Dear Reader,

Welcome to the fifth KCDB Newsletter.
  Example of the impact of the CIPM MRA to reduce technical barriers to trade, Dr I. Castelazo Sinencio, CENAM, Mexico
Latest news on participation in the CIPM MRA

Kazakhstan became an Associate of the CGPM on 14 September 2005.

Mr T. Momyshev, Vice Chairman of the Committee for Technical Regulation and Metrology of the Republic of Kazakhstan, signed the CIPM MRA on 6 January 2006, on behalf of the Kazakh Institute of Metrology RSE.

Consequently, the CIPM MRA has now been signed by representatives of 67 institutes from 45 Member States, 20 Associates of the CGPM, and two international organizations, and covers a further 113 institutes designated by the signatory or other appropriate official bodies as holders of specific national standards.

  Full list of signatories
A new page on the KCDB website

A new page has been made available on the KCDB website since 23 January 2006. It provides access to the KCDB Newsletters and gives some statistical information on the content of the KCDB.

KCDB Newsletter
In addition to access to the complete series of KCDB Newsletters, this page gives a link to the latest issue through an invariable absolute URL address (http://kcdb.bipm.org/kcdb_newsletter_lastest_issue.asp). Therefore, any reference made to the KCDB Newsletter in external websites is automatically updated. This change was made in response to a request from Boeing Commercial Group, and we hope it will be widely used by National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) and other bodies responsible for regulation, standardization or accreditation.

KCDB Statistics
This part of the new page gives answers to some frequently asked questions. It displays the number of key and supplementary comparisons in a dynamic way, so the information is always up-to-date. It also gives access to three .pdf files that include a date of validity: two of these are graphs illustrating the participation in key and supplementary comparisons (updated every six months), and the third is a table of the number of CMCs (by metrology area and by country) actually published in the KCDB (updated each time there is a modification).
Searching the KCDB

Searching for information on key and supplementary comparisons (KCDB Appendix B) is possible either through a direct search by comparison identifier or through a selection of items such as "Metrology area", "Branch", "Comparison type", etc.

The KCDB Appendix B search facility: access to information on key and supplementary comparisons.

The visitors to the Appendix B website are mainly people from the NMIs. They are used to the search engine as well as to the nomenclature of key and supplementary comparisons, and we have not heard of any difficulties concerning the search facility.

Searching for Calibration and Measurement Capabilities (CMCs) may be perceived as more difficult: one has first to select a metrology area, and then items formatted as in the Classification of Services drawn up for this metrology area. It follows that these items may be instruments, such as in Dimensional Metrology, or quantities, such as in Electricity and Magnetism. It can be confusing and lead the visitor to simply download one or another .pdf file among those proposed.

To overcome this difficulty, and also to increase the visibility of the BIPM web applications, a group composed of three BIPM staff, the Webmaster, the IT Manager and the KCDB Coordinator, has studied the advantages of implementing a search facility able to interpret a text-based inquiry, on the main BIPM website and on the KCDB website. Several such search engines, all commercially available, were compared, and the BIPM has now purchased such software. This is now being implemented on the prototype Appendix C, and it appears that the direct access to information is greatly facilitated. For example, it makes it possible to find all CMCs containing a given word, and then refine via options proposed in a dynamic way (geographical location, NMIs, Chemical components, fields of physics, etc.). We hope this new search facility will be launched publicly before the end of 2006.




For instance, searching for:

SRM 1633b

on the KCDB website returns information that all belongs to the Appendix C, Chemistry, namely 23 CMCs based on SRM 1633b:

-all declared by United States,

-corresponding to two different matrices and a number of different analytes.

Examples of categorization axes provided by the new BIPM search facility (prototype version).
The user enters a series of words. The search engine returns the information in the centre of the screen (not shown here) and generates dynamically the search axes on the left of the screen (shown here in the case of the entry "SRM 1633b". These can then be used to refine the search. For instance: clicking on "nickel" would retrieve the single CMC based on SRM 1633b corresponding to the measurement of nickel. This CMC is declared by NIST (United States).
Visiting the KCDB website

The number of monthly external connections to the KCDB website was of order 11 100 over the first months of 2006, against 8 600 visits in March 2005.

The total number of visits per month to Appendix B has remained stable since April 2005 at about 2 300 visits. As already noticed, the Appendix B is basically made "by the NMIs for the NMIs", and it seems that we have now attracted this public.

