An Assessment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Measurement and Standards Laboratories, Fiscal Year 1998 (1998) / Chapter Skim
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3 Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory
3 Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory
Pages 35-50
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Chapter 3 Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory
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by its Chair, Harry E Cook, this assessment of the fiscal year ~ 998 activities of the Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory is based on visits to the laboratory by individual members, a site visit by the pane!
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manufacturing by working with industry to develop and apply infrastructural technology, measurements and standards." The plan farther states that to accomplish this mission, the laboratory "conducts research on manufacturing infrastructural technologies; participates in the development of manufactur~ng-related standards by voluntary-standards committees; provides measurement services to manufacturing industries; provides manufacturing integration testbeds; and develops next-generation manufacturing metrology." In the panel's view, the projects within the MEL are supportive of its mission. However, the mission statements of each of the divisions and the mission statement of the MEL itself do not clearly convey the fact that the longer-term research done within the MEL is in direct support of its responsibilities for developing measurements and standards for new and emerging technologies.
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S CALS Industry Steering Group for using the newly emerging standard, and General Motors Corporation and its suppliers are now realizing the benefits of STEP through reductions in time-to-market and costs while gaining quality improvements related to better product definition.
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NIST-STRS, 26.61 27.30 excluding Competence Competence 1.37 1.76 ATE 2.01 2.20 Measurement Services 0.14 0.12 (SRM production) OA/NFG/CRADA 7.58 8.75 Other Reimbursable 4.10 3.55 Total 41.81 43.68 Staffing for the Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory currently includes 254 fi~-time permanent positions, of which 176 are for technical professionals.
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states that its mission is to provide the foundation of dimensional measurements that meets the needs of the U.S. industrial and scientific communities by conducting research in dimensional measurement, developing measurement methods, providing measurement services, and disseminating the resulting technology and lengthbased standards.3 This mission statement is specific and ties directly to the MEL mission as well as the LIST mission.
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One of the most far-reaching issues in dimensional metrology today is the use of uncertainty in reporting measurement results. The division has taken a leadership role in applying this to its calibration work and in helping to develop methods to apply uncertainty calculations in industrial measurement practices.
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There are also 12 nonpermanent and supplemental personnel, such as postdoctoral fellows and part-time workers. The overall quality of the staffis excellent and world class in many areas, particularly in work related to length standards, roughness, and bulk materials properties.
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Automated Production Technology Division Mission The Automated Production Technology Division (ATPD) states that its mission is to provide measurement services, standards development support, and reference data to advance the manufacturing science and technology base for U.S.
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Impact of Programs The impact of the APTD programs varies greatly within the various groups of the division. The division provides significant calibration services to a number of industrial customers, and a significant part of the division budget is derived from such services.
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NIST-STRS, 4.46 4.50 excluding Competence Competence 0.35 0.35 ATP 0.37 0.40 OA/NFG/CRADA 0.72 1.10 Other Reimbursable 1.19 0.90 Total 7.09 7.25 ATPD staffing currently includes 44 full-time permanent positions, of which 39 are for technical professionals. There are also seven nonpermanent and supplemental personnel, such as postdoctoral fellows and part-time workers.
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Most of the division's projects are addressing new and challenging issues worthy of NIST's involvement and fit well within the mission. Division activities seem restrained by the apparent necessity to relate to "standards and measurements," but the NIST, MEL, and ISD mission statements encompass technology as well.
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are presented below: Fiscal Year 1997 Fiscal Year 1998 (estimated) NIST-STRS, 6.1 1 6.20 excluding Competence ATP 0.39 0.50 OAtNFG/CRADA 1.56 2.10 Other Reimbursable 0.02 0.00 Total S.08 S.80 Staffing for the ISD currently includes 48 fi~-time permanent positions, of which 42 are for technical professionals.
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Both activities utilize state-of-the-art and cost-e~ective technologies to allow expeditious access to developed standards, application protocols, and standards development support via the World Wide Web. With these capabilities, industry users from any level can learn about and participate in the standards development process in a costeffective way.
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The division is aggressively pursuing various means to share its activities; these include active involvement in national and international standards activities, frequently in leadership roles, and conducting workshops using state-of-the-art and next-generation multimedia technologies. Evidence collected and analyzed by the division shows positive trends in the quantity of disseminated information that can help outside communities understand the division's products and services.
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Of particular concern are small mass and force measurement and ultrasonics calibration efforts. The high vibration, noise, and contamination levels in the building that houses the MEL seriously hamper the ability of the staff to meet the exacting demands of the new digital and communication technologies.
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