[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 18, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2911-2912]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-471]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


National Conference on Weights and Measures: Interim Meeting

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting of the Conference in January 2006.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Interim Meeting of the 91st National Conference on Weights 
and Measures (NCWM) will be held January 22 through 25, 2006, at the 
Omni Jacksonville Hotel in Jacksonville, Florida. This meeting is open 
to the public. Detailed meeting agendas and information on registration 
requirements, fees and hotel information can be found at http://www.ncwm.net. The NCWM is an organization of weights and measures 
officials of the states, counties, and cities of the United States, 
Federal Agencies, and private sector representatives. This meeting 
brings together government officials and representatives of business, 
industry, trade associations, and consumer organizations to consider 
subjects related to the field of weights and measures technology, 
administration and enforcement. Pursuant to (15 U.S.C. 272(b)(6)), the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) supports the NCWM 
as one of several means it uses to solicit comments and recommendations 
on revising or updating a variety of publications related to legal 
metrology and to promote uniformity among the States in laws, 
regulations, methods, and testing equipment that comprises regulatory 
control of commercial weighing and measuring devices and practices. 
Publication of this Notice by the NIST on the NCWM's behalf is being 
undertaken as a public service; NIST does not necessarily endorse, 
approve, or recommend any of the proposals contained in the notice.

DATES: January 22-25, 2006.

ADDRESSES: The Omni Jacksonville Hotel, Jacksonville, Florida.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NCWM has the following topics scheduled 
for discussion and development at its Interim Meeting. At this stage, 
the items are proposals. This meeting includes work sessions in which 
Committees take public comments and develop or finalize recommendations 
for possible adoption in July 2006 at the 91st NCWM Annual Meeting. 
Committees may also withdraw or carryover items that need additional 
development. Please see NCWM Publication 15, which is available on the 
NCWM Web site at http://www.ncwm.net for additional information. The 
following are brief descriptions of some significant agenda items that 
will be considered at the meeting. Comments will be taken on these 
items during the public comment sessions to be held at the meeting.
    The NCWM Specifications and Tolerances Committee will consider 
proposed amendments to NIST Handbook 44, ``Specifications, Tolerances, 
and other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices.'' 
Those items address 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 proposals to amend 
NIST Handbook 130, ``Uniform Laws and Regulations in the area of legal 
metrology and engine fuel quality,'' or NIST Handbook 133, ``Checking 
the Net Contents of Packaged Goods.'' This notice contains information 
about significant items on the NCWM Committee agendas so several issues 
are not presented in this notice so the following items are not 
consecutively numbered.

NCWM Specifications and Tolerances Committee

    The following items are proposals to amend NIST Handbook 44, 
``Specifications, Tolerances and other Technical Requirements for 
Weighing and Measuring Devices.''

General Code

    Item 310-1. Software for Not-Built for Purpose Devices: the issue 
addresses an extensive series of marking requirements for commercial 
measurement systems. In particular, the topic examines which marking 
requirements should apply to electronic instruments not specifically 
designed for weighing or measuring systems.
    Item 310-3. Multiple Weighing or Measuring Elements with a Single 
Provision for Sealing: the proposal would require new liquid-measuring 
devices to identify when an adjustment is made to any measuring element 
which has multiple measuring elements but that is only equipped with a 
single provision for sealing.
    Item 310-4. Applicable Tolerances for Type Evaluation: the issue 
seeks to clarify the tolerances to be applied

[[Page 2912]]

during the type evaluation of weighing and measuring devices.

Scales Code

    Item 320-1. Zero Indication; Requirements for Markings or 
Indications for Other than Digital Zero Indications: this item would 
clarify the requirement's original intent for marking zero indications 
on scales and point-of-sale systems where a zero is represented by 
other than a digital indication of zero.
    Item 320-3. Revise Shift Test for Scales: this item would modify 
requirements for the placement of test weights and test loads on 
weighing devices.
    Item 320-5. Maintenance Tolerances: this item is a proposal to 
align tolerances in NIST Handbook 44 with recommendations for 
nonautomatic scales from Organization of International Legal Metrology 
(OIML).
    Item 320-6. Time Dependence Tests: this is a proposal to align the 
type approval requirements for the time dependence (creep) test for 
scales and load cells with OIML requirements.
    Item 320-8. Computing Scale Interfaced to a Cash Register: this 
proposal is intended to address the proper interface of computing 
scales with Electronic Cash Registers (ECRs) and to clarify how each 
component must display transaction information, function in taking 
tare, and operate with Price-Look-Up (PLU) capability.
    Item 320-11. Acceptable International Symbols: this is a proposal 
to include a list of accepted international symbols for marking 
operational controls, indications and features on scales in NIST 
Handbook 44.

Belt-Conveyor Scale Systems

    Item 321-1. Official and As-found Tests: the purpose of this item 
is to improve the accuracy of these systems by encouraging users to 
conduct random as-found tests and to improve their recordkeeping 
concerning scale maintenance and performance.

Liquid-Measuring Devices

    Item 330-4. Diversion of Measured Flow: this item is a proposal to 
revise requirements for valves and piping on liquid measuring devices 
so that they are consistent through-out the handbook.

Vehicle-Tank Meters

    Item 331-3. Temperature Compensation: this proposal would add a 
number of specifications, test notes, and tolerances to recognize 
automatic temperature compensation on vehicle-tank meters and specify 
the tests to be conducted on meters equipped with automatic temperature 
compensation. Temperature compensation is under consideration by the 
Laws and Regulations Committee as described below in Item 232-1.
    Cryogenic Liquid Measuring Devices 334-1 Provision for Security 
Seals: this is a proposal to add a requirement that these meters have 
electronic security seals.

NCWM Laws and Regulations Committee

    The following items are proposals to amend NIST Handbook 130, 
``Uniform Laws and Regulations--in the Areas of Legal Metrology and 
Engine Fuel Quality.''

Method of Sale of Commodities Regulation

    Item 232-1. Temperature Compensation: add provisions to permit the 
temperature compensation of refined petroleum products to the volume at 
15 [deg]C (60 [deg]F) for deliveries in both wholesale and retail 
(service station) transactions.
    Item 232-2. Biodiesel and Fuel Ethanol Labeling: this item requires 
the identification and labeling of biodiesel fuels and blends at retail 
service stations.

Engine Fuels, Petroleum Products, and Automotive Lubricants Regulation

    Item 237-1. Premium Diesel Lubricity: this is a proposal to amend 
the lubricity requirement for premium diesel fuel to make them 
consistent with the appropriate ASTM standard for this product.

Interpretations and Guidelines and Others

    Item 250-2. Guideline for the Method of Sale of Fresh Fruits and 
Vegetables: this is a proposal to allow farmers' markets and other 
retailers to sell products by various methods of sale including weight, 
measure or count.

NIST Handbook 133 ``Checking the Net Contents of Packaged Goods''

    Item 260-1. Moisture Loss in Packaged Goods: this item proposes to 
add guidance regarding moisture loss from packaged goods.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ken Butcher, NIST, Weights and 
Measures Division, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 2600, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-
2600. Telephone (301) 975-4859, or e-mail: [email protected].

    Dated: January 3, 2006.
William Jeffrey,
Director.
[FR Doc. E6-471 Filed 1-17-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P