National Conference on Weights and Measures Interim Meeting, 91910-91912 [2016-30436]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 243 / Monday, December 19, 2016 / Notices
Scope of the Order
The merchandise covered by the
Order is crystalline silicon photovoltaic
cells, whether or not assembled into
modules, subject to certain exceptions.4
Merchandise covered by this Order is
currently classified in the Harmonized
Tariff System of the United States
(‘‘HTSUS’’) under subheadings
8501.61.0000, 8507.20.80, 8541.40.6020,
8541.40.6030, and 8501.31.8000. While
these HTSUS subheadings are provided
for convenience and customs purposes;
the written description of the scope of
this Order is dispositive.
Final Results of Changed
Circumstances Review
Because the record contains no
information or evidence that calls into
question the Preliminary Results, for the
reasons stated in the Preliminary
Results, the Department continues to
find that Zhejiang ERA is the successorin-interest to Era Solar, and is entitled
to Era Solar’s cash deposit rate with
respect to entries of merchandise subject
to the AD Order on solar cells from the
PRC.5
Instructions to U.S. Customs and
Border Protection
Based on these final results, we will
instruct U.S. Customs and Border
Protection to collect estimated
antidumping duties for all shipments of
subject merchandise exported by
Zhejiang ERA and entered, or
withdrawn from warehouse, for
consumption on or after the publication
date of this notice in the Federal
Register at the current AD cash deposit
rate for Era Solar (i.e., 8.52 percent).6
This cash deposit requirement shall
remain in effect until further notice.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Notification to Interested Parties
This notice serves as a final reminder
to parties subject to administrative
protective order (‘‘APO’’) of their
responsibility concerning the
disposition of proprietary information
disclosed under APO in accordance
with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely
written notification of the return/
destruction of APO materials or
4 For a complete description of the scope of the
Order, see Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
5 For a complete discussion of the Department’s
findings, which remain unchanged in these final
results and which are herein incorporated by
reference and adopted by this notice, see generally
the Preliminary Decision Memorandum
accompanying the Preliminary Results.
6 See Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells,
Whether or Not Assembled into Modules, from the
People’s Republic of China: Final Results of
Antidumping Duty Administrative Review and
Final Determination of No Shipments; 2013–2014,
81 FR 39905 (June 20, 2016).
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20:55 Dec 16, 2016
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conversion to judicial protective order is
hereby requested. Failure to comply
with the regulations and terms of an
APO is a sanctionable violation.
We are issuing and publishing this
final results notice in accordance with
sections 751(b) and 777(i) of the Tariff
Act of 1930, as amended, and 19 CFR
351.216 and 351.221(c)(3).
Dated: December 12, 2016.
Paul Piquado,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and
Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2016–30426 Filed 12–16–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and
Technology
National Conference on Weights and
Measures Interim Meeting
National Institute of Standards
and Technology, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Interim Meeting of the
National Conference on Weights and
Measures (NCWM) will be held in San
Antonio, Texas, from Sunday, January 8,
2017, through Wednesday, January 11,
2017. This notice contains information
about significant items on the NCWM
Committee agendas but does not include
all agenda items. As a result, the items
are not consecutively numbered.
DATES: The meeting will be held from
Sunday, January 8, 2017, through
Wednesday, January 11, 2017, Sunday
through Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. Central Time, and on Wednesday,
from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Central
Time. The meeting schedule is available
at www.ncwm.net.
ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held at
the Hyatt Regency San Antonio, 123
Losoya Street, San Antonio, Texas
78205.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Kenneth Butcher, NIST, Office of
Weights and Measures, 100 Bureau
Drive, Stop 2600, Gaithersburg, MD
20899–2600. You may also contact Mr.
Butcher at (301) 975–4859 or by email
at kenneth.butcher@nist.gov. The
meeting is open to the public, but a paid
registration is required. Please see the
NCWM Web site (www.ncwm.net) to
view the meeting agendas, registration
forms, and hotel reservation
information.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Publication of this notice on the
NCWM’s behalf is undertaken as a
public service; NIST does not endorse,
SUMMARY:
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approve, or recommend any of the
proposals or other information
contained in this notice or in the
publications produced by the NCWM.
