[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 71 (Thursday, April 13, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22408-22409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-07815]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Hydrometer Calibrations
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of workshop; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an
agency of the United States Department of Commerce, is examining the
economic impact and continued need for Hydrometer calibration services
as provided to U.S. industry by the Fluid Metrology Group on NIST's
campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland. NIST is also interested in whether
there is a need for liquid density calibration services not presently
offered by NIST. NIST publishes this notice to announce a workshop that
will guide NIST planning for the future of its hydrometer calibration
capabilities, and to request comments on government and industry
interest in and needs for hydrometer calibrations. This is part of the
effort to systematically review NIST's Measurement Services to assess
gaps and ensure alignment with stakeholders' needs as discussed in the
Government Accounting Office report GAO-18-445.
DATES:
For Comments: NIST will accept written responses to this request
for information until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 2, 2023.
Submissions received after that date may not be considered. Written
comments in response to this notice should be submitted according to
the instructions in the ADDRESSES section below.
For Workshop: A public workshop will be held on Tuesday May 2,
2023, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time, virtually by web
conferencing. Interested parties must register to participate in the
public workshop no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday May 1,
2023, by sending an email to [email protected].
ADDRESSES:
For Comments: Comments should be submitted to Sherry Sheckels,
Sensor Science Division, Physical Measurement Laboratory, National
Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop
8361, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, or by electronic mail to
[email protected]. Comments referencing studies, research, and
other empirical data should include copies of the referenced materials.
All comments, including attachments and other supporting materials,
submitted in response to this document will become part of the public
record and may be subject to public disclosure. Therefore, do not
submit confidential business information or otherwise sensitive,
protected, or personal information, such as account numbers, Social
Security numbers, or names of other individuals.
For tours: Individuals or groups interested in touring the liquid
density standard laboratories in person are welcome and can schedule
tours by writing to the email address, [email protected], before
or after the workshop.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mail: Fluid Metrology Group, Attn:
Sherry Sheckels, Hydrometer Calibrations, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop
8361, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899. Email: Sherry Sheckels at
[email protected]. Phone number: 301 975-5940.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NIST provides calibration services for
reference hydrometers to measure liquid density. These reference
standard hydrometers are generally used as laboratory standards to
calibrate other hydrometers.
Reference hydrometers accepted for calibration include specific
gravity, proof spirit for alcohol solutions, API degrees for petroleum
measurements, degrees Baume heavy and degrees Baume light, and other
arbitrary scales, all subject to discussion with the technical
contacts. Specific gravity hydrometers cover the specific gravity range
of 0.65 to 2.
NIST is seeking comments on the following topics; however, NIST
does not intend to limit the responses to the topics listed below,
provided that the responses address topics that would be useful in
planning NIST offerings for liquid density calibrations service. When
addressing the topics below, respondents may describe the practices of
their organization or organizations with which they are familiar.
Providing such information is optional and will not affect NIST's full
consideration of the comment.
Topics of Interest:
1. Have you purchased hydrometer calibrations, if any, including:
a. If you have purchased calibrations from NIST, whether you
purchased from NIST due to convenience, accuracy, cost, customer
service, regulatory requirement, or some other reason;
b. If NIST was to terminate the hydrometer calibration service(s)
you presently use, whether you have another source lined up that would
meet your requirements; and
[[Page 22409]]
c. Whether it would pose a problem to your organization if the
calibration service was not available at NIST.
2. How NIST calibration results are applied in your organization,
including numerical examples of ``leverage'' to assess the economic
impact of NIST hydrometer calibration services.
3. Whether hydrometer calibrations in your organization are
traceable to NIST, including:
a. Whether you refer to NIST hydrometer publications or research to
support your hydrometer measurements; and
b. If not directly traceable to NIST, whether you know how your
hydrometer measurements compare to NIST hydrometer standards (for
example by comparison against a hydrometer traceable to a NIST
calibration).
4. Feedback on the cost, availability, turn-around time, business
systems, and customer service provided by NIST hydrometer calibration
services.
5. Whether you purchase hydrometer calibrations from another
National Metrology Institute (NMI) or from another calibration
laboratory, and your organization's experience with this approach.
6. Your opinions about the range, uncertainty, quality and cost of
the NIST hydrometer calibration services.
7. Whether you manufacture and sell hydrometers or sell
calibrations of such hydrometers; if so, whether your hydrometer
calibration values are traceable to NIST; and, if not NIST, whether you
use a secondary laboratory, another NMI, or have your own primary
standard(s).
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 272(b) & (c).
Alicia Chambers,
NIST Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2023-07815 Filed 4-12-23; 8:45 am]
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