Vol.99. The New'leter of the Meastremont Quality Diision, American Sct Ni verep orien Edter’s Column Qualiy Springl999. A Message From the Conreren Mewralogist ‘ Meragarsent Cornae The Learning Curve. NVLAP Notes ai NISTNON cnworce-n I ur Changing Concop- sions of Intetigence 16 Non Prat Organiraion Formed for Metrloay ney Testing =... 20 Iwo Smoots Wide by Fout Dudays Hia 2 How Many Categores: the Seale? Materials Mate port ol ar Indust CConsutation on Pirites forte Ux 25 aMEC s3 D M0 Counct Minutes - 29 Mombarstin Repor 37 M0 Officers 3% Fagional Counclors 2 : Chair... The More Things Change... The More There Is To Measure Perhaps no profession simultaneously em: braces tradition and change quite like meirol ‘ogy, This paradox is the thing that {ntrigues mie mast about aur profession The best starr dard is the old, stable standard with a long, Fich history, At the Sime time, We all get ex cited about new measurement mtethodis and equipment that afer more accuracy and effi- ciency The best metrology organizations ak ways seem 10 lave an effective mix of experienced old hands and creative young unds.A tour of any metrology laboratory will, proudly feature its best new measurement capabilities right along side it's oldest and most stable standards. Now, as we all conten plate the new millenaium, we cealize that the more things change, the faster they will change, and the harder it will be to develop. and maintain the standards needed for com- pliance and continual improvemeat, Moge than anything else, ibis competition that forces change. If WE bulid it success fully, THEY will come. ideas and technology While new technology helps us develop information and commu nicate faster it alsa alerts the competition, fueling the rate of change. As the changes accelerate, our experience hase grows geo ‘metrically, and itgets harder to interpret and apply 10 the rapidly changing requirements Operiuons become more complex and dy- amie, forcing us to find and fix problems more rapidly, and apply our experiences Continued on paged Honing Your Long-term Vision Check out the MQD website at: www metrology.org by Frank Voeh! “Plare gle scurk, work the plan, then re blew the work rather that the plan. les simple enough However i requires willingness (0 go about the planning process in an integrated fasbion..10 ‘translate the strategic plan into sborter erm specific action plans oF projects” —Knut Brundtland, Robin Hood Muttifoods A few years ago, we were told by some best selling authors that what makes for success in business, industry, and academia is “a pas: sion for excellence,’ and they had the case studies to prove it, Now we are cold, by the same experts that there are no consistently exeelicn! organizations. Times and circum: stances have changed, and what is needed now is the ability to“thrive on chaos” Now this really makes me feel right at frome and certainly sounds like a lot snore fun.Aftet all, nobody really knows what it takes €0 be ‘excellent, but thriving on chaos takes real ‘management skill Nextto Napolean,one of the greatest stest- gists of alltime was Will Rogers, Comment- Continned on page 7 Measurement Quality Division Council Meeting “The next MQD Council mecting is sched: tled dusing the Annual Quality Congress ‘in May, 1999. The tme and place will be announced lace.Page 2 woww.matrology.org Publication Staff Executive Editor Devioyn 8, Shar, PE. 236 Marlene Ot San Luis Dtispo, cA $308 Tan BOB) TaN Fas B08] 788-0714 En OhhapOratekoey Associate Editor Europe and Asia ‘ohn {Good Devon Lg Tel aa 1385739659 Foc a4 138378 Esai jeDytic ac Associate Eaitor US. ane Canes Fai Yoshi St Lace res, Gocanat Cre, FL. 82068 tae 9b. 9780648 small: Fhiol com Advertising Manager ‘itn On 0724 Tenerwagen Cirle E The Weodlands, 1£77360 Hore 12811 87 StA8( 7 fh fonierrert foc 261) 87-6801 Publications Chair ‘L, Madeoa! Brgham Young Unversity aurea Prova, UT ego (eon) Sreet tex en) a7asr2 Email madignl@>r0 oe The STANDARD Spring 1999 The STANDARD The Journal of the Measurement Quality Division Advertising Submit your diaft copy to Bilt Dixon, the Advertising Manages, with a request for a ‘quotation. Indicate size desired. Specity whether you will provide camers-ccady copy oF desire that we produce final copy. 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Berating is, not appropriate. ifthe content is more than 200 words, we may delete portions to hold that limit, We reserve the right co edit let- ters and papers. Information for Authors ‘The STANDARD publishes papers on the quality of measurements and the measur ment of quality at aff levels eaaging from relatively simple tutoria) macerial to cutting edge or state of the art exposition. We particularly encourage thoughtful pa- pers from engincers, users, regularors, all levels of management,and others. The STAN- DAKD welcomes controversy and reasoned polemic, but does not permit ranting and raving, Papers published in The STANDARD are not refereed in the usual sense, except (0 ascertain that facts are correctly stated and ro assure that opinion and fact are clearly distinguished one from another. 