5730 Fundamentals and LAP Problems Preparation (Summer 2021)

This course will be a four-week series of training webinars, with supporting on-the-job training and associated homework.  The course is for new Metrologists to ensure that good measurement and laboratory practices are being followed in the measurement areas of legal metrology, that consistent on-the-job training and seminar preparation is offered, and will enable new staff to successfully complete the Laboratory Auditing Program (LAP) problems.  This temporary/interim course is geared toward giving new staff the fundamentals and knowledge base needed to operate with confidence only for Mass Echelon III (SOP 8) and Volume Echelon II (SOP 19).

NOTE: New State metrologists will still be required to complete the formal suite of seminar courses (i.e., Fundamentals, Mass, and Volume), as required by the Program Handbook 143, Table 2, after the completion of this course to ensure appropriate hands-on training and demonstration of competency for all procedures and additional topics that are covered in the core seminars.

This class covers the following procedures from NISTIR 6969 and NISTIR 7383:

• GLP 1, Quality Assurance of the Measurement Process;
• GLP 9, Rounding Expanded Uncertainties and Calibration Values;
• GLP 10, Water Quality;
• GLP 15, Software Quality Assurance;
• GMP 3, Meniscus Reading;
• GMP 11, Assignment and Adjustment of Calibration Intervals for Laboratory Standards;
• GMP 13, Ensuring Traceability;
• SOP 1, Preparation of Calibration Certificates;
• SOP 8, Modified Substitution;
• SOP 9, Control Charts for Mass Calibrations;
• SOP 19, Volume Transfer Calibrations;
• SOP 29, Assignment of Uncertainty;
• SOP 30, Process Measurement Assurance Program.

This class is designed for State weights and measures program metrologists only; however, space may be available for industry or other government agencies.  Requests must be received in the OWM Contact System.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• IDENTIFY and USE reference materials to ensure good quality, accurate, traceable measurement results;
• EXPLAIN highlights and key concepts of each topic (noted on the Course Syllabus/Detailed Learning Objectives)  to each other and to your managers and show how these topics fit in to a management system using ISO/IEC 17025 as the basis;
• Have and know how to IMPLEMENT several simple tools, job aids, and references to use and improve your laboratory operations; and
• COMPLETE the Fundamentals of Metrology Laboratory Auditing Program (LAP) Problems.

Materials & Supplies

Several notebooks and course materials will be provided via individual BOX/Google Drive Accounts that will be established for each student.  The accounts will also be used to upload objective evidence of on-the-job training and course assignments.

Prerequisites

Instructor will send the prerequisites documentation 'AFTER' the registration deadline.  

1. Students: Required prerequisites include having a demonstrated knowledge of basic mathematics (pre-test). Submit mathematics pre-test to instructor by COB Friday, March 26, 2021. Additional helpful pre-work will be provided by the instructor prior to the course to minimize course homework time. Participants must be proficient in spreadsheet functions and operations and formatting in word processing software.
2. Mentors Training Requirements: Submit training record logs, webinar/student notes, and applicable reading outlines, or applicable transcripts and/or justification of equivalent documentation by COB Monday, April 5, 2021. *See Mentor Requirements for additional information.
3. Students and mentors will have to attend the Lab Metrology Info Hour webinar, where we will review the expectations and the roles for everyone.  The webinar will be held on Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Pre-Work

In addition to completing and submitting the 'Prerequisites', OWM encourages students to read:

• NPL Beginner’s Guide to Measurement
• Beginner's Guide to Measurement in Mechanical Engineering
• ISO/IEC 17025:2017 "General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories" (you will need to obtain your own official copy of this standard).
• For reference, download NIST Special Publication 811 “Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI)"

On the Job Training Pre-Work:   Document the following OJT using the form provided by OWM for the following items and submit OJT evidence by COB Friday, May 7, 2021:

•  Laboratory Quality Management System training and familiarity with SAPs.
  • Must include: calibration certificate preparation and review; auditing, corrective and improvement action processes.
• Care and handling of standards and equipment in the laboratory (related to receipt and storage of submitted standards, operation of balances and standards, care and handling of laboratory standards (most labs also have SAPs that covers these items).
• DEMONSTRATE SOP 8 and SOP 19 for a) five 5 lb weights with a check standard and b) a 5 gal test measure with check standard.  (All steps in the laboratory process from contract review to submitting a calibration certificate following the SOP, must include: reading the SOPs, traceability hierarchies for the lab, review of calibration certificates for standards used, demonstration by mentor, demonstration by trainee with mentor observing, entering control chart data and review of check standards, comparison of results between mentor and trainee, evaluation of uncertainty budget per the SOP, evaluation of the laboratory uncertainty files, and creation of calibration certificates.) Demonstrate use of laboratory software for data recording and calculations as used in the lab.  
• Staff Assignments noted in the following curriculum may be completed in advance as part of laboratory OJT efforts; full documented evidence must be maintained, should be reviewed and updated if needed and submitted to instructors according to the agenda.

