[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 123 (Monday, June 28, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36064-36065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-14615]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Weights and Measures Annual Meeting

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.

ACTION: Announcement of public meeting of the 89th Annual Meeting of 
the National Conference on Weights and Measures.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the annual meeting of the National 
Conference on Weights and Measures will be held July 11 through July 
15, 2004, at the Hilton Pittsburgh & Towers Hotel, Pittsburgh, PA. This 
meeting is open to the public. Meeting registration and hotel 
information can be found on the NCWM Web site (http://www.ncwm.net).
    The National Conference on Weights and Measures is an organization 
of weights and measures enforcement officials of the states, counties, 
and cities of the United States, and private sector representatives. 
The annual meeting of the Conference brings together enforcement 
officials, other government officials, and representatives of business, 
industry, trade associations, and consumer organizations to discuss 
subjects that related to the field of weights and measures technology 
and administration. Pursuant to (15 U.S.C. 272(b)(6)), the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology supports the National Conference 
on Weights and Measures in order to promote uniformity among the States 
in the complexity of laws, regulations, methods, and testing equipment 
that comprises regulatory control by the states of commercial weighing 
and measuring.

DATES: July 11-15, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Conference will be held at Hilton Pittsburgh & Towers Hotel, 
600 Commonwealth Place, Gateway Center, Pittsburgh, PA. Written 
comments may be submitted to the Chief, NIST Weights and Measures 
Division, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 2600, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-2600, or 
via e-mail at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Henry V. Oppermann, Chief, NIST, 
Weights and Measures Division, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 2600, 
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-2600. Telephone (301) 975-4004, or e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Conference on Weights and 
Measures (NCWM) has the following topics scheduled for discussion and 
vote at the Annual Meeting in July. The NCWM Committees may modify 
their recommendations at the meeting or remove items from voting status 
based upon comments that are received prior to and during the NCWM 
Annual Meeting. Additional items will be discussed at the meeting, but 
are not scheduled for a vote this year. Please see NCWM Publication 16, 
which is available on the NIST Web site (http://www.nist.gov/owm) and 
the NCWM Web site (http://www.ncwm.net) for additional information. The 
following provides a brief description of the voting items. The NCWM 
Specifications and Tolerances Committee addresses possible changes or 
additions to NIST Handbook 44, ``Specifications, Tolerances, and other 
Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices.'' The items 
address commercial weighing and measuring devices that may be used in 
commercial measurement applications, that is, devices that are normally 
used to buy from or sell to the general public or used for determining 
the quantity of product sold among businesses. Issues on the agenda of 
the NCWM Laws and Regulations Committee relate to NIST Handbook 130, 
``Uniform Laws and Regulations in the area of legal metrology and 
engine fuel quality,'' and NIST Handbook 133, ``Checking the Net 
Contents of Packaged Goods.''

NCWM Specifications and Tolerances Committee

General Code

    Item 310-1: This issue addresses the acceptable methods of marking 
the manufacturer's name, device model number, serial numbers, and other 
required markings on electronic instruments. The acceptable methods 
under consideration are permanent markings on the exterior of the 
device or displaying the information on the display screen of the 
monitor for a measuring instrument.

Scales Code

    Item 320-1: This issue addresses the conditions under which manual 
weight entries will be permitted when using commercial scales.
    Item 320-3: Clarify that the words ``Section Capacity'' may be 
abbreviated when marked on scales for which the marking of the section 
capacity is required. Acceptable abbreviations for ``section capacity'' 
are specified.
    Item 320-4: Add a statement that weight carts that have mass values 
accurate within one-third of the tolerance to be applied to the scale 
under test may be used in the test of the scale.
    Item 320-5: The proposal is to clarify that the discrimination test 
conducted on scales that automatically indicate the applied loads may 
be tested near zero and near the maximum test load.
    Item 320-6: Clarify the requirement that the minimum number of 
scale divisions for a Class III hopper scale used to weigh grain is 
2000 scale divisions.

Belt-Conveyor Scales Code

    Item 321-1: Modify the range of indicated flow rates for a belt 
conveyor scale to be from 20% to 100% rather than from 35% to 98% to 
align the requirement with International Organization of Legal 
Metrology (OIML) Recommendation 50 for belt-conveyor scales.
    Item 321-2: Modify the test requirements for belt-conveyor scales 
to require that they be tested over the range of flow rates at which it 
may be used, rather than at only one flow rate near its used capacity.
    Item 321-3: Modify the statement of how zero stability of a belt-
conveyor scale is expressed and establish a tolerance for the stability 
of zero on a belt-conveyor scale.
    Item 321-4: Clarify the limits for the required uniformity of the 
weight (i.e.,

[[Page 36065]]

the consistency of the weight) of the belt on a belt-conveyor scale.
    Item 321-5: Modify (reduce) the tolerance for the temperature 
effect on the zero-load indication to be consistent with the latest 
version of International Organization of Legal Metrology Recommendation 
50 for belt-conveyor scales.
    Item 321-6: Modify a requirement for the users of belt-conveyor 
scales that the weighing section of a belt-conveyor scale, and any 
guards associated with the scale, have adequate clearances to prevent 
accidental interference with the weighing operation.
    Item 321-7: Add a requirement for the users of belt-conveyor scales 
stating that any material that has been weighed shall not be returned 
to the weighing area and weighed again to prevent the re-circulation of 
previously weighed material.

