Show Highlights: Measurement Science Conference

Engineers attended two days of technical sessions, including this one on calibrating data-acquisition systems. Courtesy of Measurement Science Conference.

Jon V. Slaughterback, CEO of R.W. Lyall & Co., gave Thursday's keynote address. He used measurement terms to describe effective management styles. For example. Slaughterback used terms such as accuracy, linearity, and repeatability to show how to calibrate a system of leadership. He said that accuracy relates to setting clear objectives, while resolution relates to setting attainable goals.

Following the keynote, MSC president Muhamed Samman presented the 2005 Woodington award to Chet Crain. The award goes to the person who most demonstrates professionalism in metrology and measurement science.

Technical sessions began after the award presentation. In one session, consultant David Braudaway explained to engineers about the difficulties in calibrating data-acquisition systems that contain PC plug-in cards. Although data-acquisition cards have been in existence for more than 20 years, they're relatively new to calibration labs. "The data-acquisition card is a mindless beast," Braudaway told his audience, "because it is a simple device" compared to stand-alone instruments. Thus, the cards contain uncertainties that can't be quantified, he explained.

In a session on electrical and RF calibration, Fluke's Paul Roberts explained the techniques of calibrating swept-spectrum analyzers. Manufacturers may require as many as 80 measurements in a calibration, with about 20 being common to all. They include frequency response, amplitude linearity, dynamic range, and filter bandwidths and shape.

On Friday morning, conference attendees attended a session on MSC's 35-year history. The inaugural conference was held in 1970 at California Polytechnic Institute as a way to teach measurement science in California for those unable to travel to other, similar conferences. The first conference drew 300 attendees, which indicated a need to continue in later years. MSC now draws about 1000 engineers and metrologists.

The exhibition hall was the largest ever seen at MSC. Besides equipment makers showing their wares, the floor held a "museum" of old test equipment, including a 1965 DC Guildline potentiometer, an 1898 Weston AC ammeter, a 1927 watt-hour meter of unknown manufacture, a 1928 Westinghouse phase meter, a 1972 Hewlett-Packard calibrator, a 1972 Fluke calibrator, and a Tektronix RM31A oscilloscope (no date given).

Exhibitors included Ametek (www.ametek.com), which demonstrated its dry block and liquid temperature calibrators. Fluke and its Hart Scientific subsidiary (www.fluke.com, www.hartscientific.com) demonstrated multifunction calibrators, temperature calibrators and meters, probes, and metrology software. Several other companies also demonstrated software for calibration, asset management, and data analysis, including Edison ESI (www.edisonmudcats.com), Northrop Grumman (www.surecal.com), Integrated Sciences Group (www.isgmax.com), MRO Software (www.mro.com), and AssetSmart (www.assetsmart.com).

IET Labs (www.ietlabs.com) exhibited resistance decade boxes, standards, and meters, as did Alpha Electronics (www.alpha-amer.com). Isotech (www.isotechna.com) exhibited temperature calibrators and thermometers. Measurements International (www.mintl.com) displayed resistance standards and bridges for calibrating standard precision resistance thermometer (SPRT) probes, while Pond Engineering (www.pondengineering.com) displayed its temperature standards.

Andeen-Hagerling (www.andeen-hagerling.com) displayed its capacitance meters. Symmetricom (www.symmetricom.com) exhibited time and frequency standards. In the Veriteq (www.veriteq.com) booth, temperature loggers were on display, while Yokogawa (www.us.yokogawa.com) displayed a power meter and several oscilloscopes.