Metrology & Statistical Quality

Control
IE 353
 Metrology
The Science of Measurement
Let’s take a trip back in time…
 Prehistoric people
didn’t have time to measure
But over time….
people started growing food
and developing permanent settlements
So, they needed a system of measurement…
or there would be violent or extreme
disorder!
History of Measurement
 Egyptian Cubit
• Used to build pyramids
• Dependent on the pharaoh
(faye-row)
– The pharaoh was the political
and religious leader of the
Egyptian people.
– Missed calibration was
punishable by death!
Fast-forward 5000 years to current
measurement systems
 IMPORTANCE OF DIMENSIONS AND UNITS
• Any physical quantity can be characterized by
dimensions.
• The magnitudes assigned to the dimensions
are called units.

• Metric System (SI units)

• Some basic dimensions such as mass m,
length L, time t, and temperature T are
selected as primary or fundamental
dimensions,
• while others such as velocity V, energy E,
and volume V are expressed in terms of the
primary dimensions and are called
secondary dimensions, or derived
dimensions.

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 Metric System (SI)
SEVEN BASE UNITS
Mass Kilogram (kg)
International System
Length Meter (m)
of Measurement
Time Second (s)
Temperature Kelvin (K)
Electric Current Ampere (A)
Amount of Substance Mole (mol)
Luminous Intensity Candela (cd)
 IMPORTANCE OF DIMENSIONS AND UNITS
• Metric SI system: A simple and logical
system based on a decimal relationship
between the various units.

• English system: It has no apparent

systematic numerical base, and various units
in this system are related to each other rather
arbitrarily, which makes it confusing and
difficult to learn.
• 12 in= 1 ft
• 1 mile= 5280 ft
• 4qt= gal

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 Metric System (SI)

• The metric system is an internationally

adopted decimal system of measurement.
• It is now known as the International System of
Units (SI). 
• Simple to use
– Bases of ten
• All other units derived from primary seven
– For example: V = cm3 = 1 mL
Metric System (SI)
 Metrology
• The science/study that deals with
measurement.
– Measurements are quantitative observations;
numerical descriptions
• Measure is defined as to determine the dimension,
quantity or capacity of something”
• Measurements are part of the daily routine in
a biotech lab
• Measurements are expected to be “good”
 What is a “good” measurement?
• If you weigh at home and then at the doctor’s
office and get a different weight, which is
correct?
• Did your weight change (sample issue)?
• Is one or both scales wrong (instrument issue)?
• How do you know which of these is correct?
 What is a “good” measurement?
• A “good” measurement is one that can be
trusted when making decisions
• Decisions are made daily on whether
measurements are good enough, but they are
made subconsciously (imaginations/ existing in
mind) and often by different people
• Decisions need to be conscious (aware/
knowledgeable) and consistent.
 Metrology Vocabulary
• Unit of measurement • Calibration
• Accuracy • Verification
• Precision • Tolerance
• Standards • Errors
• Uncertainty
 Units
• The magnitudes assigned to the
dimensions are called units.
– Units define measurements
– Units give the numbers value
– Definition set by international SI system
 Accuracy vs Precision
• Accuracy is how close an individual value is to the true
or accepted value
• Precision is the consistency of a series of measurements
 Measurements can be:

• Accurate and precise (best)

