Metrology policies to foster the competitiveness of...

Metrology and competitiveness 24/01/2012

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Metrology policies

to foster the competitiveness

of industry

Jean-François MAGAÑA


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Foreword This report has been prepared in conjunction with a similar study carried out for the French Government. This issue of the contribution of metrology to the competitiveness of industries has not yet been the object of a report within BIPM or OIML, so it seemed to me useful to prepare a report, extended to the international level, and to propose this report to the OIML and BIPM. During this study, I had contacts with, and received contributions from a number of colleagues from other countries and from international organizations. I would like to address my thanks to :

• Dr. Michael Kuehne, BIPM Director,

• Mr. Stephen Patoray, BIML Director,

• Prof. Kaarls, CIPM Secretary,

• Dr. Usuda, BIPM,

• Mr. Mason, NMO (UK), CIML President,

• Dr. Maguelonne Chambon, LNE, France

• Dr. Hockert, NIST,

• Dr. Espina, USA, NSTC

• Prof. Kochsiek, Past CIML Vice-President,

• Mr. Birch, CIML Honorary Member, I would also like to express my thanks to Mr. Pu Changcheng, P.R China, APLMF President, for having invited me to give a presentation of an interim report at the APLMF/APMP joint Symposium held in Beijing on 13 to 15 December 2011 and for the support he gave me.


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Summary

1 IMPORTANCE OF METROLOGY ..........................................................................................4

1.1 What is metrology ? ...............................................................................................4

1.2 Why metrology is essential for the economy and the society.............................4

1.3 Some horror stories and success stories...........................................................12

1.4 Image of metrology in the industry .....................................................................14

2 INTERNATIONAL GUIDANCE............................................................................................18

2.1 International reports on the stakes of metrology...............................................18

2.2 Recommendations on the national metrology systems ....................................19

2.3 European priorities for the research in metrology .............................................19

3 ELEMENTS FOR A METROLOGY POLICY ...........................................................................22

3.1 Survey of the needs in metrology .......................................................................22

3.2 Orientation of national research in metrology....................................................23

3.3 Technology transfer from research to industry..................................................24

3.4 Support to innovation...........................................................................................24

3.5 Promoting metrology in the design of products ................................................26

3.6 Promoting metrology for the efficiency of industrial processes.......................28

3.7 Metrology at the production stage ......................................................................28

3.8 Improving the dialog between donors of order and subcontractors ................29

3.9 Making metrology easier to understand by managers.......................................30

3.10 Developing metrology as a horizontal skill.........................................................31

Annexes Annex 1 Criteria for the management of a metrology institute....................................32

Annex 2 Collective actions to demonstrate the impact of metrology .........................34

Annex 3 Bibliography - Links.........................................................................................37


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1 IMPORTANCE OF METROLOGY

Before addressing the policies on metrology, it is useful to recall the stakes of metrology, and the reports that were made about metrology in international organizations (BIPM, OIML) as well as at national level.

1.1 What is metrology ?

Metrology is the science of measurement and its application (VIM, 2.2). The VIM adds in a note that “Metrology includes all theoretical and practical aspects of measurement, whatever the measurement uncertainty and field of application.” Metrology is then not limited to a scientific domain, but includes all applications where measurements occur, be it in the scientific, technical, industrial or commercial fields, in the implementation of public policies and in everyday’s life. Two quotations from Lord Kelvin are often given :

When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind.

The more you understand what is wrong with a figure, the more valuable that figure becomes.

These two quotations express in a way that can be understood by anyone the two fundamental needs in metrology :

• Need to measure phenomena in order to understand and get them under control,

• Need to evaluate the quality of measurements (uncertainties). Metrology is generally classified in three domains :

• Scientific metrology, whose purpose is to realize and improve the highest level references,

• Legal metrology, whose purpose is to edict and enforce legal requirements for measurements that are of interest for public order and trade loyalty,

• Practical metrology, which covers non regulated issues of metrology, in particular in the economic and industrial fields.

