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Manufacturing and Quality Control of the NIST Reference Material 8240 Standard Bullet

Published

Author(s)

Eric P. Whitenton, Clarence Johnson, David R. Kelley, Robert A. Clary, Brian S. Dutterer, Li Ma, Jun-Feng Song, Theodore V. Vorburger

Abstract

The National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) is currently under development by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). In support of this effort, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is developing both physical and virtual reference standards. These are designed to be used by crime laboratories to verify that results obtained when using the NIBIN meet legal requirements and that the equipment is operating properly. It is also intended to use these standards for the establishment of ballistics measurement traceability to NIST, ATF and FBI. One of these reference standards is the NIST RM (Reference Material) 8240 Standard Bullet. The surface profile of six master bullets from ATF and FBI were measured at NIST using a stylus measurement system. The profiles have a 0.25 ?m point spacing. The resulting set of six digitized 2D profile signatures are used as a 2D virtual bullet signature standard for the production of standard bullets using a numerically controlled diamond turning machine at NIST. These standard bullets are designed to have nearly identical 2D signatures, and will be used for instrument calibration and measurement quality control for the NIBIN. This document focuses on the manufacturing and quality control of these standard bullets.
Conference Dates
October 26-31, 2003
Conference Location
Portland, OR
Conference Title
American Society for Precision Engineering Annual Meeting

Keywords

ballistics, correlation function, diamond turning, electroplated, reference material, standard bullets

Citation

Whitenton, E. , Johnson, C. , Kelley, D. , Clary, R. , Dutterer, B. , Ma, L. , Song, J. and Vorburger, T. (2003), Manufacturing and Quality Control of the NIST Reference Material 8240 Standard Bullet, American Society for Precision Engineering Annual Meeting, Portland, OR, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=822088 (Accessed March 28, 2024)
Created October 26, 2003, Updated February 19, 2017