• Accurate and imprecise (user error)
• Inaccurate but precise (instrument error)
• Inaccurate and imprecise
 Standards
• Measurements made in accordance with an
external authority
• A standard is an external authority
• They are physical objects, the properties of
which are known with sufficient accuracy to
be used to evaluate other items
• Units are unaffected by the environment, but
standards are.
 Standards
• Standards are the fundamental reference for a
system of weights and measures, against which all
other measuring devices are compared.
• Historical standards for length, volume, and mass
were defined by many different authorities, which
resulted in confusion and inaccuracy of
measurements.
• Modern measurements are defined in relationship to
internationally standardized reference objects, which
are used under carefully controlled laboratory
conditions to define the units of length, mass,
electrical potential, and other physical quantities.
 Standards
• Primary Standards : They are the material standards
preserved under most careful conditions. These are
not used directly for measurements but are used
once in 10 or 20 years for calibrating secondary
standards.
• The international prototype kilogram (IPK) is a one
kilogram mass of a platinum-iridium alloy maintained
by the International Bureau of Weights and
Measures (BIPM) in France.
 Standards
• Secondary Standards: These are the close copies of
primary standards with respect to design, material and
length.
• Any error existing in this standards is recorded by
comparison with primary standards after long intervals.
• They are kept at a number of places under great
supervision and serve as reference for tertiary
standards. This also acts as safeguard against the loss or
destruction of primary standards.
• Secondary reference standards are very close
approximations of primary reference standards.
– For example, major national measuring laboratories such as
the US's National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) will hold several "national standard" kilograms, which
are periodically calibrated against the IPK and each other.
 Standards
• Secondary Standards: These are the close copies of
primary standards with respect to design, material and
length.
• Any error existing in this standards is recorded by
comparison with primary standards after long intervals.
• They are kept at a number of places under great
supervision and serve as reference for tertiary
standards. This also acts as safeguard against the loss or
destruction of primary standards.
• Secondary reference standards are very close
approximations of primary reference standards.
– For example, major national measuring laboratories such as
the US's National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) will hold several "national standard" kilograms, which
are periodically calibrated against the IPK and each other.
 Standards
• Working Standards: The third level of standard, a
standard which is periodically calibrated against a
secondary standard, is known as a working standard.
•  Working standards are used for the calibration of
commercial and industrial measurement equipment.
• Working standards are expected to deteriorate, and
are no longer considered traceable to a national
standard after a time period or use count expires.
 Calibration
• Bringing a measuring system into accordance
with external authority, using standards
• For example, calibrating a balance
– Use standards that have known masses
– Relate response of your balance to units of kg
 Verification
• Check of the performance of an instrument or
method without adjusting it.
 Tolerance
• Amount of error that is allowed in the
calibration of a particular item. National and
international standards specify tolerances.
 Example
• Standards for balance calibration can have
slight variation from “true” value
– Highest quality 100 g standards have a tolerance
of + 2.5 mg
– 99.99975-100.00025 g
– Leads to uncertainty in all weight measurements
 Error
• Error is responsible for the difference between
a measured value and the “true” value
• Three types of error:
– Gross (blunders)
– Random
– Systematic
 Random Errors
• Random errors are errors that cannot be
eliminated.
• They are variability and no one knows why.
Maybe humidity, pressure, etc.
• This is why we take several measurements
and average them to get best estimate of true
value
• Random error leads to loss of precision.
 Systemic Error
• Defined as measurements that are consistently
too high or too low.
• Many causes, contaminated solutions,
malfunctioning instruments (measuring
instruments that are incorrectly calibrated or are
used incorrectly), temperature fluctuations, etc.
• Technician controls sources of systematic error
and should try to eliminate them, if possible
• Impacts accuracy so try not to repeat them
 Uncertainty
• Estimate of the inaccuracy of a measurement
that includes both the random and systematic
components.
• Errors lead to uncertainty in measurements
• Can never know the exact, “true” value for any
measurement.
• Idea of a “true” value is abstract – never
knowable.
• In practice, get close enough
Which ruler gives the length of the arrow
with the most certainty?
 Metrologist
• Designs and runs
measurement calibrations &
tests
• Analyzes the results Metrologist

• Determines the final accuracy

of the device under test
Calibration
Engineer

Calibration
Technician
 Metrology Careers
Scientific Metrology
– Organization and development of measurement
standards and their maintenance (highest level)

the National Bureau of Standards

(NIST)Atomic Clock
Accurate to 1 s in 20 million years
 Metrology Careers
Industrial Metrology
– Adequate functioning of measurement instruments
used in industry as well as production and testing
processes
 Metrology Careers
Legal Metrology
– Measurements that influence economic
transactions, health and safety

The International Organization of Legal Metrology, is an intergovernmental

organization, created in 1955 and based in Paris, to promote the global harmonization
of the legal metrology procedures that underpin and facilitate international trade.
 Who Needs
Accurate Measurements?
 Pharmaceutical Industry
• Metrology laboratories test
weights and volume standards
for pharmaceutical companies

• Products include medicines like

aspirin, antibiotics, vaccines,
insulin, & vitamins
 Defense Industry
• Metrology laboratories test
standards for many military
and defense companies

• These companies make the

guidance systems for the
Patriot missiles and other
things that are top secret
 Space Station, Satellites….

• Metrology laboratories test

standards for many companies
that provide parts of the space
shuttle

• These parts include the metal,

heat shield, electronics, fabrics,
o-rings, optics, and tires
 Retail Measurements

• State metrology laboratories

test standards used to test
retail scales and meters

• These include gas pumps,

produce scales, milk, bread
and other packaged items,
and price scanning systems
Who Needs Accurate Measurements?
Everybody!

Weights and Measures

measurements
affect more than $6.6
trillion of the $13.2 trillion
U.S. GDP (1996)