Report of the 60Th National Conference on Weights and Measures 1975 NATIONAL BUREAU of STANDARDS
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[mi NBS PubU - cations NBS SPECIAL PUBLICATION 442 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE/National Bureau of Standards Report of the 60th National Conference on Weights and Measures 1975 NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS The National Bureau of Standards' was established by an act of Congress March 3, 1901. The Bureau's overall goal is to strengthen and advance the Nation's science and technology and facilitate their effective application for public benefit. To this end, the Bureau conducts research and provides: (1) a basis for the Nation's physical measurement system, (2) scientific and technological services for industry and government, (3) a technical basis for equity in trade, and (4) technical services to promote public safety. The Bureau consists of the Institute for Basic Standards, the Institute for Materials Research, the Institute for Applied Technology, the Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology, and the Office for Information Programs. THE INSTITUTE FOR BASIC STANDARDS provides the central basis within the United States of a complete and consistent system of physical measurement; coordinates tljat system with measurement systems of other nations; and furnishes essential services leading to accurate and uniform physical measurements throughout the Nation's scientific community, industry, and commerce. The Institute consists of the Office of Measurement Services, the Office of Radiation Measurement and the following Center and divisions: Applied Mathematics — Electricity — Mechanics — Heat — Optical Physics — Center for Radiation Research: Nuclear Sciences; Applied Radiation — Laboratory Astrophysics^ - ' — Cryogenics — Electromagnetics — Time and Frequency ". THE INSTITUTE FOR MATERIALS RESEARCH conducts materials research leading to improved methods of measurement, standards, and data on the properties of well-characterized materials needed by industry, commerce, educational institutions, and Government; provides advisory and research services to other Government agencies; and develops, produces, and distributes standard reference materials. The Institute consists of the Office of Standard Reference Materials, the Office of Air and Water Measurement, and the following divisions: Analytical Chemistry — Polymers — Metallurgy — Inorganic Materials — Reactor Radiation — Physical Chemistry. THE INSTITUTE FOR APPLIED TECHNOLOGY provides technical services to promote the use of available technology and to facilitate technological innovation in industry and Government; cooperates with public and private organizations leading to the development of technological standards (including mandatory safety standards), codes and methods of test; and provides technical advice and services to Government agencies upon request. The Insti- tute consists of the following divisions and Centers: Standards Application and Analysis — Electronic Technology — Center for Consumer Product Technology: Product Systems Analysis; Product Engineering — Center for Building Technology: Structures, Materials, and Life Safety; Building Environment; Technical Evalua- tion and Application — Center for Fire Research: Fire Science; Fire Safety Engineering. THE INSTITUTE FOR COMPUTER SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY conducts research and provides technical services designed to aid Government agencies in improving cost effec- tiveness in the conduct of their programs through the selection, acquisition, and effective utilization of automatic data processing equipment; and serves as the principal focus within the executive branch for the development of Federal standards for automatic data processing equipment, techniques, and computer languages. The Institute consists of the following divisions: Computer Services — Systems and Software — Computer' System's Engineering — Informa- tion Technology. THE OFFICE FOR INFORMATION PROGRAMS promotes optimum dissemination and accessibility of scientific information generated within NBS and other agencies of the Federal Government; promotes the development of the National Standard Reference Data System and a system of information analysis centers dealing with the broader aspects of the National Measurement System; provides appropriate services to ensure that the NBS staff has optimum accessibility to the scientific information of the world. The Office consists of the following organizational units: Office of Standard Reference Data — Office of Information Activities — Office of Technical Publications — Library — Office of International Relations — OflSce of International Standards. 