April
2011
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Spring 2011 Newsletter |
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In this issue:
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ENERGY STAR® Program Takes Off |
The EPA’s ENERGY STAR® program has leapt out of
the starting gate, providing
Certification to several thousand products in the
first months of operation, ranging from geothermal
heat pumps to computers and refrigerators.
Approximately 1000 of these devices are in the home
appliance and IT sector. The program is expected to
grow rapidly, as more manufacturers submit
applications to qualified Certification Bodies (CBs).
The certification program was launched by
the EPA last year in response to increased scrutiny
of voluntary programs by the Inspector General at the
EPA and the Department of Energy. The team at EPA
went into full gear to develop an ISO Guide 65-based
system of Certification and designated Accreditation
Bodies to accredit Certification organizations.
Read More >>
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ACIL Mid-Winter Meeting Recap
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The
2011 American Council of Independent Laboratories
(ACIL) meeting was held in Arlington Virginia on
March 29th, followed by a visit to the US Trade
Representative (USTR) the following day. A summary
of the topics is presented herein.
NIST Reorganization. The National Institute
of Standards and Technology has recently been
re-organized to streamline its operations and align
the laboratory functions along mission-based lines.
The reorganization, under Director Patrick Gallagher
is proceeding apace; however, the principle
objectives for the organization haven’t changed.
Critical to US Export Initiatives are ongoing
Standards In Trade (SIT) programs that bridge
international standards organizations in developing
parts of the world with US regulatory, testing and
standards interests.
Read More >>
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Japan Certification for Wireless Devices
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Implementation of The US-Japan MRA Aids
US
Manufacturers
A bright spot in the
US-Asia trade picture is the
newly-adopted certification program that allows US
entities to certify radio devices for the Japanese
market.
 Our sister company, American Certification
Body, Inc. (ACB) has been approved in the first
round of Certification Bodies recognized to perform
Certification for wireless devices to Japanese Radio
Law, increasing market-access for manufacturers on
both sides of the Pacific.
Read More >>
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Nuclear Power Engineering Advances on
Tip-Toes
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Safety of nuclear power plants is in the eye of the
media and technical storm after the devastating dual
disasters in Japan last month. Much of the
engineering that is designed into these plants are
state-of-the-art and in our view the nuclear industry
has built multiple-redundant systems in the plants
where we have worked.
But Mother Nature always
holds the trump card.
In the US, to license a
plant, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
mandates compliance with Title 10 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (10 CFR). A variety of testing is
mandated for safety-critical systems.
Read More >>
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Burying (and Re-burying) the Dead in Mỹ Tho,
Vietnam
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Despite the rapid urbanization
and influx of Western thought, there are still
strong traditions not far from the shops
featuring Chanel and Burberry in Central Saigon.
During our trip just before the rainy
season, we were escorted to the Mekong River
Delta by a convivial forty-something named Tran
Thanh. “Call me Mervin,” he said from the front
seat of the new Toyota SUV as we pulled away
from the Rex Hotel.
We exited the center
of District 1 and hopped on the 40 kilometer
divided highway to Mỹ Tho.
Read More >>
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