Metrological Tools for the Reference Materials and Reference Instruments of the NIST Material Measurement Laboratory

Abstract

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), formerly the National Bureau of Standards, was established by the U.S. Congress in 1901 and charged with establishing a measurement foundation to facilitate U.S. and international commerce. NIST provides reference materials and reference instruments that are used to ensure the accuracy, metrological traceability, and comparability of measurement results in many diverse fields of science, industry, and technology. Responding to the recent emphasis on quality system documentation for facilitating trade and effective decision-making, this document provides and explains the vocabulary used at NIST to define and describe the reference materials and reference instruments available to our customers as well as documenting the methods used in developing these materials. The definitions and descriptions provided supersede those used in the original version of this publication, NIST SP260 136