1 Headquarters and Laboratories at Gaithersburg, Maryland, unless otherwise noted; mailing address Washington, D.C. 20234. = Located at Boulder. Colorado 80302. OF STANDARM Report of the "^^^ ^ 1976 60th National Conference on Weights and Measures 1975 Sponsored by the National Bureau of Standards Attended by Officials from the Various States, Counties, and Cities, and Representatives from U.S. Government, Industry, and Consumer Organizations San Diego, California, July 13-18, 1975 Report Editor: Sandra J. Edgerly " c„^ United States Department of Commerce ; Elliot L. Richardson, Secretary ^ J j>^^ S National Bureau of Standards of "I "'t.u Ernest Ambler, Acting Director Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Spec. Publ. 442, 272 pages (May 1976) Issued (May 1976) For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 (Order by SD Catalog No. €13.10:442). Price $3.30 (Add 25 percent additional for other than U.S. mailing). r Abstract This is a report of the proceedings (edited) of the Sixtieth National Conference on Weights and Measures, sponsored by the National Bureau of Standards, held in San Diego, California, July 13-18, 1975, and attended by state, county, and city weights and measures officials, the Federal Government, business, industry, and consumer organizations. Key words : Calibration ; communication ; consumers grain moisture meas- ; urement : laws and regulations: measurement; metric; packaging and labeling police radar equipment ; standards supermarket automation weights and ; ; measures. Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 26-27766 CONTENTS (Note: The reports of the standing, special, and annual committees and the treasurer's report, which were presented on Wednesday and Thursday, have been arranged together, beginning on page 165 for easier reference.) Page Officers of the Conference VI Standing Committees VI Special Committee VII Annual Committees VII Open Committee Meetings, Monday, July 14, 1975 VIII MORNING SESSION—TUESDAY, JULY 15, 1975 Guarding Measurement Integrity, by Sydney D. Andrews, Conference Chairman, Director, Division of Standards, Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, State of Florida 1 Preparing for a Metric America, by Dr. F. Karl Willenbrock, Director, Institute for Applied Technology, National Bureau of Standards 6 Presentation of Honor Awards 13 Petroleum—Engineering, Measurement, Marketing, by Dr. Joseph Byrne, Vice President, Marketing, Union Oil Company of California 14 Why Not Unshackle Measurement Standards, by L. T. Wallace, Director, Department of Food and Agriculture, State of California 25 AFTERNOON SESSION—TUESDAY, JULY 15, 1975 Intergovernmental Communication Mechanisms, by Ralph J. Barra, for Programs, National Bureau of Standards , 29 Intergovernmental Relations Officer, Office of the Associate Director The State of California Measurement System, by Steve Kozich, President, Quality Audit Company 36 Calibration of Police Radar Instruments, by David W. Allan, Frequency and Time Standards Section, Time and Frequency Division, Institute for Basic Standards, National Bureau of Standards 42 Grain Moisture Measurements and the Weights and Measures Com- munity, by Frank E. Jones, Humidity Section, Heat Division, Institute for Basic Standards, National Bureau of Standards, and Dr. Carroll S. Brickenkamp, Office of Weights and Measures, Institute for Applied Technology, National Bureau of Standards 52 Impact of Electronics in Weighing, by John J. Elengo, Jr., Director of Engineering, Revere Corporation of America 59 TUESDAY EVENING^JULY 15, 1975 Reception by Associate Membership 66 MORNING SESSION—WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1975 Weights and Measures and the Consumer, by Maynard H. Becker, Direc- tor, Department of Weights and Measures. Los Angeles County. Cailifomia 67 in Page Representing the Consumer Interest in Weights and Measures Law Enforcement, by Helen E. Nelson, Director, Center for Consumer Affairs, University of AVisconsin-Extension 74 Supermarket Automation—UPC and the Computerized Checkout Counter, by Thomas K. Zaucha, Director of Public Affairs, National Association of Food Chains 83 Maintaining an Economic Balance During Inflationary Times, by Kendrick J. Simila, Administrator. Weights and Measures Division, Department of Agriculture, State of Oregon 104 Overview of Consumer Issues, by Charles A. Barrett, Chief Deputy Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California 115 AFTERNOON SESSION—WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1975 No General Session Was Scheduled MORNING SESSION—THURSDAY, JULY 17, 1975 The Perfect Formula and PMTD, by Allen J. Farrar, Legal Adviser, National Bureau of Standards 123 American Society for Testing and Materials—Voluntary Consensus Standards, by William T. Cavanaugh. Managing Director, American Society for Testing and Materials 133 International Organization of Legal Metrology—The Emerging U.S. Role, by William E. Andrus, Jr., Program Manager, Office of Engi- neering and Information Processing Standards, National Bureau of Standards 138 Converting