Mass and Force Group

The group also

Represents the interests of the US in the national, regional, and international metrology communities, through participation and/or leadership in consultative committees, working groups, and standards organizations to guarantee US competitiveness and the equivalence of standards worldwide.
Carries out research and development and provides technical support in legal metrology, measurement science, instrumentation design, development, and testing to develop new physical measurement services, new realization of the units, new transfer standards, new methods and data, and custom tests to improve NIST capabilities in providing traceability and leadership to meet the needs and demands of U.S. industry, government, and the scientific community.

News and Updates

Opposite sides of a quartz crystal resonator

Universe in the Balance

February 12, 2020

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have found a way to link measurements made by a device integral to microchip

White Cat Hair on Black Pants: International Study Measures Stability of Precision Masses to Benefit Trade

November 26, 2018

When are two nominally identical kilogram masses no longer identical? When each goes to a different place and adsorbs varying amounts of moisture and

Exactly how loud is that jackhammer?

August 17, 2018

When a jackhammer starts pounding outside your window at 7 o’clock on a Monday morning, you might find it annoying. For the worker who is running that

Comparison of Future Realizations of the Kilogram - Final Report

March 15, 2018

The Pilot Study — read 2016 article details — was completed in late 2016 and the Final Report was published on the BIPM website (PDF) in June of 2017. The main

Industry Impacts

A man in a hardhat standing on top of the million-pound weight stack with a person standing at the bottom.

Massive Forces for Heavy Industry

Measuring large forces, such as the thrust of a rocket engine or the deflection of an aircraft wing, requires well-calibrated force sensors. NIST’s unique

Projects and Programs

National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP)

The NTEP program is administered through the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM).

Reconditioning of the 4.45 MN deadweight machine

Physical disassembly of the 4.45 MN (1,000,000 lbf) deadweight machine (DWM) began in FY15 in order to address material galling that developed in key structural

Small Mass and Small Force Metrology at NIST

The small mass and force metrology project at NIST leverages the redefinition of the International System of Units (SI) to scale mass and force with electrical

mass-in-vacuum precision mass comparator

NIST Mise en Pratique of the New Kilogram Definition

As part of a revised SI system of units adopted in 2019, the kilogram was redefined to be realized in terms of Planck's constant. By experimental necessity

Publications

Reduction of Calibration Comparison Uncertainty due to Mounting for 3-Axis Accelerometers using the Intrinsic Properties Model

April 13, 2021

Author(s)

Michael Gaitan, Iris M. Lopez Bautista, Jon Geist

We provide experimental results showing that the calibration of tri-axis accelerometers based on the device's intrinsic properties alleviates the uncertainty

CHARACTERIZATION OF LASER DOPPLER VIBROMETERS USING ACOUSTO-OPTIC MODULATORS

December 31, 2020

Author(s)

Michael Gaitan, Jon C. Geist, Benjamin J. Reschovsky, Akobuije Chijioke

We report on a new approach to characterize the performance of a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV). The method uses two acousto-optic modulators (AOMs) to

Error Quantification in Dynamic Applications of Weakly Nonlinear Transducers

November 3, 2020

Author(s)

Lautaro D. Cilenti, Akobuije Chijioke, Balakumar Balachandran

Characterization and quantification of dynamic measurements is an ongoing area of research in the metrological community as new calibration methods are being

Superconducting Contact Geometries for Next-Generation Quantized Hall Resistance Standards

August 31, 2020

Author(s)

Alireza R. Panna, Mattias Kruskopf, Albert F. Rigosi, Martina Marzano, Dinesh K. Patel, Shamith U. Payagala, Dean G. Jarrett, David B. Newell, Randolph E. Elmquist

Awards

2017 - Bronze Medal Award---Gordon A. Shaw, III

For pioneering a new, traceable and more accurate basis for U.S. mass measurements in the commercially important range from micrograms to milligrams.

2016 - Allen V. Astin Measurement Science Award---Patrick Abbott, Eric Benck, Zeina Kubarych, Edward Mulhern, Corey Stambaugh, Leon Chao, David Newell, Stephan Schlamminger

For establishing a mise en pratique to realize the redefined unit of mass and transfer mass measurements to working standards for dissemination.

2016 - Bronze Medal Award---Akobuije Chijioke

For developing the world’s first SI-traceable dynamic-force measurement facility for advanced manufacturing and biomedical applications.

Mass and Force Group

News and Updates

Universe in the Balance

White Cat Hair on Black Pants: International Study Measures Stability of Precision Masses to Benefit Trade

Exactly how loud is that jackhammer?

Comparison of Future Realizations of the Kilogram - Final Report

Industry Impacts

Massive Forces for Heavy Industry

Projects and Programs

National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP)

Reconditioning of the 4.45 MN deadweight machine

Small Mass and Small Force Metrology at NIST

NIST Mise en Pratique of the New Kilogram Definition

Publications

Reduction of Calibration Comparison Uncertainty due to Mounting for 3-Axis Accelerometers using the Intrinsic Properties Model

CHARACTERIZATION OF LASER DOPPLER VIBROMETERS USING ACOUSTO-OPTIC MODULATORS

Error Quantification in Dynamic Applications of Weakly Nonlinear Transducers

Superconducting Contact Geometries for Next-Generation Quantized Hall Resistance Standards

Awards

2017 - Bronze Medal Award---Gordon A. Shaw, III

2016 - Allen V. Astin Measurement Science Award---Patrick Abbott, Eric Benck, Zeina Kubarych, Edward Mulhern, Corey Stambaugh, Leon Chao, David Newell, Stephan Schlamminger

2016 - Bronze Medal Award---Akobuije Chijioke

Contacts

Group Leader