Presentation About NIST Traceability

[Jerry Eldred]

I almost never post a question, but thought this one worth a shot...

I need to prepare some light, non-technical training on NIST traceability. I understand it very well and can easily describe it. However, what will take a lot of time is putting together the Powerpoint (due to looking up all the pictures, etc.). What I am looking for is a Powerpoint (or set of web pages from which I can extract Powerpoint stuff) with pictures of primary standards, and some graphics to help non-technical people understand what calibration is all about.

My problem is that I tend to get a little nerdy (Uncertainty Ratio, theory of operation of a Josephson Junction, wavelength of cesium, etc..). Not to mention the number of hours I'll spend searching for all the photos and putting it all together.

If anyone knows of such a thing available legally for free (please don't post links where I would have to use something in violation of a copyright), please post the (LEGAL ONLY) link.

Or, if anyone has personally created such a presentation that they would be willing to share, please send me a private message through the forum and I'll email you back.

Or, any other thoughts. If there is just NOTHING out there, I wonder if it would be worthwhile for me to contact an appropriate person at NIST to suggest they put something together.

If I may briefly ramble.. I have long believed it is important to train our customers as to why calibration is important, why GOOD calibration is important (as compared to the cheap "lick-and-stick" calibrations done by some), how they benefit, what NIST traceability is, why it is important, etc. Basically taking requirements of ISO17025, Z540, and so forth, and explaining in laypersons terms what it means to them.

While I worked (for ten years) at a Fortune 100 electronics manufacturer - a very high quality company, I might add; I was amazed at how many engineers and other users thought calibration either messed up their measurements, or believed calibration was just a label to meet a quality document requirement.

Any thoughts, inputs or ideas appreciated.

Matter of fact, if no one has a finished product, please feel free to post (LEGAL ONLY) links for parts of it - such as pages at NIST or other international standards sites with photos of primary standards.

Thanks for any help, everyone.

Your Grateful Moderator,
-Jerry Eldred

 

[Marc]

I sent you a PM.

This is an old version of a core file I used to tailor for on-site training Measurement Systems.pdf

Will it help?

 

[Stijloor]

Here is some information from the NIST site. The Q&A's consist of simple text blocks that could be cut & pasted (that's fair use I believe), edited, and converted to (a) PowerPoint slide(s). Information straight from the "horse's mouth."

Further "googling" led me to these sites. Maybe there's something of use...

Worth a try?

Stijloor.

 

[Hershal]

Try this link.....it has links to drill down and there is a LOT of information there.....all publically available.....

http://www.nist.gov/traceability

Hope this helps.

 

[BradM]

I have always found Hart Scientific to provide fairly well-written documentation, and an earnest desire to help.

They had a couple of brochures that looked to be able to help you. I saw no stamps of copyright or anything. If you gave reference, they would probably be fine with it. Honestly, you can probably send them an e-mail, and they would offer you something:

http://www.hartscientific.com/publications/articles.htm


Ok, attached is a little PPT I put together for a presentation once. Maybe it will give you a few ideas. NOTE: Don't get the calculator out on the traceability tree. I know they are not the exact ratios, hence the idea of the laid-back, basic presentation.

 

[harry]

Attached is the NIST - Guage block handbook which I hope is useful.

 

[Wes Bucey]

Here is some information from the NIST site. The Q&A's consist of simple text blocks that could be cut & pasted (that's fair use I believe), edited, and converted to (a) PowerPoint slide(s). Information straight from the "horse's mouth."

Further "googling" led me to these sites. Maybe there's something of use...

Worth a try?

Stijloor.

For future reference: almost any U.S. government document which is released to the public is copyright free. This includes all the old military standards which have since been withdrawn in favor of copyrighted standards - partly for economic reasons because the government did not want to bear the expense of maintaining and updating standards and partly for political reasons because folk in other countries were disturbed at having to maintain themselves to a US standard rather than an "international" one.

 

[Stijloor]

For future reference: almost any U.S. government document which is released to the public is copyright free. This includes all the old military standards which have since been withdrawn in favor of copyrighted standards - partly for economic reasons because the government did not want to bear the expense of maintaining and updating standards and partly for political reasons because folk in other countries were disturbed at having to maintain themselves to a US standard rather than an "international" one.

Wes,

I assumed that was the case. I just wanted to make sure, hence my comment. I've been taken to the wood shed before...

Stijloor.

 

[Graeme]

Jerry,

I will check to see what I can share, but it may not be until Monday. In the meantime, I frequently refer people to NIST's traceability policy page (http://ts.nist.gov/traceability/) which has links to some important data. I also emphasize that
* measurement traceability is distinct from all other kinds of traceability;
* traceability is a property of a measurement result (from the VIM);
* a report, procedure, method, certificate, instrument or lab is not and cannot be traceable in the measurement sense;
* a NIST test number is not objective evidence of measurement traceability (the only thing it proves is that one can read the NIST catalog.)

Back to you later,

Graeme