Reference #172

Creator: C.E.Turner


TO:       FGIS Policy Bulletin Board

FROM:     David Orr, Director
          Field Management Division

SUBJECT:  Checktesting of "Corn-Only" Dockage Testers


The Equipment Handbook testing schedule requires that the FGIS
field office provide for the checktesting of all official
agency and field office dockage testers twice a year, in May
and November.  This requirement is hereby modified for those
dockage testers used for "corn-only."
The requirement for periodic testing is reduced to once a year
(May) only.  All dockage testers used for other grains shall
continue to be tested twice a year.

Nearly 50 dockage testers are presently tested with corn as
the testing medium.  Each machine is tested with a set of
three corn samples sent from one of the field offices.  The
allowable tolerance for BCFM removal is 70.20 percent mean
deviation of the test machine from the field office Standard
using corn.

A survey of the field offices who routinely test "corn-only"
machines indicated that none of the machines have failed to be
in tolerance during the periodic checktest.  Therefore,
decreasing the frequency of testing of these machines to one
time per year will not adversely affect the capability of the
official inspection system.  As with all inspection equipment,
each official agency and field office is still responsible for
maintaining these machines in good operating condition and
ensuring that they are properly adjusted.