The NIST microforce realization and measurement project

Author

Newell, David B. ; Kramar, John A. ; Pratt, Jon R. ; Smith, Douglas T. ; Williams, Edwin R.

Author_Institution

U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Nat. Inst. of Stand. & Technol., Gaithersburg, MD, USA

Volume

52

Issue

2

fYear

2003

fDate

4/1/2003 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

508

Lastpage

511

Abstract

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has launched a five-year Microforce Realization and Measurement Project focusing on the development of an instrument and laboratory capable of realizing and measuring the SI unit of force below 5×10^-6 N using the electrical units as the link to the International System of Units (SI). As a proof of principle, a prototype electromechanical balance has been developed to allow comparisons between mechanically and electrically derived forces up to 300 μN with a resolution of 15 nN. Results from force comparisons using 1-, 10-, and 20-mg deadweights are presented.

Keywords

force measurement; mass measurement; measurement standards; measurement uncertainty; units (measurement); 1 to 20 mg; International System of Units; NIST microforce measurement project; NIST microforce realization project; SI unit; electrical units; electrostatic force balance; force measurement procedure; force metrology; instrument development; laboratory development; mass metrology; prototype electromechanical balance; uncertainty analysis; Capacitance; Capacitors; Electric variables measurement; Electrodes; Electrostatics; Force measurement; NIST; Prototypes; Springs; Voltage;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Instrumentation and Measurement, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9456

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TIM.2003.810032

Filename

1202085