1.2 Why metrology is essential for the economy and the society

1.2.1 Scientific research

Metrology is essential in scientific research. Only more accurate and reliable measurement results may invalidate existing theories. This was the case when measurements of the speed of light by Michelson and Morley showed that the expected differences in the speed of light in different directions did not exist despite the movement of earth on its orbite. This led to consider that the speed of light is a fundamental constant. Today measurement results are still occasions of questioning the theories. The "Pioneer anomaly" which showed that the Pioneer probes were decelerated more than expected when


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leaving the solar system 1 questioned the constant of gravitation. In this case explanations of this anomaly have been found, which do not need to question the theory. Another example is the OPERA neutrino anomaly, an experiment in which neutrinos seemed to travel faster than light speed 2. This issue is still under examination. Reciprocally metrology progresses with scientific discoveries. The development of methods to cool and trap atoms with laser light, Nobel Prize of physics in 1997 3, had a quite impressive impact on metrology, allowing to improve the uncertainty of time measurement and reach an uncertainty of about 5.10-16 (one second per 63 million years)

1.2.2 Product design and innovation

At the stage of design of new products or at the stage of improvement of existing products, measurements are involved in several ways:

• for expressing the performances assigned to the product, where measurements can avoid unnecessary costs dueto too severe requirements,

• for expressing the interface characteristics of the product, where they ensure the compatibility of these products,

• for tests and qualification of prototypes,

• for evaluating the performances of production processes available or to be set up,

• for defining critical points in the manufacturing process and for defining methods and criteria for the control of production.

In addition, scientific metrology has two types of impact on the development of new and advanced technologies and on innovation:

• the development of new technologies (nanotechnologies, biotechnologies, optical technologies, etc.) needs advances measurement techniques deriving from the progress of metrological research, in order to be able to be used at industrial level,

• scientific metrology activities are an occasion to develop innovative devices, often in pertnership with industry, or sometimes directly by the research laboratories; these devices may give opportunities for the industry to produce and market them.

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_anomaly 2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPERA_neutrino_anomaly 3 http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1997/press.html


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Sensors - Recommendations

The development of sensors needs two approaches:

. ensure the diffusion of existing solutions by setting up integration platforms and demonstrating operations in order to facilitate the relations between SME and large companies:

. facilitate the development of new generations of sensors. In this perspective there is a need to develop technologies which associate MEMS and NEMS (Micro and Nano Electromechanical Systems) to serve the future needs of sensors at low cost for consumer products, and on the longer term, NEMS technologies for biochemical analysys sensors.

In complement, the diffusion of sensors in SMEs needs to set up a support to SMEs in standardization activities.

(Technologies-clés 2015 - 8, French ministry of economy, http://www.industrie.gouv.fr/tc2015/)

1.2.3 Product conformity

Product conformity is a must for enterprises :

• conformity to regulatory requirements, this aspect of public policies being recognized by the World Trade Organization (see quotation below),

• conformity to the requirements of donors of order, without which the manufacturers risk to lose their clients,

• conformity with the specifications publicized by the manufacturer, which is a condition of fair trade.

Metrology, the art of measuring is an essential part of standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures. These technical requirements are to be applied as yard stick for product quantity and quality, for compatibility and inter-connectivity of goods, to ensure proper conditions for production or testing with the objectives, inter alias, to protect the health and safety of consumers and workers, prevention of deceptive practices or to protect the environment. They can be vital to facilitate transaction in an increasingly complex global economy. However, it is important to ensure that these standards, regulations and conformity assessment procedures are not prepared, adopted and applied in such a way that they create unnecessary obstacles to international trade. In this regard, the application of the TBT disciplines by relevant bodies and regulatory authorities is essential

Vivien Liu, WTO, Seminar on metrology, Paris, 2000 [6]

Conformity requires recognized and harmonized standards on the performances of products and on their interface characteristics. To establish such standards, it is necessary first to carry out measurement and evaluation activities, which are of utmost importance at pre-standardization stage. At the production stage, in order to assure and demonstrate this conformity, it is necessary to carry out credible tests and measurements, either by the manufacturer or by third part bodies. This requires that metrology be organized and consistent at national and international level, which is necessary for the recognition of tests and measurements by the interested parties, and for the consistency of tests and measurements carried out by different parties.