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Al igh is reserved.Sprig 1999 The STANDARD The Editor's Column Notes from Sharp ... “Each of the ‘Woedington Awards has been to a person who did epitomize the level of profes- sionalism we so admired in Andy Woodington.” fn the Last issue, 1 wrote about the M ment Science Conference in this space. tried. to make two points tn that column, One was that the Measurement Science Goaference became much bigger than any of us ex pected —because of the dedication and hard ‘work of some pretty wondecful people. That kind of dedication and hard work needs to be recognized occasionally:Thisis my attempt to do just thaw I that cartier column, 1 referred 10 his. tory of the first yeats of MSG, ony frien Phil Painchaud had written. One af the confer ences thatt history deale wlth was the 1978 MSC at Kellogg West on the Cal Poly Pomona ‘campus—that particular conference stands ‘out in my memory for two very different rea- sons. ‘That was the year | was the Executive Di rector (now called President) of tie Measure ment Science Conference. fe wasalso the year ‘we lost Andy Woodington. It has been more than twenty years, but thinking about that event still gets me choked up. Andy was more than a very old and dear friend, he was my right hand that yeas Pr sure the conference would have been a disaster had it not been for the work that Andy Cand Phil Hainchaud) did to help me, but that is another story. ‘As those of you who've bea around that Jong know, Andy Woodingion was tragically kuilled just hefore the 1978 conference opened. In ouragony at the loss, we decided to offer a prize in his memory. Ir was to be called the “Andrew J. Woodington Award for Profession- alism in Metrology" Irs still presented each year at the Measurement Science Conference ‘and that fact makes me proud. Since 1 wrote ‘the original citation for the award, don’t think it would be appropriate to quote it here, how- ever a couple of key points should be made about our decision. We agreed: + ‘That the Woodington Award should be bestowed each year threceafter, 10 an in- dividual who had at some previous time, distinguished himself within che meteot- ‘ogy community asa true professional just as Andy Woodingion had exempiitiew hijmaselfas a true professional throughout his career. Page 3 + That this honor was not to be bestowed simply for technical excellence, oF for administrative or political prowess, or for scholarly achievement; although these atteibuces might be considered in cifferentiating berween candidates co sidered to be of similar professional scat ures—in amy event it was dafinitely nat to he a poputarity award, Dany of the men and women who have won that award in ensuing years have certainly epitomized technical excellence administra Lye skills, or scholarly achievements,but Tm proud 10 say the tridition we started back then has been faithfully followed. Each of the ‘Woodington Awards has been to a person ‘who did, in fact, epitomize the ievel of pro- fessionalism we 59 admired in Andy Woodington. According £0 my count i€ has been presented 19 tines (to a coral of 20 people) and although you won's recognize all of the names—many certainly aren't ex- actly household names—they are all truc professionals in the very best sense of that word On a personat aote,} was sitting across te table aclunch from Bob Couture in 1992 and I'll never forget the look of shock on his face when he realized it was him they were talking about during the introduction, Twill also never forget the wetness I detected in hhis eyes that day. Then, in 1996, f had the wonderful pleasure of nominating and see ing my good friend Phil Painchaud receive the award. Ic was well deserved, but those are just ta aumes from a most illustrious list who truly represent the professionalism in metrology that were the hallmark of Andy Woodington's career. Thank you, Andy! We tll miss you. Jn talking abourthe Measurement Science Conference committee in my earlier column said“ they don't have to doit. Nobody tells them it is necessary. They just think they are doing something important for their profes- sion and the science of metrologysan I, for ‘one, am damn proud of having been associ sted with them” That's another side to this “professionalism thing ve Deen talking, about The teve professional sees what needs doing and gocs ahead and does it whether (oF no he oF she is “paid” to do it, Ie is what sets the professional apart from the ordinary Gontinued on page 4