The NCWM is an organization of
weights and measures officials of the
states, counties, and cities of the United
States, federal agencies, and
representatives from the private sector.
These meetings bring together
government officials and representatives
of business, industry, trade associations,
and consumer organizations on subjects
related to the field of weights and
measures technology, administration,
and enforcement. NIST participates to
encourage cooperation between federal
agencies and the states in the
development of legal metrology
requirements. NIST also promotes
uniformity among the states in laws,
regulations, methods, and testing
equipment that comprise the regulatory
control of commercial weighing and
measuring devices, packaged goods, and
other trade and commerce issues.
The following are brief descriptions of
some of the significant agenda items
that will be considered at the NCWM
Interim Meeting. Comments will be
taken on these and other issues during
several public comment sessions. At
this stage, the items are proposals. This
meeting also includes work sessions in
which the Committees may also accept
comments, and where recommendations
will be developed for consideration and
possible adoption at the NCWM 2017
Annual Meeting. The Committees may
withdraw or carryover items that need
additional development.
Some of the items listed below
provide notice of projects under
development by groups working to
develop specifications, tolerances, and
other requirements for devices such as
those used in weigh-in-motion systems
for vehicle enforcement screening.
These notices are intended to make
interested parties aware of these
development projects and to make them
aware that reports on the status of the
project will be given at the Interim
Meeting. The notices are also presented
to invite the participation of
manufacturers, experts, consumers,
users, and others who may be interested
in these efforts.
The Specifications and Tolerances
Committee (S&T Committee) will
consider proposed amendments to NIST
Handbook 44, ‘‘Specifications,
Tolerances, and other Technical
Requirements for Weighing and
Measuring Devices.’’ Those items
address weighing and measuring
devices used in commercial
applications, that is, devices that are
used to buy from or sell to the public
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 243 / Monday, December 19, 2016 / Notices
or used for determining the quantity of
products or services sold among
businesses. Issues on the agenda of the
NCWM Laws and Regulations
Committee (L&R Committee) relate to
proposals to amend NIST Handbook
130, ‘‘Uniform Laws and Regulations in
the area of Legal Metrology and Engine
Fuel Quality’’ and NIST Handbook 133,
‘‘Checking the Net Contents of Packaged
Goods.’’
NCWM S&T Committee
The following items are proposals to
amend NIST Handbook 44:
General Code
Item 3100–2 G–UR.3.3. Postion of
Equipment
A weighing and measuring device or
system equipped with a primary
indicating element and used in a direct
sale application must be positioned that
its indication can be accurately read and
the weighing or measuring operation
observed from some reasonable
customer and operator position. That is,
both the customer and user must be able
to observe the operation of the
equipment and be provided a view of
the indication from some reasonable
position. The existing paragraph
provides officials the discretion
necessary to determine on a case by case
basis whether or not these conditions
are satisfied. The proposed changes, if
adopted, would require officials to base
their determination solely on customer
readability and ease of being able to
conduct a performance test on the
equipment. Additionally, in the case of
vehicle scales, the changes proposed
require that a driver of a vehicle being
weighed be able to observe the weight
indication from inside the cab of the
vehicle. If adopted, this would
retroactively require a display on some
vehicle scale systems, including
mechanical types with beam or dial
indication.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Scales
Item 3200–2 S.1.2.2. Verfication Scale
Interval
Class I and II scales and dynamic
monorail scales, any of which that are
provided with a scale division value (d)
that differs from the verification scale
interval (e) must currently comply with
the expression: d < e ≤ 10 d
The S&T Committee will consider a
proposal that adds a new subparagraph
beneath the Section heading S.1.2.2.
Verification Scale Interval which would
require the value of ‘‘e’’ to be less than
or equal to ‘‘d’’ on Class I and II scales
used in a direct sale application (i.e., an
application in which both parties, for
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20:55 Dec 16, 2016
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91911
example, buyer and seller, are present
when the quantity is determined). The
new subparagraph being proposed is
nonretroactive with no enforcement
date yet specified, making evident the
submitter’s intention that it not apply to
equipment already in commercial
service.
speed WIM system while taking into
consideration the different axle and
tandem axle configurations of the
vehicles that will typically be weighed
by the system.
