Course Descriptions: Advanced Mass Seminar

Purpose

The 9 day, hands-on mass calibration seminar focuses on the comprehension and application of the advanced mass dissemination procedures, the nist-equations, and associated calculations. It includes the operation of the laboratory equipment, review of documentary references, reference standards, specifications, and tolerances relevant to the measurements. Training covers mass calibration documentation published in NISTIR 6969, NISTIR 5672, NIST Technical Note 952, and NIST/SEMATECH e-Handbook of Statistical Methods, http://www.itl.nist.gov/div898/handbook/, (11/16/2017). for the calibration of precision mass standards to OIML R111 and ASTM E617 weight classes. This seminar incorporates approximately 50 percent lectures with topic-related discussion and 50 percent laboratory work in which the participant performs measurements by selecting and applying correct procedures, nist-equations, and calculations discussed in the classroom. The participant will evaluate measurement assurance and uncertainty data, complete data analysis using software, and produce a certificate of calibration compliant with ISO/IEC 17025 requirements.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the Advanced Mass Seminar the participant will:

• USE critical thinking skills to analyze: measurement requirements and measurement results for traceability, measurement assurance, uncertainty, compliance to related specifications, and reporting of calibration results – both before and during the seminar.
• IMPLEMENT NISTIR 5672 and appropriate supporting documentation in the seminar exercises and later in your laboratory, and to PERFORM advance mass weighing designs, with supporting evidence of metrological traceability, measurement assurance and uncertainties.
• CREATE a data set using advanced weighing designs and GENERATE an ISO/IEC 17025 compliant calibration certificate using the data output from the NIST Mass Code or alternative software.

Materials & Supplies:

Notebooks and reference materials will be provided in the course and include a complete set of Reference Publications and software that will be used in the course.

Prerequisite(s):

Participants must have successfully completed the newly redesigned (2 week) Mass Course or the older Mass Seminar AND Intermediate Seminar. State laboratory participants must have successfully completed all required Laboratory Auditing Program problems. All participants should have evidence of successfully completing mass proficiency testing (at a level higher than Class F, or OIML M, or ASTM 4, 5, 6, or 7 class weights).

Pre-Work:

Complete a laboratory internal audit, assessing your laboratory compliance to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for each of the following topics, related to advanced mass and use of weighing designs, and provide tables/data as requested in this list. Read NISTIR 5672, SOP 5, and SOP 28 prior to completing this assessment. Your internal audit may identify Action Items and either your own laboratory form and log may be used to document the action items or you may use the one attached to the pre-work. Submit objective evidence to support this assessment.

• Provide a high level overview of the laboratory goals upon completion of this course;
• Personnel, Staff Training (6.2): Describe the staff training, education/experience related to mass calibrations;
• Facility, Accommodations (6.3): Describe the environmental controls in the laboratory that will enable compliance to Echelon I limits as described in NISTIR 5672, SOP 5 and SOP 28, also describe the area where standards (internal and incoming) will be stored;
• Equipment (6.4): Provide an inventory of the balances that will be used to perform advanced weighing designs and include the current standard deviation of the measurement process that designate the procedures currently in use (See NISTIR 5672);
• Standards, Calibration Program, and Traceability (6.5, Annex A): Provide a current and proposed traceability hierarchy/inventory of standards and their calibration dates, calibration sources, and describe if changes are in process (See also GMP 11 and GMP 13 from NISTIR 6969);
• Procedures (7.2): Describe the mass calibration and uncertainty calculation and reporting procedures in current use in the laboratory;
• Care and Handling of Standards and Items Submitted for Calibration (7.4): Describe the process by which standards are accepted for calibration as well as current practices for cleaning, stabilization, and equilibration;
• Uncertainty (7.6): Provide a summary of mass calibration uncertainties for the laboratory that include a description of each component that is currently incorporated as well as an uncertainty budget table and current Scope of recognition or Accreditation (See SOP 29 from NISTIR 6969 as well);
• Measurement Assurance (7.7): Describe the current control charts and assessments that are in place in the laboratory for mass measurements and describe the proficiency tests that you have completed for precision mass calibrations (See NISTIR 6969, SOP 9 and SOP 30); and
• Calibration Certificates (7.8): If your laboratory has already been working at this level, assess the calibration certificates issued for calibrations done at this level against the criteria in section 7.8 of 17025:2017 (See also SOP 1, NISTIR 6969 for a checklist). If your laboratory is not working at the Echelon I or weighing design level, assess a mass calibration certificate at the highest level of mass calibrations that is on your Scope.

Note: some of the tables and analysis may be combined in a spreadsheet, as long as suitable identification, document control, and references are made in the summary write-up. This material will be reviewed and used during the seminar to identify proposed action items in each participant's laboratory.

Minimum Requirement(s):

To receive a Training Certificate for this course, successful completion requires participants to submit course Pre-work, actively participate in the entire course (e.g., take notes, engage in discussions, ask questions), complete all classroom, homework, and application exercise assignments, and submit calibration certificates as evidence of completion of all application exercises conducted during the hands-on portion of class exercises (guidance is provided in the course) and submit an Action Plan that can be used to implement or refine the advanced mass measurement processes in the participant's laboratory.

Audience:

Metrologists with responsibilities for precision mass calibrations.

Technology Requirement(s):

Participant must bring a laptop with Microsoft Excel and Word software for analysis of data, hands-on case studies, and preparation of calibration certificates and be familiar with the use of these programs. Participant must be able to use a USB memory stick for transferring files that will be printed/reviewed during the course. Specific instructions will be provided to the student in the confirmation letter regarding additional laptop/tablet requirements. A scientific calculator may be useful, but is not required.

Related Project(s):

NIST OWM has a number of other training opportunities scheduled. For more information:

• OWM training schedule
• OWM Lab Metrology Group Training page
• Request training using the Weights and Measures Contact Management System