Pre-Work Deadline

The pre-work (math-exercise) must be completed and submitted to Isabel Chavez by Friday, March 26, 2021. You may send the OJT evidence (files) as Word, PDF and/or associated Excel files for review.

Post-Work

Fundamentals of Metrology, Laboratory Auditing Program (LAP) Problems – required for State Weights and Measures Laboratories (not applicable for other participants.)

Post-Work Deadline

One year.

Minimum Requirements

Successful completion requires that participants fully participate in all webinar and laboratory on-the-job exercises, turn in or present accurate work assignments, and be present for the entire course. Two Final Calibration Certificates will be turned in as final project.  See the additional assignments with the Course Syllabus noted earlier.  A passing grade on all portions is required to obtain a "certificate of attendance" ) Successful completion ONLY qualifies the participant to complete the LAP Problems and potentially gain a temporary waiver as a conditional approved signatory for the laboratory calibrations for Mass Echelon III and Volume Transfer Echelon II.  Completion of the in-person Fundamentals of Metrology seminar with all laboratory activities is required to participate in the Mass, Volume and Length seminars, though those may have additional prerequisites. Successful completion will provide significant advantages to those who later attend the full Fundamentals of Metrology seminar.

*Homework and Mentoring note: There are additional mentor requirements to participate in this course.  See 'Pre-requisite(s) section for details.
Note for laboratory management:  Significant self-study time will be required for reading, laboratory assessments, and completion of homework for this course.  While there are 8 hours of webinar each week during the course, it is expected that students will need significant, focused, work time to successfully complete the additional assignments.

Audience

State Weights and Measures Metrologists (primary audience).  Course will be opened to Industry and other Federal agencies pending available space.

Cost

The current fee for this seminar is $1,995 and confirmed participants will be sent payment instructions. Payment is due COB April 20, 2021.  Registration fees for State weights and measures regulatory officials and metrologists are funded by NIST OWM.

Instructors

Mark Ruefenacht, Jose Torres, Isabel Chavez-Baucom
Phone: 301-975-2128
Email: isabel.chavez.baucom [at] nist.gov (isabel[dot]chavez[dot]baucom[at]nist[dot]gov)

Technology Requirements

The webinar will be a live stream, so participants must have a constant connection during the webinar (hard-wired is preferred).
 
1. Operating System (browser) configurations:

• Windows
  • Windows 10, 8.1 (32-bit/64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit/64-bit)
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 or later, Windows Edge browser, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome
  • For HTML Client - Google Chrome (v70.0 & above), Mozilla Firefox (v65.0 & above), and Edge (v42.0 & above)
• Mac OS
  • Mac OS X 10.12, 10.13 and 10.14
  • Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Google Chrome
  • For HTML Client - Google Chrome (v70.0 & above), Apple Safari (v12.0 & above), and  Mozilla Firefox (v65.0 & above)
• Linux
  • Ubuntu 16.04; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
  • No application support is available for Linux. Users on Linux can attend meetings in a browser.
  • Google Chrome, Adobe Flash Player 23.0

2. Mobile

• The Adobe Connect app for iOS and Android requires Adobe Connect Server version 8.2 or later
• Some features may not be enabled in all Adobe Connect meetings if one is using an Adobe Connect Server older than version 9.4.2 (required for Custom pods)
• Google Android 4.4 or later
• Apple iOS: iOS 8.1.2 or later

3. Media players

• In order to access the event, you must have, at a minimum, Adobe® Flash® Player 13 or higher installed on your computer. Please visit http://get2.adobe.com/flashplayer/ to download the Flash Player.

4. Optional: If you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting before:

• Adobe Connect Learn & Support: https://helpx.adobe.com/support/connect.html

^{* Adobe, the Adobe logo, Acrobat and Adobe Connect are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.}