The number of visits to Appendix C has continuously increased since the beginning of the KCDB. It is, however, very difficult to identify who are the visitors, a proportion of more than 70 % coming from web providers.
Content of Appendix B on key and supplementary comparisons

Appendix B of the KCDB covered 679 key and supplementary comparisons conducted under the auspices of the CIPM and the Regional Metrology Organizations (RMOs) on 29 May 2006. These include 542 key comparisons. On average, one new key comparison has been registered each week over the last year. About 45 % of the registered key comparisons have results already published in the Appendix B of the KCDB.

Distribution of the number of key comparisons registered in the Appendix B of the KCDB according to the conducting bodies (CC stands for Consultative Committees) on 29 May 2006.

A number of key comparison results are regularly updated. These mainly concern the ongoing BIPM key comparisons in electricity (Josephson standards at 10 V) and on radionuclide activity conducted within the framework of the International System of Reference (SIR). These updates correspond to new bilateral comparisons that are regularly carried out between the BIPM and various NMIs. In addition, new data concerning the computation of Coordinated Universal Time, UTC (key comparison CCTF-K2001.UTC), are published every month. We have also registered a new BIPM key comparison, BIPM.QM-K1 (ozone at ambient level), as a follow-up of Pilot Study CCQM-P28.

The results of 38 RMO key comparisons (16 conducted by APMP and 22 by EUROMET) are linked to those of the corresponding CC key comparisons; the full sets of degrees of equivalence are generally published in the KCDB.
Linkage has also been carried out for 17 CC key comparisons, among which 11 are key comparisons of radionuclide activity conducted under the auspices of Section II of the CCRI, and linked to the corresponding ongoing BIPM SIR key comparisons. The six others are bilateral key comparisons subsequent to full-scale CC key comparisons; their results are added on the appropriate graphs of equivalence.

The measurand defined for one given key comparison may often take several nominal values and the parameters involved (temperature, frequency, etc.) may also be varied, with the consequence that one key comparison result generally comprises several matrices and graphs of equivalence; for example, a set of 43 matrices and 43 graphs for key comparison CCT-K1 published on 21 March 2006. It follows that the KCDB Appendix B currently displays about 680 graphs showing equivalence between standards or capabilities of institutes participating in the CIPM MRA.

The entry of results in the KCDB Appendix B is an intensive and continuous effort. When a new approved report is received at the KCDB Office, it is placed in the queue for publication. On average, six new reports are in the queue at any one time, leading to delays of publication that may reach several weeks. This is a new phenomenon, arising from the growing amount of data, especially updates of ongoing comparisons.

  Latest KC results published
Content of Appendix C on Calibration and Measurement Capabilities (CMCs)

On 24 May 2006, a total of 18 306 CMCs were published in Appendix C of the KCDB:
      -11 553 in General Physics;
      -3 194 in Ionizing Radiation; and
      -3 559 in Chemistry.
The detailed distribution of the number of CMCs published by metrology area and by country is given here.

Following the decision of the JCRB at its 14th meeting, held in Minsk in May 2005, CMCs that were not covered by an approved Quality System were deleted from the KCDB in July 2005. This procedure applied to 723 CMCs (79 from APMP, none from COOMET, five from EUROMET, 94 from SADCMET, and 545 from SIM) covering several different fields of metrology.

In October 2005, SADCMET approved the Quality System covering the CMCs that had been deleted, and these were immediately re-inserted in the Appendix C database. In April 2006, SIM reported at the 16th JCRB meeting that some 119 CMCs were now covered by an approved Quality System. These were re-instated in Appendix C in May 2006.

Deletion and re-instatement of CMCs in Appendix C between July 2005 and May 2006 following approval of appropriate Quality Systems, indicated as the ratio of the number of CMCs re-instated (in bold) / number of CMCs deleted.
Countries for which CMCs were deleted in July 2005, but none re-instated by May 2006 are not show in the table.

  Latest CMCs published

In addition to publication of newly approved data, we undertake a daily update to respond to small corrections (mainly editorial, including change of laboratory names), minor changes (increase of uncertainty values, reduction of the measurement ranges, etc.), and deletion of some CMCs (services that are no longer offered to clients).
Metrology subject areas
Acoustics, Ultrasound and Vibration (AUV)
Electricity and Magnetism (EM)
Length (L)
Mass and related quantities (M)
Photometry and Radiometry (PR)		 Amount of Substance (QM)
Ionizing Radiation (RI)
Thermometry (T)
Time and Frequency (TF)
Feedback from the 16th JCRB meeting

During the last JCRB meeting (held in Berlin on April 20-21, 2006) the committee forwarded a recommendation to the CIPM for the adoption of guidelines for the use of the CIPM MRA Logo. Upon final approval by the CIPM, this Logo (which appears here at the margin) will be available for voluntary inclusion in calibration and measurement certificates of NMIs participating in the CIPM MRA.