Automatic Weighing Systems Code--Tentative Code

    Item 324-1: The Automatic Weighing Systems Code has been a 
tentative code since 1996. The code applies to scales that are weigh-
labelers (both static and dynamic weighing) and automatic 
checkweighers. The proposal is to change the status of the Automatic 
Weighing Systems Code to a permanent code.

Liquid-Measuring Devices Code

    Item 330-1: To facilitate the reinspection of a meter that has been 
adjusted, add a requirement for devices that have multiple measuring 
elements, typically for those measuring elements in retail motor fuel 
dispensers, to have a way to clearly indicate which of the measuring 
elements was adjusted. One of several acceptable methods may be used.
    Item 330-2: Modify and clarify the acceptable locations for placing 
the required identification information on retail motor-fuel devices.
    Item 330-5: Modify the definition of a retail device to clarify 
which devices are classified as retail devices rather than as wholesale 
devices, since some requirements are different for retail and wholesale 
devices.

Vehicle-Tank Meters Code

    Item 331-1: A number of states or local weights and measures 
jurisdictions permit the use of temperature compensation on vehicle-
tank meters used to deliver refined petroleum products (e.g., gasoline, 
fuel oil, and diesel fuel). Currently, the Vehicle-Tank Meter (VTM) 
Code does not have any requirements for these metering systems. The 
proposal is to add a series of requirements to apply to these systems 
when meters are equipped with temperature compensation capability. The 
requirements include specifications for the metering system, 
instructions for testing these systems, tolerances for the systems, and 
requirements for the users of these systems. These proposed changes 
would apply to temperature compensating systems when they are present 
on VTMs and are consistent with the requirements for temperature 
compensation in other device codes in Handbook 44. The requirements do 
not mandate the use of temperature compensation on VTMs.

LPG and Anhydrous Ammonia Liquid-Measuring Devices Code

    Item 332-1: Modify the requirement for users of liquefied petroleum 
meters to clearly indicate that a vapor-return line may be used on 
trucks and metering systems for wholesale terminal deliveries of 
liquefied petroleum.

Multiple Dimension Measuring Devices Code--Tentative Code

    Item 358-1: These systems are used to determine the weight, 
dimensions, or volumes of objects for the purpose of calculating 
freight, storage, or postal charges. To clarify the requirements that 
must be met by the manufacturers and the users of these devices, the 
current single table is being divided into two tables. One table 
contains the requirements applicable to manufacturers and the second 
contains the requirements applicable to users of the devices.
    Item 358-2: Modify how the dimensions are expressed for dimensions 
above the maximum dimensions that can be measured by the devices.
    Item 358-3: Clarify the type of device considered to have two or 
more measuring elements and define the measurement field for these 
devices.
    Item 358-4: Add guidance regarding the types of objects that may be 
used to test multiple dimension measuring devices. The accuracy 
required for the test objects is also specified.
    Item 358-5: Clarify the language for how the tolerance for the 
devices is stated.
    Item 358-6: Clarify the parameters for alternating and direct 
current power supplies over which the devices are required to perform 
correctly and within tolerance.
    Item 358-7: The Multiple Dimension Measuring Devices Code has been 
a tentative code since 1996. The proposal is to change the status of 
the Code to a permanent code.

NCWM Laws and Regulations Committee

    Item 236-1: Amend the Uniform National Type Evaluation Regulation 
to recognize the current practice to perform type evaluation of main 
elements of commercial weighing and measuring devices separately and 
allow these evaluated main elements to be connected (``mixed and 
matched'') with other main elements that have been evaluated and found 
to meet the applicable requirements.
    Item 237-2: Amend the uniform ``Engine Fuels, Petroleum Products, 
and Automotive Lubricants Regulation'' to include automatic 
transmission fluid, gear oil, and lubricating oil, and add relevant 
labeling requirements to this uniform (model) regulation.
    Item 237-3: Amend the uniform ``Engine Fuels, Petroleum Products, 
and Automotive Lubricants Regulation'' to include requirements for 
biodiesel products entering the marketplace.

    Dated: June 18, 2004.
Hratch G. Semerjian,
Acting Director.
[FR Doc. 04-14615 Filed 6-25-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-03-P