Pilot Institute Research Articles

Final report on APMP.M.P-K6.1 pneumatic key comparison from 20 kPa to 105 kPa in gauge mode

This report describes the key comparison APMP.M.P-K6.1 among the three national metrology institutes, Center for Measurement Standards–ITRI (CMS-ITRI, Taiwan), SPRING Singapore and National Institute of Metrology (NIMT), in the pressure range from 20 kPa to 105 kPa in gas media and gauge mode executed during the period April 2003 to April 2004. This comparison was conducted by CMS-ITRI and was based on the calibration procedure of APMP pneumatic pressure comparison APMP.M.P-K6. We intended to link to the CCM.P-K6 key comparison through the APMP.M.P-K6 key comparison by using the proposed linkage method in the APMP.M.P-K6 key comparison to determine a linking factor that can transform the quantities measured in the APMP.M.P-K6.1 key comparison. All three participating institutes used pneumatic piston gauges as their pressure standards. The Ruska 2465 gas-operated piston–cylinder assembly TL-1409 used as transfer standard offered by CMS-ITRI was calibrated three times by the pilot institute during the comparison period and showed that it was very stable after evaluation. The comparison was conducted on the basis of cross-float experiments to determine the effective area of transfer standards from the national standards of three institutes.The comparison results (as shown in Table 6) were equivalent to the CCM.P-K6 comparison and the relative bilateral degrees of equivalence between two laboratories were smaller than 39.7 × 10-6 from 20 kPa to 105 kPa. These results showed all participating institutes measuring the same quantity in the whole pressure range lay within their expanded uncertainty with confidence level 95%.Main text.To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

Final report on APMP.M.P-K1.c.1: Pneumatic key comparison from 0.4 MPa to 4.0 MPa in gauge mode

This report describes the key comparison APMP.M.P-K1.c.1 among the three national metrology institutes, Center for Measurement Standards-ITRI (CMS-ITRI, Chinese Taipei), SPRING Singapore and National Institute of Metrology (NIMT) in the pressure range from 0.4 MPa to 4.0 MPa in gas media and gauge mode executed during the period April 2003 to April 2004. This comparison was conducted by CMS-ITRI and was based on the calibration procedure of APMP Pneumatic Pressure Comparison APMP.M.P-K1.c. We intended to link to the key Comparison APMP.M.P-K1.c via the results of SPRING Singapore. All three participating institutes used pneumatic piston gauges as their pressure standards. The Ruska 2465 gas-operated piston-cylinder assembly V-1215 used as a transfer standard offered by CMS-ITRI was calibrated three times by the pilot institute during the comparison period and showed that it was very stable after evaluation. The comparison was conducted on the basis of cross-float experiments to determine the effective area of the transfer standard from the national standards of three institutes. The mean value of the results obtained by all participating institutes measuring the same quantity from 0.4 MPa to 4.0 MPa in gas media and gauge mode lay within their expanded uncertainty with a confidence level of 95%. Linking key comparison APMP.M.P-K1.c to key comparison APMP.M.P-K1.c.1 at two nominal pressures near 1 MPa and 4 MPa was established.Main text.To reach the main text of this Paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

Final report on Supplementary Comparison APMP.M.H-S1

This report presents the results of supplementary comparison APMP.M.H-S1 among four national metrology institutes (NIMT, NMIJ/AIST, VMI and SPRING). The comparison was carried out during October 2004 to January 2005 in order to determine the capability of the primary Rockwell hardness standard, including standard conditions, of each participant, to confirm the accuracy of Rockwell hardness scale C measurement declared by the participant, which includes the effect of each participant's primary indenter and determine the degrees of equivalence of hardness scale measurement in the range 20 HRC to 60 HRC. Furthermore, the comparison was carried out a by common indenter, which was provided by the pilot institute, in order to determine the measurement capability of the participant's primary machine without the influence of the indenter, as a study of scientific purpose. The pilot institute was the National Institute of Metrology (Thailand), NIMT. There were two sets of artifacts for the comparison. Each set was composed of nine hardness blocks: 20 HRC, 25 HRC, 30 HRC, 35 HRC, 40 HRC, 45 HRC, 50 HRC, 55 HRC, 60 HRC. The verification of the participant's primary Rockwell hardness machine was carried out according to ISO6508-3 before making the measurement. The pilot institute made measurements at the beginning and the end of the comparison in order to monitor the stability of the artifacts. The degree of equivalence of each national primary hardness standard was expressed quantitatively by two terms, the deviation from KCRV and the uncertainty of this deviation at a 95% level of confidence. The En parameter was calculated to express the equivalence between the measurements of participants as well. The degree of equivalence between pairs of participating institutes was expressed by the difference of their deviations from the key comparison reference value and the uncertainty of this difference at the 95% level of confidence.Main text.To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the APMP, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

Final Report on Key Comparison APMP.M.P-K5 in differential pressure from 1 Pa to 5000 Pa