The Logo is intended to alert the metrology and accreditation communities to the fact that the results contained in the certificate are accepted worldwide by all signatories of the CIPM MRA. It is expected that the Logo and guidelines for its use will be available towards the end of the summer at which time NMI directors will be notified.

In the same meeting, the JCRB reasserted the need for reference material listed as a calibration measurement capabilities (CMCs) in the Appendix C of the CIPM MRA to be supported by a quality system compliant with the ISO Guide 34. The RMOs agreed to submit lists of CMCs which do not meet these criteria by the end of the summer. Non-compliant CMCs shall then be removed from the Appendix C prior to the next JCRB meeting in October 2006. This action only affects reference materials in the area of Chemical Metrology.

The matter of the redefinition of the terms CMC and BMC has now been forwarded to a small task group composed of representatives from the CIPM, RMOs, ILAC, and the RABs (Regional Accreditation Bodies), who have been tasked with arriving at a new common definition that both the accreditation and metrology communities can embraced. The task group will be chaired by the Secretary of the CIPM, Robert Kaarls, and it is expected that its recommendations will be available during the fall of 2006.

(Reported by Dr P. Espina, JCRB Executive Secretary)
Joint statements by BIPM/ILAC/OIML

Common statement and declaration by the BIPM, OIML and ILAC on the relevance of various international agreements on metrology to trade, legislation and standardization (dated 23 January 2006)

 The aim of this statement is to draw attention to the various Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) for which these bodies are responsible and to show how they support each other. The three bodies strongly urge relevant users, which include governments, trade bodies and international or intergovernmental organizations, to promote and use these MRAs in support of their own work. Click here for more details.

Joint statement by the CIPM and ILAC on the roles and responsibilities of national metrology institutes and national recognized accreditation bodies (dated 9 November 2005)

 This addresses the need for NMIs to collaborate closely with National Accreditation Bodies (NABs) so as to improve the effectiveness of national and international measurement frameworks. NMIs, NABs and Governments are invited to consider this document and to apply the principles to their own activities. Click here for more details.
World Metrology Day 2006 and the 8th edition of the SI Brochure

The 8th edition of the SI Brochure was published on 20 May 2006, World Metrology Day 2006. The brochure is available on the BIPM website and is also being made available to the metrology community, world-wide.

For the first time, the main brochure is complemented by a short, easy reference, four-page summary, also downloadable from the BIPM website. This Concise Summary of the SI Brochure outlines the key elements of the SI and will, we hope, be used by NMIs and the world-wide metrology community to promote the SI to all users. Both documents are available in French and English. In addition, a "credit card size" version, known as the "micro-Brochure" is available in English.
Future meetings

 20th EUROMET General Assembly
 was held in Vienna, Austria, 31 May to 2 June 2006

Conference on Precision Electromagnetic Measurements, CPEM'06
 to be held in Turin, Italy, 10 to 14 July 2006

16th COOMET Committee meeting
 to be held in Braunschweig, Germany, 4 and 5 September 2006

12th SIM General Assembly
 to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 15 and 16 September 2006

 Meetings related to the CCAUV, and the CCAUV plenary session
 to be held at the BIPM, 25 to 27 September 2006

 17th meeting of the JCRB
 to be held at the BIPM, 6 October 2006

 Meeting of the Directors of National Metrology Institutes
 to be held at the BIPM, 9 and 10 October 2006

 Meeting of Working Group 1 (Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement, GUM) of the Joint Committee for Guides in Metrology (JCGM)
 to be held at the BIPM, 24 to 27 October 2006

Meeting of the Joint Committee for Guides in Metrology (JCGM)
 to be held at the BIPM, 3 November 2006

 Meeting of the CCRI RMO Working Group
 to be held at the BIPM, 20 and 21 November 2006

 Meeting of the JCTLM Executive Committee
 to be held at the BIPM, 30 November to 5 December 2006

 22nd APMP General Assembly
 to be held in New Delhi, India, 13 to 16 December 2006