Item 3200–3 S.1.8.5. Recorded
Representations, Point-of-Sale Systems
and S.1.9.3. Recorded Representations,
Random Weight Packages Labels
Item 3302–1 N.3. Test Drafts
The S&T Committee will continue to
hear updates on the progress of a
‘‘Developing’’ item on its agenda
(carried over from its 2016 agenda) that
would propose recognizing the use of
calibrated transfer standards (also called
‘‘master meters’’) in the verification and
calibration of Liquefied Petroleum Gas
and Anhydrous Ammonia LiquidMeasuring Devices. Currently, most
official tests of these devices are
conducted using volumetric test
measures or using gravimetric testing.
The proposal outlined in this item
includes requirements for a minimum
test draft and would recognize the use
of ‘‘master meters’’ in both servicerelated and official testing. This item is
also intended to explore the possibility
of expanding the use of transfer
standards to other types of measuring
devices, including those used to
measure petroleum at terminals and
retail outlets, and to meters used to
deliver home heating fuel and other
products.
The S&T Committee will consider a
proposal requiring additional sales
information be recorded by cash
registers interfaced with a weighing
element for items that are weighed at a
checkout stand. These systems are
currently required to record the net
weight, unit price, total price, and the
product class or, in a system equipped
with price look-up capability, the
product name or code number. The
change proposed adds ‘‘gross weight or
tare weight’’ to the list of sales
information already required.
Additionally, the proposal adds a new
paragraph requiring a prepackaging
scale or device that produces a label for
a random weight package to generate
labels that contain this same sales
information.
Weigh-In-Motion Systems Used for
Vehiche Enforcement Screening
Item 3205–1 A. Application and
Sections Throughout the Code to
Address Commercial and Law
Enforcement Applications
In February 2016, the NCWM formed
a new task group (TG) to consider a
proposal to expand the NIST Handbook
44, Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) Systems
Used for Vehicle Enforcement
Screening—Tentative Code to also apply
to legal-for-trade (commercial) and law
enforcement applications. The TG is
made up of representatives of WIM
equipment manufacturers; the U.S.
Department of Transportation Federal
Highway Administration; truck weight
enforcement agencies; state weights and
measures agencies; and others. Mr. Alan
Walker (State of Florida) serves as Chair
of the TG.
Members of the TG met face to face
for the first time at the NCWM Annual
Meeting in July 2016. It was agreed at
that meeting to eliminate from the
proposal any mention of a law
enforcement application and focus
solely on WIM systems intended for use
in commercial applications. The main
focus of the TG since the July 2016
meeting has been to concentrate on the
development of test procedures that can
be used to verify the accuracy of a slow-
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Liquefied Petroleum Gas and
Anhydrous Ammonia Liquid-Measuring
Devices
Mass Flow Meters
Item 3307–2 N.3. Test Drafts
The S&T Committee will continue to
hear updates on the progress of a
‘‘Developing’’ item on its agenda (also
carried over from its 2016 agenda) that
would propose recognizing the use of
calibrated transfer standards (also called
‘‘master meters’’) in the verification and
calibration of Mass Flow Meters.
Currently, most official tests of these
devices are conducted using gravimetric
test procedures. The proposal outlined
in this item includes requirements for a
minimum test draft, and would
recognize the use of ‘‘master meters’’ in
both service-related and official testing.
Taximeters
Item 3504–1
A.2. Exemptions;
Item 3504–2 U.S. National Work Group
(USNWG) on Taximeters—Taximeter
Code Revisions and Global Positioningt
System (GPS)-Based Systems for Time
and Distance Measurement; and
Item 3600–6 5.XX. Transportation
Network Systems—Tentative Code and
Appendix D. Definitions
For several years, the NIST USNWG
on Taximeters has discussed possible
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 243 / Monday, December 19, 2016 / Notices
approaches for amending the NIST
Handbook 44, Taximeters Code to
specifically recognize GPS-based time
and distance measuring systems that are
used to assess charges for transportation
services such as those provided by
taxicabs and limousines. Appropriate
specifications, tolerances, and other
technical requirements for these devices
must be developed for manufacturers
and users of these devices, as well for
weights and measures officials. Such
requirements help ensure accuracy and
transparency for customers and a level
playing field for transportation service
companies, enabling consumers to make
value comparisons between competing
services. In 2016, the USNWG on
Taximeters submitted a proposal
through multiple regional weights and
measures associations to establish a
separate NIST Handbook 44 code to
address ‘‘Transportation Network
Measurement Systems (TNMS).’’
