milled into the base.Credit:            Earl McDonald/NARA        

### NIST engineering technician Mike McGlauflin and Richard Judson, NARA's manager of the Charters project, place the newly encased transmittal page into a cabinet for interim storage.Credit:            Earl McDonald/NARA        

-  **‹** Piece-by-Piece: Specifications and Components 

### HEADQUARTERS

301-975-2000

Webmaster | Contact Us | Our Other Offices

TwitterFacebookLinkedInInstagramYouTubeGiphyRSS FeedMailing List

Feedback

            -  Site Privacy 
            -  Accessibility 
            -  Privacy Program 
            -  Copyrights 
            -  Vulnerability Disclosure 
            -  No Fear Act Policy 
            -  FOIA 
            -  Environmental Policy 
            -  Scientific Integrity 
            -  Information Quality Standards 
            -  Commerce.gov 
            -  Science.gov 
            -  USA.gov 
            -  Vote.gov