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CONFERENCES 2010

Sep 5-9 10th Symposium on MEASUREMENT and QUALITY CONTROL. Osaka, Japan. http://www.ismqc2010.mech.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp/

Sep 8-10 17th Symposium on MEASUREMENT OF ELECTRICAL QUANTITIES and 15th IWADC Workshop on INSTRUMENTATION IN THE ERA of INFORMATION and COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES. Koice, Slovakia. http://www.imeko.tuke.sk

Sep 11-13 19th Symposium on PHOTONICS MEASUREMENT. Hangzhou, China. http://imeko2010.cjlu.edu.cn

 Sep 13-17 AUTOTESTCON. Orlando, FL. www.autotestcon.com

Sep 15-17 International Workshop for Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) for Energy Applications. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN. www.asylumresearch.com/Energy/.

Oct 12-14 VII International Specialized Exhibition: Controlling, Analyzing and Measuring Equipment 2010. Russia, Moscow. http://www.kipexpo.ru/english/

Oct 12-14 FLOMEKO 2010 – the 15th Conference FLOW MEASUREMENT. Taipei, Taiwan. http://www.flomeko2010.itri.org.tw/

Oct 12-14 Microtechnology Expo. Russia, Moscow. www.microtechexpo.ru/eng/

Oct 31- Nov 5 25th ASPE Annual Meeting. Atlanta, GA. American Society for Precision Engineering (ASPE), www.aspe.net.

Dec 10-12 2nd India Lab Expo. New Delhi, India. www.indialabexpo.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE CONFERENCES AND MORE CALENDAR LISTINGS -- INCLUDING SEMINARS CLICK HERE!!

Argonne Dedicates Scanning Probe Microscopy Building

The Center for Nanoscale Materials (CNM) at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory has dedicated a new scanning probe microscopy building. The new building will house a recently developed scanning probe microscope that measures spin-polarized electrons on surfaces.

Nanomagnetism research using the LT-SPM may lead to more energy-efficient motors, advanced information storage, processing prototype devices, advanced medical therapy and biomagnetic sensing concepts. The LT-SPM is a multi-functional scanning probe microscope developed for the high-resolution properties of spin-polarized surfaces at high magnetic fields (9 T) and low temperatures (4.2 K). This state-of-the-art instrument expands the CNM programs in nanomagnetism and nanoferroelectrics.With spin-polarized capabilities and the ability to characterize insulating samples, this instrument will propel the CNM to the forefront of science using scanning probes to pursue fundamental materials research.

A new building was constructed adjacent to the CNM to house the LT-SPM, which requires a highly stable operating environment that is free of acoustic and vibratory interference. The microscope also produces relatively large stray magnetic fields that are incompatible with instruments in the CNM, which was designed specifically to be free of magnetic fields. The Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne National Laboratory is one of five DOE Nanoscale Science Research Centers (NSRCs), premier national user facilities for interdisciplinary research at the nanoscale level, supported by the DOE Office of Science. Together the NSRCs comprise a suite of complementary facilities that provide researchers with state-of-the-art capabilities to fabricate, process, characterize and model nanoscale materials, and constitute the largest infrastructure investment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative. The NSRCs are located at DOE’s Argonne, Brookhaven, Lawrence Berkeley, Oak Ridge and Sandia and Los Alamos national laboratories. For more information about the DOE NSRCs, visit http://nano.energy.gov.

Fluke Acquires Ruska, Pressurements from GE Sensing

Fluke Corporation has announced that it has acquired the Ruska and Pressurements businesses from GE’s Sensing & Inspection Technologies division. Ruska and Pressurements will be integrated into the Fluke Calibration organization, which is a global leader in metrology and calibration products and services for electrical, temperature, pressure, and flow measurements.

We are excited to welcome Ruska and Pressurements to the Fluke family, said Barbara Hulit, Fluke president. “Our product lines complement each other, with the Ruska and Pressurements piston gauges and pressure controllers expanding our existing offering.”