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1.2.4 Optimization of processes

A field which has not been addressed enough up to now, is the need of metrology in the design, the analysis and the improvement of production processes. This field pertains to the competence of the manufacturer and generally does not imply other parties. It is however a considerable factor of productivity and competitiveness of the enterprises. To analyze and optimize a production process allows to:

• reduce the risks of failure of the process and of the products and to improve security,

• to improve the availability of the production line,

• to optimize the production control plan while reducing its cost and improving its efficiency,

• to make the production process more efficient in terms of raw materials and energy,

• to reduce the environmental impact of the production process. Metrology, in association with risk analysis (FMECA) applied to the product and applied to the process, and with other techniques of Quality (value analysis or design to cost for example) allows to bring very valuable answers to the issues of competitiveness and impact of industrial activities.

1.2.5 Health

Metrology is an essential stake in the field of health. Measurements are more and more used in diagnosis, therapy, pharmacopea and protection of patients and practicians. Some examples out of numerous applications can be given:

• the accreditation of medical analysis laboratories allow practicians to have a betetr confidence in the analysis results that are provided to them from any accredited laboratory,

• the required tolerance concerning the doses delivered in radiotherapy is only three to five times larger than the best uncertainties of reference metrological laboratories,

• the progress of ionizing radiation metrology allows to implement therapies using lower doses,

• dosimetry in radioprotection in industry, in hospitals and at proximity of nuclear plants, is clearly a major issue,

• detection of pollutants, pesticides, pathogenous agents and radioactivity in food is also specially topical.

Health - Food - Sensors for real time measurements

The economical and public health stakes are considerable. Biological and physical sensors allow to come to more personalized treatments at home and so contribute to a significant reduction of national health costs. Some services of tele-medicine will depend on the effective adoption of sensors for patients at home.

In the agro-food sector, sensors allow to improve the sanitary security of food products, whilen assuring a better traceability and a better follow-up of products. More generally they also contribute to reduce the costs which are specially high for companies working on industrial bioprocesses (reducing losses or allowing to treat them faster).



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Fast diagnosis technologies

Systems of fast diagnosis face numerous stakes to which technical developments must answer :

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• performance in terms of specificity, sensitivity, for different types of samples ;

• easy interpretation of delivered results ;

• possibility to integrate several measuring methods in parallel (nucleic acide, proteins, etc.) in the same system, in particular to allow multiplexing ;

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Other difficulties must also be addressed. It is necessary to develop methods of analysis and quality control for the characterization, purification, stability of components. Approaches must also be defined to determine security and efficiency, in particular new molecular approaches applied to fast diagnosis.


1.2.6 Energy

Energy efficiency and savings, its production, the development of renewable energies, atre issues in which metrology is essential, in order to ensure:

• the accuracy of the measurements of imported fuels,

• the safety of energy production plants and the environmental impact of these plants,

• the monitoring and the efficiency of energy production plants,

• the monitoring of energy consumptions and enrgy savings,

• the adaptation and the balance of electricity distribution networks to renewable sources (smart grids)

Nuclear energy

Whatever path is considered, technological needs are identified, the main ones being:

• L

• instrumentation for control, monitoring and for the safety of installations : the purpose is to widen the possibilities of measurement and of signal processing. The scope is wide : chemical, mechanical, optical, thermal, neutronic measurements...


Smart electrical networks

The associated technologies include :

• a smart electricity transport and distribution network equipped in particular with transmission and distribution systems (sub-stations, sensors networks),

- allowing to communicate between stakeholders of the system (productors, distributors, consumers)

- as well as the whole control systems in order to optimize the management of distribution, to adjust production and to prevent disfunctionings of thye network ;

• smart electricity meters installed at consumers places, and able to exchange with the network in real time in order to better monitor the demand, to even the consumption peaks and to proceed to distant reading ;



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Buildings - smart metering

Smart metering is a key component of a global approach of the whole set of energetic components of a building. It is a central and structuring technology in this domain, specially due to the resulting diversity of services.

