Article 1: Developing a Process Measurement Assurance Program (PMAP TM)
by Jerry L. Everhart
JTI Systems, Inc.

A high degree of competitiveness in the national and international manufacturing markets has created a demand for process controls that build quality into products, rather than relying on inspection to sort out costly rejects. This article describes a process measurement assurance program (PMAP) that determines and controls measurement errors (uncertainties) as the product is produced. The results of this program, coupled with production statistical process control (SPC), determine the product values with a known certainty. When the measurement error is determined along with the product variation, the product error is known and further inspection activities are greatly minimized or eliminated. Tell me more about this PMAP article.

Article 2: Determining Mass Measurement Uncertainty
by Jerry L. Everhart
JTI Systems, Inc.

Uncertainties of mass measurements are affected by numerous factors from operator technique to buoyancy affect and air density. Knowing the methods of calculating measurement uncertainty and how to choose the most appropriate method for your requirement can save money in the manufacturing environment. Making the wrong adjustments for uncertainty can cost money and result in products that do not meet specifications. Tell me more about this PMAP article.

Article 3: Process Measurement Assurance Program
Richard B. Pettit
Sandia National Laboratories

This paper describes a new method for determining, improving, and controlling the measurement process errors (or measurement uncertainty) of a measurement system used to monitor product as it is manufactured. The method is called the Process Measurement Assurance Program (PMAP). It integrates metrology early into the product realization process and is a step beyond statistical process control (SPC), which monitors only the product. In this method, a control standard is used to continuously monitor the status of the measurement system. Analysis of the control standard data allows the determination of the measurement error inherent in the product data and allows one to separate the variability in the manufacturing process from variability in the measurement process. These errors can then be associated with either the measurement equipment, variability of the measurement process, operator bias, or local environmental effects. Another goal of PMAP is to determine appropriate re-calibration intervals for the measurement system, which may be significantly longer or shorter than the interval typically assigned by the calibration organization. Tell me more about this PMAP article.

Article 4: Analytical Chemistry Measurement Assurance Programs: More Than Just Measurement Control Programs
by John P. Clark and A. Harper Shull
Westinghouse Savannah River Company

Assurance of measurement accuracy and precision is required and/or recommended by regulations and guides for good laboratory practices for analytical chemistry laboratories. Measure Control Programs (MCPs) and or measurement assurance programs (MAPs) are means for determining and controlling the accuracy and precision of a laboratory's measurements. Regulations and guides often allow for interpretation of what is necessary to assure measurement quality and how it is done. Consequently, a great diversity exists between laboratories' measurement quality control programs.

This paper will describe various levels of measurement control (MC) and the differences between a comprehensive MAP and various levels of MCPs. It will explain the benefits of establishing a comprehensive MAP based on a set of basic principles. MCPs range from "Go, No-Go" testing of a check standard's measurement against control limits to a comprehensive MAP. Features of the latter include: an independent versimiltude (matrix matched) standard having known uncertainties; customer tolerance limits as well as control limits; statistical tests for bias and precision testing; and estimating the total measurement process uncertainty based upon the combination of both the measurement system and standard's uncertainties. A commercial measurement assurance program, JTI PMAP TM , was evaluated by the author's laboratories and compared to other MCPs. Tell me more about this PMAP article.

Article 5 Process Measurement Assurance Program For
U.S. State Metrology Laboratories¹

Jerry L. Everhart
JTI Systems, Inc.

Georgia L. Harris
NIST Office of Weights and Measures

This paper describes how the Process Measurement Assurance Program (PMAP)² is used in the U.S. State metrology laboratories to provide uniformity among the laboratories in measurement control, uncertainty evaluation, control charting, and assurance of standards accuracy and traceability. The program provides a method for electronic submission (via e-mail or diskette) of control charts and standards data in a standardized format for NIST, Office of Weights and Measures (OWM) evaluation. The methodology of PMAP and how it applies in a comprehensive quality management program for State metrologists can be applied to other metrology laboratories and systems. Tell me more about this PMAP article.