Changes to the current NIST Handbook
44, Taximeters Code are also needed to
recognize taximeters that are now being
designed to operate using similar
features and functionality as TNMS;
these changes have been proposed in a
separate item. The S&T Committee will
examine these proposals to assess how
to best address these systems.
NCWM L&R Committee
The following items are proposals to
amend NIST Handbook 130 or NIST
Handbook 133:
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
NIST Handbook 130—Section on
Uniform Regulation for the Method of
Sale of Commodities:
NIST Handbook 133—‘‘Checking the
Net Contents of Packaged Goods:’’
Item 2600–4 Section 4.5. Polyethylene
Sheeting
The current test procedure in NIST
Handbook 133, Section 4. Polyethylene
20:55 Dec 16, 2016
Jkt 241001
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 272(b).
Kevin Kimball,
NIST Chief of Staff.
[FR Doc. 2016–30436 Filed 12–16–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and
Technology
[Docket Number: [161207999–6999–01]
Announcement of Requirements and
Registration for National Institute of
Standards and Technology Prize
Competition—Reusable Abstractions
of Manufacturing Processes (RAMP)
Challenge
National Institute of Standards
and Technology, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In March 2016, National
Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) and ASTM International
announced a new international standard
that can ‘‘map’’ the critically important
environmental aspects of manufacturing
processes, leading to significant
improvements in sustainability while
keeping a product’s life cycle low cost
and efficient. Sustainability for
manufacturing is beginning to be
addressed through the recently
approved ASTM Standard Guide for
Characterizing Environmental Aspects
of Manufacturing Processes (ASTM
E60.13 E3012–16). The standard
provides a science-based, systematic
approach to capture and describe
information about the environmental
aspects for any manufacturing
production process or group of
processes, and then use that data to
make informed decisions on
improvements.
NIST is announcing the Reusable
Abstractions of Manufacturing Processes
(RAMP) Challenge, with support from
ASTM International, the National
Science Foundation (NSF), and the
American Society of Mechanical
SUMMARY:
Item 2302–6 Section 2.17. Precious
Metals
The L&R Committee will consider a
proposal to recommend adoption of a
uniform method of sale for precious
metals that will enhance the ability of
consumers to whether they are getting a
fair price for their precious metals. This
proposal will allow a consumer to make
an informed decision in doing an
equitable trade or purchase and also
make value comparisons. This proposal
is not for precious metals traded on the
commodity market. If adopted, the
proposal will require sellers to
prominently display conversion factors
and the unit price they will pay for
items containing various amounts of
precious metals.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
Sheeting has provided a test procedure
for only polyethylene sheeting and some
bag type products. The L&R Committee
will consider a proposal to expand the
requirements to also include
polyethylene bags (e.g., t-shirt bags that
retail stores put consumer goods in for
carry-out) and can liners. If adopted,
this proposal would clarify the test
procedure and improve the accuracy of
length determinations when
determining test measurements for bags
and liners, including bags with a cut out
(t-shirt bags).
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Engineers (ASME) Manufacturing
Science and Engineering Conference
(MSEC) Organizing Committee, to
familiarize the community with a recent
standard for modeling manufacturing
processes that was developed under the
ASTM’s E60.13 Subcommittee on
Sustainable Manufacturing. The RAMP
Challenge calls on participants (either as
an individual or as a team) to model any
manufacturing process and demonstrate
application of the ASTM E3012–16 Unit
Manufacturing Process (UMP)
representation for purposes of
information sharing and sustainability
assessment. The RAMP Challenge will
provide an opportunity for participants
to put this standard into practice in
modeling a process of their own
interest, and to share experiences in
applying the standard across a variety of
processes. Formal methods for acquiring
and exchanging information about
manufacturing processes will lead to
consistent characterizations and help
establish a collection for reuse of these
models. Standard methods will ensure
effective communication of
computational analytics and sharing of
sustainability performance data. Results
of the competition will assist in
demonstrating the use of a reusable
standard format leading to models
suitable for automated inclusion in a
system analysis, such as a system
simulation model or an optimization
program.
