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"It's what's inside that counts, at the finest interstitial detail."

About Us

A professional profile of Curtis Vancura and White Horse Reference Materials

Curtis Vancura, founder of White Horse Technical Services and White Horse Reference Materials

Company Overview

Curtis Vancura is the founder of White Horse Technical Services (WHTS) and its subsidiary, White Horse Reference Materials (WHRM). The production facility is primarily located in Arcadia, California. WHTS, established in 1984, specializes in the maintenance, repair, and support of LECO interstitial gas analyzers used for determination of hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon in metals. WHRM focuses on the production of titanium and zirconium pin certified reference materials (CRMs), with particular emphasis on precisely controlled hydrogen content for the aerospace and analytical chemistry communities.

Galileo space probe, NASA

Founder’s Technical Background

Vancura’s technical path began early. He demonstrated a strong practical interest in how things work as a child, progressed to hands-on electronics repair in his teens, and later worked in avionics service engineering and the design of specialized test equipment (including contributions related to the Galileo space probe program). In 1984 he founded WHTS in response to demand for competent field service on LECO gas analyzers. Decades of direct laboratory and instrument experience revealed limitations in existing hydrogen-in-titanium reference materials, particularly with respect to homogeneity and uncertainty for pin-form samples preferred in modern inert-gas fusion analysis.

NIST Reference Material Provider

Development of Reference Material Production

In 2011, responding to industry needs and subsequent engagement with NIST, Vancura led the development of a proprietary multi-step process for dosing hydrogen into titanium to produce homogeneous candidate material in pin form. This work enabled the formal establishment of WHRM as a reference material producer operating in accordance with the principles of ISO 17034. The resulting materials were selected by NIST for use in Standard Reference Materials SRM 2453a and SRM 2454a. Characterization of these materials involved collaboration with NIST scientists. NIST employed concurrent PGAA analysis of the lots, which validated the gas doser’s calibration accuracy with superior uncertainty.

White Horse Reference Materials titanium pin CRM samples

Primary Certification Capability

WHRM’s enhanced in-house implementation of ASTM E1447 incorporates a highly precise, variable gas doser. This system provides the extreme precision and accuracy needed for direct-to-the-SI certification, enabling production of primary reference materials in the same manner as NIST. As a result, there is no reliance on external laboratories that calibrate against secondary CRMs. Subsequent production lots have included titanium and zirconium CRMs with hydrogen contents ranging from approximately 1.0 mg/kg to as high as 1000 mg/kg.

ASTM International — Standards Worldwide

Standards Involvement and Accreditation Status

Vancura has been an active member of ASTM Committee E01 (Analytical Chemistry for Metals, Ores, and Related Materials) since 2012, contributing to the development and evaluation of test methods, practices, and statistical approaches relevant to chemical analysis and interlaboratory studies. The organization is currently pending full accreditation to ISO 9001:2015, ISO/IEC 17025:2017, and ISO 17034:2016 as a subsidiary of RMRMs.com. Ongoing work continues to refine production and characterization methods, expand the available suite of titanium and zirconium CRMs, and support laboratories that require reliable, SI-traceable primary standards.

Summary Perspective

In summary, the work of Curtis Vancura and White Horse centers on practical, application-driven improvements in reference materials for interstitial gas analysis—particularly hydrogen in titanium and zirconium—grounded in long-term instrument service experience, targeted R&D, and collaboration with national metrology and standards bodies. The emphasis remains on producing primary materials that laboratories can rely upon for calibration and process monitoring, with continuous attention to homogeneity, direct SI traceability, and refinement of both production processes and measurement capability.

What do you need? Let us know

Ultra-low hydrogen (~1 mg/kg)? High nitrogen? Custom hydrogen in titanium or zirconium up to 1000 mg/kg?

We strive to provide the H, N, O, and C values that you need. Contact us to let us know what you need.

Company Goals

  • Our goal over the next 10 years is to make sure that our premium grade of titanium and zirconium reference materials take their rightful place in the Inert Gas Fusion Interstitial Gas Analysis market.
  • To complete our pending accreditation for ISO 9001:2015 “Quality management systems”, ISO/IEC 17025:2017 “General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories” and ISO 17034:2016 “General requirements for the competence of reference material producers,” as a subsidiary of RMRMs.com.
  • We are constantly working to improve our quality methods and procedures.
  • WHTS Research and Development is refining technology to target and produce analyte values to meet the market’s needs. WHRM invites laboratories to let us know what values are needed for hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon Certified Reference Materials.
  • To produce and stock a full complement of titanium and zirconium Certified Reference Materials with the processing capacity to meet the world’s highest market demand at reasonable prices.
  • To develop pipelines to bring our products to the world marketplace.