Part 21 Report - 1998-491

 
 

ACCESSION #: 9806150059



Document Control Desk

U.S.  Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Washington, DC 20555



June 9, 1998



To Whom It May Concern:



Entek IRD International Corp. is a supplier of calibration services for

NIST traceability of vibration measurements for portable vibration

measurement equipment to a number of licensees under 10CFR50, Appendix B.

These licensees impose 10CFR50, Appendix B and 10CFR 21 on purchase

orders for these calibration services.  In the case of vibration

transducers, the traceability is established by shaking them on equipment

that is calibrated using a NIST calibrated transducer with an accuracy of

+/- 1%.  The calibrated accuracy of the shaker system (Unholtz-Dickie

Model MA351) is +/- 1.25% or better.



In November of 1995, Pacific Gas and Electric audited IRD Mechanalysis,

Inc. (Entek Scientific Corp. merged with IRD Mechanalysis, Inc.  in July,

1996 to form Entek IRD International Corp.) against 10CFR50, Appendix B.

During the course of resolving the audit findings, it was determined that

the system accuracy of the Unholtz-Dickie shaker tables was actually +/-

1.6%, or the root-sum-square of the 1 % NIST accuracy with the 1.25%

shaker table accuracy.



IRD Mechanalysis, Inc, had been providing calibration certificates

indicating +/-5% accuracy for transducers calibrated on its Unholtz-

Dickie shaker tables with a 4:1 accuracy ratio (5% to 1.25%) when it had

actually been providing +/-5% accuracy with a 3.125:1 accuracy ratio (5%

to 1.6%).  On December 20, 1996 my predecessor, Rodger T.  Harvey

(deceased), received a letter from Michael J.  Jacobson of Pacific Gas

and Electric informing him of the potential for reportability of this

condition under 10CFR21.



Rochester Gas and Electric brought the letter from Michael J.  Jacobson

to my attention during an audit in January 1998.  I have analyzed the

condition and consulted with various metrology experts regarding the

impact of a difference between a 4:1 accuracy ratio and a 3.125:1

accuracy ratio on a calibrated accuracy of 5%.  Using the strictest

interpretation, it is possible that the final calibrated

accuracy should be assumed to be 6.4% if the 4:1 accuracy ratio is

required from the 1.6% accuracy of the Unholtz-Dickie shaker tables.

This could cause a revision of absolute test limits in an extreme case.

E.g. if equipment must be shut down at a 1g vibration level, the test

limit should be set at 0.950 g's to assure that the 1 g limit is not

exceeded due to +/- 5% accuracy of the equipment; if the calibrated

accuracy of the equipment is changed to +/- 6,4% then the test limit

should be revised to 0.936 g's.



                   ENTEK IRD INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION



The accuracy ratio listed on calibration certificates was changed to 2:1

to insure an accurate certificate but I can only assure that such a

change was in effect since April 10, 1997, when my tenure as Quality

Assurance Manager began.  All Entek IRD International Corp. calibration

certificates now carry the statement of calibrated Unholtz-Dickie

accuracy and NIST reference accuracy that works out to 3.125:1.



I advise that individual licensees evaluate the impact of a change from a

4:1 accuracy ratio to a 3.125:1 accuracy ratio at +/-5% accuracy for any

instruments or transducers calibrated by Entek IRD International Corp.

or IRD Mechanalysis, Inc.  on its Unholtz-Dickie Model MA351 shaker

tables prior to April 10, 1997.



Sincerely,



John Humphries

Quality Assurance Manager



                   ENTEK IRD INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION



GENERAL INFORMATION or OTHER                 EVENT NUMBER: 34371



LICENSEE: ENTEK IRD INTERNATIONAL CORP.   NOTIFICATION DATE:   06/09/98

CITY: COLUMBUS           REGION: 3        NOTIFICATION TIME:   13:48 [ET]

COUNTY:                   STATE: OH       EVENT DATE:          06/09/98

LICENSE#:             AGREEMENT: N        EVENT TIME:          00:00[EDT]

DOCKET:                                   LAST UPDATE DATE:    06/09/98



                                                  NOTIFICATIONS



NRC NOTIFIED BY: HUMPHRIES

HQ OPS OFFICER:  CHAUNCEY GOULD



EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE

10 CFR SECTION:

CCCC 21.21     UNSPECIFIED PARAGRAPH



                               EVENT TEXT



ENTEK IRD INTERNATIONAL CORP. IS THE SUPPLIER OF CALIBRATION SERVICES

FOR

LAST TRACEABILITY OF VIBRATION MEASUREMENTS FOR PORTABLE

VIBRATION -

MEASUREMENT EQUIPMENT.



PRIOR TO A MERGER BETWEEN ENTEK SCIENTIFIC AND IRD MECHANALYSIS, INC

IN

1996, AUDITS WERE PERFORMED BY PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC AGAINST 10CFR50,

APPENDIX B AND THERE WAS A QUESTION OF THE ACCURACY OF THE

CALIBRATION

CERTIFICATES BEING PROVIDED BY IRD MECHANALYSIS.  IRD MECHANALYSIS

INC.

HAD BEEN PROVIDING CALIBRATION CERTIFICATES INDICATING ACCURACY

FOR

TRANSDUCERS CALIBRATED ON ITS UNHOLTZ-DICKIE SHAKER TABLES WITH A

4:1

ACCURACY RATIO WHEN IT ACTUALLY HAD A 3.125:1 ACCURACY RATIO.  THE

COMPANY IS ADVISING THE LICENSEES TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF A

CHANGE FROM

A 4:1 ACCURACY RATIO TO A 3.125:1 ACCURACY RATIO.



                                                        6150 Huntley Road

ENTEK IRD                                              Columbus, OH 43229

                                                     Phone:(614) 885-5376

                                                       FAX (614) 885-7668

The Machinery Information Company



FAX TRANSMITTAL SHEET



DATE:          June 9, 1998             Copies:

TO:            NRC Operations Center    By FAX:

COMPANY:       NRC

TEL #:         301-816-5100             By Mail:

FAX #:         301-816-5151

FROM:          John Humphries

RE:            10CFR21 Notification

PAGE COUNT (including this page):    3



MESSAGE:



To Whom It May Concern:



Attached please find a 10CFR21 notification.  This document is also being

sent via U.S. mail to the address listed.



Thank you,



John Humphries

Quality Assurance Manager



                                                                ENTEK IRD



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