Submission Period: December
19, 2016 to March 20, 2017
Announcement of Finalists: April 17,
2017
Announcement of Winners: June 8,
2017
The Submission Period begins
December 19, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern
Time (ET) and ends March 20, 2017, at
5:00 p.m. ET. Prize competition dates
are subject to change at the discretion of
NIST. Entries submitted before or after
the Submission Period will not be
reviewed or considered for award.
ADDRESSES:Changes or updates to
the prize competition rules will be
posted and can be viewed at the Event
Web site: https://www.challenge.gov/
challenge/ramp-reusable-abstractionsof-manufacturing-processes/
Results of the prize competition will
be announced on the Event Web site
and on the NIST Web site,
www.nist.gov. Additional information is
located at: https://www.nist.gov/el/
systems-integration-division/astmsustainable-manufacturing-standards.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions about the prize competition
can be directed to NIST via the Event
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\19DEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 243 (Monday, December 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 91910-91912]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30436]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
National Conference on Weights and Measures Interim Meeting
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Interim Meeting of the National Conference on Weights and
Measures (NCWM) will be held in San Antonio, Texas, from Sunday,
January 8, 2017, through Wednesday, January 11, 2017. This notice
contains information about significant items on the NCWM Committee
agendas but does not include all agenda items. As a result, the items
are not consecutively numbered.
DATES: The meeting will be held from Sunday, January 8, 2017, through
Wednesday, January 11, 2017, Sunday through Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m. Central Time, and on Wednesday, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Central Time. The meeting schedule is available at www.ncwm.net.
ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency San Antonio,
123 Losoya Street, San Antonio, Texas 78205.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Kenneth Butcher, NIST, Office of
Weights and Measures, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 2600, Gaithersburg, MD
20899-2600. You may also contact Mr. Butcher at (301) 975-4859 or by
email at kenneth.butcher@nist.gov. The meeting is open to the public,
but a paid registration is required. Please see the NCWM Web site
(www.ncwm.net) to view the meeting agendas, registration forms, and
hotel reservation information.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Publication of this notice on the NCWM's
behalf is undertaken as a public service; NIST does not endorse,
approve, or recommend any of the proposals or other information
contained in this notice or in the publications produced by the NCWM.
The NCWM is an organization of weights and measures officials of
the states, counties, and cities of the United States, federal
agencies, and representatives from the private sector. These meetings
bring together government officials and representatives of business,
industry, trade associations, and consumer organizations on subjects
related to the field of weights and measures technology,
administration, and enforcement. NIST participates to encourage
cooperation between federal agencies and the states in the development
of legal metrology requirements. NIST also promotes uniformity among
the states in laws, regulations, methods, and testing equipment that
comprise the regulatory control of commercial weighing and measuring
devices, packaged goods, and other trade and commerce issues.
The following are brief descriptions of some of the significant
agenda items that will be considered at the NCWM Interim Meeting.
Comments will be taken on these and other issues during several public
comment sessions. At this stage, the items are proposals. This meeting
also includes work sessions in which the Committees may also accept
comments, and where recommendations will be developed for consideration
and possible adoption at the NCWM 2017 Annual Meeting. The Committees
may withdraw or carryover items that need additional development.
Some of the items listed below provide notice of projects under
development by groups working to develop specifications, tolerances,
and other requirements for devices such as those used in weigh-in-
motion systems for vehicle enforcement screening. These notices are
intended to make interested parties aware of these development projects
and to make them aware that reports on the status of the project will
be given at the Interim Meeting. The notices are also presented to
invite the participation of manufacturers, experts, consumers, users,
and others who may be interested in these efforts.
