All Metrology Programmes

Each of the National Measurement System (NMS) Programmes is the output of a formulation exercise involving wide-ranging consultation of stakeholders, including the National Measurement Institutes, research organisations, industrial and non-industrial end-users and public organisations.

Prioritisation is based on independent advice from programme working groups comprised of industrialists, academics and government representatives.

The NMS portfolio comprises five main programme types:

1. The Knowledge Base
This consists of five programmes covering the following measurement disciplines:

Chemical and Biological Metrology
Engineering and Flow Metrology
Acoustic and Ionising Radiation Metrology
Materials and Thermal Metrology
Physical Metrology

Knowledge base programmes contain projects that use and develop the extensive existing capability and facilities of the UK National Measurement Institutes. The projects typically address a current well-defined public, legislative or industrial need with a time horizon of up to 5 years. Knowledge base projects promote industrial innovation in established technologies, often through research and development (R&D) to improve measurement techniques and methods.

2. NMS Innovation R&D
This programme contains projects aimed at developing new measurement capabilities in support of strategic national priorities, such as those defined by the Government’s technology strategy. The projects typically have time horizons greater than 5 years, and aim to address the measurement needs of emerging technologies and to provide the necessary support for future legislation.

3. Underpinning Metrology
This consists of two programmes which serve the needs of the knowledge base programmes:

Pathfinder Metrology
Software Support for Metrology (SSfM)

Pathfinder Metrology comprises projects that address the next generation of measurement needs, such as new primary standards, the long term development of the SI Units and the revision of values of fundamental constants. SSfM projects address the current and emerging needs of other NMS programmes for generic techniques for modelling, simulation, algorithm design, signal analysis and measurement uncertainty.

4. Cross Cutting Metrology
There are two strategic programmes that operate for the benefit of the whole NMS portfolio:

International Metrology
Metrology Measurement for Innovators

The International Metrology Programme represents the NMS in UK, Europe and globally. Its projects contribute to international initiatives that bring benefits to the UK through collaboration and coordination. The Measurement for Innovators programme improves and promotes the accessibility of advice from the NMIs in the form of Joint Industry Projects (JIPs), short consultancies for SMEs, and through secondments.

5. Regulatory Metrology
This consists of two programmes that fulfil statutory and regulatory roles:

Legal Metrology
Government Chemist Programme

The Legal Metrology programme underpins the regulation of measurement particularly in the area of trade (weights and measures). The Government Chemist programme delivers the Government Chemist’s statutory functions as referee analyst, as named in more than 20 Acts of Parliament.

Please contact us for further information regarding metrology measurement.