This report describes the results of a key comparison of small differential pressure standards at two national metrology institutes (NMIs: NMIJ/AIST and MSL) that was carried out during the period May 2005 to October 2005 within the framework of the Asia-Pacific Metrology Programme (APMP) in order to determine their degrees of equivalence at pressures in the range 1 Pa to 5000 Pa. The differential pressures were compared at a line pressure of about 100 kPa (absolute). The pilot institute was the National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ)/AIST. Both participating institutes used double pressure balances as their primary pressure standards. The transfer standard package consisted of three high-precision pressure transducers: one capacitance diaphragm gauge to provide high resolution at low differential pressures, and two resonant silicon gauges to provide the required calibration stability. The transfer standard was calibrated at the pilot institute (NMIJ/AIST) at the beginning and the end of the comparison. These results show that the transfer standard was sufficiently stable to meet the requirements of the comparison. The degrees of equivalence of the measurement standards were expressed quantitatively by two terms, deviations from the key comparison reference values and pairwise differences of their deviations. The differential pressure standards in the range 1 Pa to 5000 Pa of the two participating NMIs were found to be fully equivalent within their claimed uncertainties. The degrees of equivalence in this comparison were also transferred to the corresponding CCM key comparison, CCM.P-K5, and it is shown that the NMIJ values were equivalent to the CCM KCRV within the claimed uncertainties.Main text.To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

Final report on the intercomparison EUROMET.M.D-K1 of volume standards by hydrostatic weighing (EUROMET project 339)

This report describes the result of a key comparison of volume standards at twelve European national metrology institutes. This comparison was carried out during the period January 1996 to January 1999 within the framework of the European Collaboration in Measurement Standards (EUROMET) in order to determine the degree of equivalence between the participants for the determination of the volume of solids in the range 87 cm3 to 315 cm3. The pilot institute was the Federal Office of Metrology METAS (former OFMET) of Switzerland. This comparison was initiated and realized before the CCM.D-K1 (Density measurements of a silicon sphere). For that reason no direct link was made between the CCM.D-K1 and the EUROMET.M.D-K1 comparison. The transfer standards consisted of three different spheres made of ceramic material (Si3N4/MgO). The three spheres were calibrated by the participants using hydrostatic weighing either with solid density standard or with water density tables as reference. Stability measurements show that the transfer standards were sufficiently stable during the comparison. The degrees of equivalence of the measurement standards were expressed quantitatively by two terms, deviations from the key comparison reference values and associated uncertainty of measurement for each of the three spheres. Considering all participants, the maximum relative difference between the volume measurements was 1.6 × 10-5 for the biggest sphere (1 kg and 315 cm3). Considering the five participants using a solid density standard as volume reference and having performed automatic mass determination, the maximum relative difference between the volume measurements was 2.2 × 10-6 for the same sphere. This comparison was approved for provisional equivalence of the CMC declared in the field.Main text.To reach the main text of this Paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

Final Report on Key Comparison APMP.M.P-K7 in hydraulic gauge pressure from 10 MPa to 100 MPa

This report describes the results of a key comparison of hydraulic high-pressure standards at 16 national metrology institutes (NMIs: NMIJ/AIST, NPLI, CSIR-NML, NIS, KRISS, SCL, SPRING, NMIA, VMI, NML-SIRIM, KIM-LIPI, NSCL, PTB, NIMT, CMS/ITRI and NIM) was carried out during the period October 2002 to July 2004 within the framework of the Asia-Pacific Metrology Programme (APMP) in order to determine their degrees of equivalence at pressures in the range 10 MPa to 100 MPa for gauge mode. The pilot institute was the National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ)/AIST. All participating institutes generally used hydraulic pressure balances as their pressure standards. High-precision pressure transducers were used as transfer standards. The sensing element of the transducer was a precision quartz crystal resonator. To ensure the reliability of the transfer standard, two pressure transducers were used on a transfer standard unit. Three nominally identical transfer packages were circulated independently to reduce the time required for the measurements. During this comparison, the three transfer standards were calibrated simultaneously at the pilot institute 11 times in total. From the calibration results, the behaviours of the transfer standards during the comparison period were well characterized and it was presented that the capabilities of the transfer standards to achieve this key comparison were sufficient. The degrees of equivalence of each national measurement standard were expressed quantitatively by two terms, deviations from the key comparison reference values and pair-wise differences of their deviations. The degrees of equivalence in this comparison were also transferred to the corresponding CCM key comparison, CCM.M.P-K7. The hydraulic pressure standards in the range 10 MPa to 100 MPa for gauge mode of the 16 participating NMIs were found to be equivalent within their claimed uncertainties.Main text.To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCM, according to the provisions of the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

Meeting report: the first National Academies Summer Institute for Undergraduate Education in Biology.

Meeting report: the first National Academies Summer Institute for Undergraduate Education in Biology.

Initiating population education in Baltimore.

At a 3-day workshop in population education for 50 secondary school teachers, 4 members of the Baltimore City Public School system were appointed with 4 members of Planned Parenthood Association of Maryland to deal with the inherent difficulties of bringing population awareness to city children, many of whom in Baltimore are both poor and black. This group believed that it was essential that racial sensitivities, both black and white, be explored in a realistic and humane manner. After considerable soul-searching, it was decided that the approach would be to talk about the city of Baltimore and then demonstrate that Baltimore and its problems represented a microcosm of the world. A pilot institute for 30 selected Baltimore City public school teachers was held in June 1971. The participants of this institute felt that population education should be included in the public school curriculum, and materials to implement this were requested. On the basis of this experiment, the Rockefeller Foundation gave Planned Parenthood Association of Maryland a grant to continue its work with the Baltimore City school system. Nine 3-day Urban Life Population Education Institutes for 30 teachers each were held during school hours in the 1973-1974 school year. All teachers in the system could apply to attend. During the summer of 1973 nine creative and imaginative classroom teachers who had attended an institute were selected to develop curriculum materials. They adopted 6 basic concepts covering the overall view down to the individual level. With the aid of another grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, the materials developed will be piloted in the Baltimore schools during the 1973-1974 session. 10 more institutes for 300 members of the school system will be held during the 1973-1974 school year.