The Specifications and Tolerances Committee (S&T Committee) will
consider proposed amendments to NIST Handbook 44, ``Specifications,
Tolerances, and other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring
Devices.'' Those items address weighing and measuring devices used in
commercial applications, that is, devices that are used to buy from or
sell to the public
[[Page 91911]]
or used for determining the quantity of products or services sold among
businesses. Issues on the agenda of the NCWM Laws and Regulations
Committee (L&R Committee) relate to proposals to amend NIST Handbook
130, ``Uniform Laws and Regulations in the area of Legal Metrology and
Engine Fuel Quality'' and NIST Handbook 133, ``Checking the Net
Contents of Packaged Goods.''
NCWM S&T Committee
The following items are proposals to amend NIST Handbook 44:
General Code
Item 3100-2 G-UR.3.3. Postion of Equipment
A weighing and measuring device or system equipped with a primary
indicating element and used in a direct sale application must be
positioned that its indication can be accurately read and the weighing
or measuring operation observed from some reasonable customer and
operator position. That is, both the customer and user must be able to
observe the operation of the equipment and be provided a view of the
indication from some reasonable position. The existing paragraph
provides officials the discretion necessary to determine on a case by
case basis whether or not these conditions are satisfied. The proposed
changes, if adopted, would require officials to base their
determination solely on customer readability and ease of being able to
conduct a performance test on the equipment. Additionally, in the case
of vehicle scales, the changes proposed require that a driver of a
vehicle being weighed be able to observe the weight indication from
inside the cab of the vehicle. If adopted, this would retroactively
require a display on some vehicle scale systems, including mechanical
types with beam or dial indication.
Scales
Item 3200-2 S.1.2.2. Verfication Scale Interval
Class I and II scales and dynamic monorail scales, any of which
that are provided with a scale division value (d) that differs from the
verification scale interval (e) must currently comply with the
expression: d < e <= 10 d
The S&T Committee will consider a proposal that adds a new
subparagraph beneath the Section heading S.1.2.2. Verification Scale
Interval which would require the value of ``e'' to be less than or
equal to ``d'' on Class I and II scales used in a direct sale
application (i.e., an application in which both parties, for example,
buyer and seller, are present when the quantity is determined). The new
subparagraph being proposed is nonretroactive with no enforcement date
yet specified, making evident the submitter's intention that it not
apply to equipment already in commercial service.
Item 3200-3 S.1.8.5. Recorded Representations, Point-of-Sale Systems
and S.1.9.3. Recorded Representations, Random Weight Packages Labels
The S&T Committee will consider a proposal requiring additional
sales information be recorded by cash registers interfaced with a
weighing element for items that are weighed at a checkout stand. These
systems are currently required to record the net weight, unit price,
total price, and the product class or, in a system equipped with price
look-up capability, the product name or code number. The change
proposed adds ``gross weight or tare weight'' to the list of sales
information already required.
Additionally, the proposal adds a new paragraph requiring a
prepackaging scale or device that produces a label for a random weight
package to generate labels that contain this same sales information.
Weigh-In-Motion Systems Used for Vehiche Enforcement Screening
Item 3205-1 A. Application and Sections Throughout the Code to Address
Commercial and Law Enforcement Applications
In February 2016, the NCWM formed a new task group (TG) to consider
a proposal to expand the NIST Handbook 44, Weigh-In-Motion (WIM)
Systems Used for Vehicle Enforcement Screening--Tentative Code to also
apply to legal-for-trade (commercial) and law enforcement applications.
The TG is made up of representatives of WIM equipment manufacturers;
the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration;
truck weight enforcement agencies; state weights and measures agencies;
and others. Mr. Alan Walker (State of Florida) serves as Chair of the
TG.
Members of the TG met face to face for the first time at the NCWM
Annual Meeting in July 2016. It was agreed at that meeting to eliminate
from the proposal any mention of a law enforcement application and
focus solely on WIM systems intended for use in commercial
applications. The main focus of the TG since the July 2016 meeting has
been to concentrate on the development of test procedures that can be
used to verify the accuracy of a slow-speed WIM system while taking
into consideration the different axle and tandem axle configurations of
the vehicles that will typically be weighed by the system.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas and Anhydrous Ammonia Liquid-Measuring Devices
Item 3302-1 N.3. Test Drafts
The S&T Committee will continue to hear updates on the progress of
a ``Developing'' item on its agenda (carried over from its 2016 agenda)
that would propose recognizing the use of calibrated transfer standards
(also called ``master meters'') in the verification and calibration of
Liquefied Petroleum Gas and Anhydrous Ammonia Liquid-Measuring Devices.