Ruska, founded in 1944, is a leading global manufacturer of precision laboratory instrumentation, offering highly accurate primary pressure standards, transfer standards, and air data test sets. Ruska also offers calibration services for virtually any pressure device. Pressurements products, originally from Pressurements, Ltd in the UK, provide a comprehensive range of instruments for the accurate measurement of pressure including hydraulic deadweight testers and combined pressure and vacuum deadweight testers.

Vaisala Acquires Veriteq Instruments

Vaisala, a global leader in environmental and industrial measurement, has strengthened its position in the life science market through the strategic acquisition of Veriteq Instruments Inc., a continuous monitoring system and data logger company based in Canada. Veriteq is a leading provider of productized continuous monitoring systems and data logger solutions for the life science industry comprised of pharmaceutical, biotechnological and medical device companies. The company employs approximately 40 persons and it is located in Vancouver, Canada.

The global life science industry is strictly regulated by international and national authorities. In order to protect their high value goods and to comply with regulations, companies need to monitor and control the conditions of their critical environments such as cleanrooms, laboratories and warehouses. Life science is the focus area for Vaisala’s controlled environments business, and the acquisition of Veriteq, with its life science emphasis, aligns perfectly with Vaisala’s strategy.

Vaisala manufactures a comprehensive range of innovative observation and measurement products and services for meteorology, weather critical operations and controlled environments. Headquartered in Finland, Vaisala employs over 1400 worldwide and is listed on the Nordic Stock Exchange, Helsinki. www.vaisala.com.

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Veriteq Offers Guide to FDA Criticism Form 483 Letters

“How to Avoid and Respond to Public FDA Criticisms—Form 483 Letters—for Temperature, Humidity and other Controlled Environments” is now available from Veriteq, a leader in FDA-compliant environmental monitoring, alarming, reporting and temperature/humidity technology. The 10-step Guide is designed to help pharmaceutical processors, blood and tissue banks, clinical laboratories, medical device manufacturers, research hospitals, and other GxP facilities who receive warning letters respond quickly and appropriately within the permitted 15-day window. Proper FDA 483 letter response is critical to both help in reputation repair and for real remediation actions to assure a quality process and patient safety.

FDA 483 letters are expected to increase this year, reflecting the FDA’s recent staff expansion and rewrite of the FDA 483 letter rules to narrow response time to the new 15-day window.

If a company receives a warning letter it is a matter of public record listed on the FDA’s web site. Veriteq’s guide will help quality departments that have received such public criticism regroup, but more importantly, will give some best-practice tips that will help FDA-regulated organizations avoid warning letters in the first place.

The guide can be obtained at www.veriteq.com/fda_response.htm or contact Janice Bennett, Veriteq Marketing Manager, 800-683-8374 or +1-604-273-6850 outside North America), fax 604-273-2874.

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CEMMNT Website Offers Comprehensive Guide to Metrology for Industry

The Centre of Excellence in Metrology for Micro and Nano Technologies (CEMMNT) has launched a new website www.cemmnt.co.uk providing comprehensive information for industry on metrology, surface analysis and systems engineering. The site includes details on cutting edge measurement and characterisation techniques. Over 30 case study applications underline the practical benefits of measurement and characterisation at the micro and nanoscale. Examples from design, development, quality control and failure analysis underline the importance throughout the product development process and supply chain. Web pages focusing on different industry sectors collate the key techniques and relevant applications that are commonly applied to accelerate product commercialisation.

The site also provides details of conferences, workshops and exhibitions for the community. With new information being added weekly, the site provides a valuable portal for industry.

UK National Measurement System Launches Chemical and Biological Metrology website

The new NMS website www.nmschembio.org.uk contains a wide range of information and material which will help laboratories ensure the quality, reliability and comparability of measurements.

• Highlights:
• Comprehensive publications database with papers, books, reports, guides
• Information on key topics such as mass spectrometry, method validation and measurement uncertainty
• Training and education resources for schools, universities and laboratories
• Events listing of relevant training courses and conferences worldwide
• Access to help and expert advice on measurement topics
• Projects section detailing work being carried out under the NMS Chemical and Biological Metrology programme

Register using the link below to gain access to new free downloadable material such as the Laboratory Skills Training Handbook and the Best Practice Guide for Generating Mass Spectra. http://www.nmschembio.org.uk/Register.aspx?m=79