Currently, most official tests of these devices are conducted using
volumetric test measures or using gravimetric testing. The proposal
outlined in this item includes requirements for a minimum test draft
and would recognize the use of ``master meters'' in both service-
related and official testing. This item is also intended to explore the
possibility of expanding the use of transfer standards to other types
of measuring devices, including those used to measure petroleum at
terminals and retail outlets, and to meters used to deliver home
heating fuel and other products.
Mass Flow Meters
Item 3307-2 N.3. Test Drafts
The S&T Committee will continue to hear updates on the progress of
a ``Developing'' item on its agenda (also carried over from its 2016
agenda) that would propose recognizing the use of calibrated transfer
standards (also called ``master meters'') in the verification and
calibration of Mass Flow Meters. Currently, most official tests of
these devices are conducted using gravimetric test procedures. The
proposal outlined in this item includes requirements for a minimum test
draft, and would recognize the use of ``master meters'' in both
service-related and official testing.
Taximeters
Item 3504-1 A.2. Exemptions;
Item 3504-2 U.S. National Work Group (USNWG) on Taximeters--Taximeter
Code Revisions and Global Positioningt System (GPS)-Based Systems for
Time and Distance Measurement; and
Item 3600-6 5.XX. Transportation Network Systems--Tentative Code and
Appendix D. Definitions
For several years, the NIST USNWG on Taximeters has discussed
possible
[[Page 91912]]
approaches for amending the NIST Handbook 44, Taximeters Code to
specifically recognize GPS-based time and distance measuring systems
that are used to assess charges for transportation services such as
those provided by taxicabs and limousines. Appropriate specifications,
tolerances, and other technical requirements for these devices must be
developed for manufacturers and users of these devices, as well for
weights and measures officials. Such requirements help ensure accuracy
and transparency for customers and a level playing field for
transportation service companies, enabling consumers to make value
comparisons between competing services. In 2016, the USNWG on
Taximeters submitted a proposal through multiple regional weights and
measures associations to establish a separate NIST Handbook 44 code to
address ``Transportation Network Measurement Systems (TNMS).'' Changes
to the current NIST Handbook 44, Taximeters Code are also needed to
recognize taximeters that are now being designed to operate using
similar features and functionality as TNMS; these changes have been
proposed in a separate item. The S&T Committee will examine these
proposals to assess how to best address these systems.
NCWM L&R Committee
The following items are proposals to amend NIST Handbook 130 or
NIST Handbook 133:
NIST Handbook 130--Section on Uniform Regulation for the Method of Sale
of Commodities:
Item 2302-6 Section 2.17. Precious Metals
The L&R Committee will consider a proposal to recommend adoption of
a uniform method of sale for precious metals that will enhance the
ability of consumers to whether they are getting a fair price for their
precious metals. This proposal will allow a consumer to make an
informed decision in doing an equitable trade or purchase and also make
value comparisons. This proposal is not for precious metals traded on
the commodity market. If adopted, the proposal will require sellers to
prominently display conversion factors and the unit price they will pay
for items containing various amounts of precious metals.
NIST Handbook 133--``Checking the Net Contents of Packaged Goods:''
Item 2600-4 Section 4.5. Polyethylene Sheeting
The current test procedure in NIST Handbook 133, Section 4.
Polyethylene Sheeting has provided a test procedure for only
polyethylene sheeting and some bag type products. The L&R Committee
will consider a proposal to expand the requirements to also include
polyethylene bags (e.g., t-shirt bags that retail stores put consumer
goods in for carry-out) and can liners. If adopted, this proposal would
clarify the test procedure and improve the accuracy of length
determinations when determining test measurements for bags and liners,
including bags with a cut out (t-shirt bags).
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 272(b).
Kevin Kimball,
NIST Chief of Staff.
[FR Doc. 2016-30436 Filed 12-16-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P