(Technologies-clés 2015 -74, French ministry of economy, http://www.industrie.gouv.fr/tc2015/)

1.2.7 Environnement

The environment is a continuously growing domain for measurements.

• Measurement of air quality in cities allows to take appropriate actions : reduction of the authorized speed of vehicles, restrictions of circulation, etc.

• Meteorological measurements allow to foresee ozone peaks of pollution and also to take appropriate actions,

• The equipment of cars with sensors allows them to pollute less and less, and the analysis of exhaust gases at design stage, at subsequent technical controls and at random by the enforcement officers completes this,

• Measurement of liquid and gaseous effluents from industries allows to control the pollution, to stop installations or trigger alarms and to take actions to protect the population,

• The contribution of measurements to the optimization of industrial processes, evoked at 1.2.4 above, is of course a quite essential contribution to the protection of the environment.

• The surveillance of the level and quality of water tables is clearly of major importance in the context of rarefaction of this resource throughout the world.

Many other domains could also be mentioned : measurement of noise, measurements of radiated electromagnetic fields, measurements of ambient radioactivity, etc.

Environment - Recommendations

Environmental urgency and eco-technologies form one of the three priorities. Growth opportunities for french industry are immense and must allow to answer the numerous stakes described above.

The development of measurement equipment and processes must allow to understand and better model the evolution of climate and biodiversity, as well as to better understand the reaction of living organisms to external agressions due to human activities, so as to assure a better protection. In this context, the investments for the future will significantly take these elements into account and will support the transfer of innovating means and technologies to the industry.

(Technologies-clés 2015, French ministry of economy, http://www.industrie.gouv.fr/tc2015/)


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Sensors for data acquisition

The recommendations for the development and the diffusion of these technologies concern :

• the necessity of upstream research work in particular on biomarkers,

• the need of networking with the actors, with a difficulty related to the confidentiality of data processed ;

• actions to be carried out to support the transfer of technologies


Technologies for the treatment of air

The technical feasibility of these types of technologies is already demonstrated, there remains however some technological issues to solve :

• upstream, the development of metrology applied to the quality of air ;

• the improvement of catalysers used in photocatalysis, allowing to reduce the size of the reactors and of the energy consumption of this technology ;

• the obtention of reliable, simple and cheap systems, as well for measurements (metrology) as for processing.


1.2.8 Security

Metrology and measurements contribute in a quite essential way to the security of persons. They accident of the Rio - Paris flight on 1st june 2009, in which the failure of speed measurement probes was one of the initial factors, is dramatically eloquent, although apparently this accident could have been avoided by appropriate reactions. Measurements of concern for security are present in all equipments and processes, either industrial or concerning the public :

• measurements of pressure of equipments in service,

• qualification of pressure vessels,

• industrial plants submitted to regulations concerning industrial risks,

• explosible atmospheres, gas detection,

• radioprotection dosimetry,

• air transport (altitude, speed, flight parameters, propulsion parameters, etc.)

• rail transport,

• road transport (instrumentation of vehicles, surveillance of the respect of legal dispositions),

• protection of workers against exposition to dangerous atmospheres,

• fire detection,

• electrical circuit breakers, etc.

1.2.9 Working conditions

Measurements are also means for specifying and controlling the working conditions, for example :


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• light in working places,

• noise in working places,

• salubrity (atmosphere),

• driving and rest periods for truck drivers, etc.

1.2.10 Trade

Measurements play a fundamental role in trade and they are an essential factor of good operation of economical flows. The stakes of measurements and metrology in the economy are the following :

• set up confidence in the transactions,

• contribute to fair competition,

• reduce the commercial costs,

• reduce the costs of disputation. Measurements, and confidence in measurement results, are indispensable elements of the efficiency of economical transactions : fluidity of transactions, reduction of delays, reduction of commercial costs, reduction of disputes, etc.

From its beginning measurement was recognised as a provider of objective information. However when used in trade transactions where the measurement process lacked transparency, and there was asymmetry of information between the trader providing the measurements and the trader accepting these measurements (usually the purchaser in retail transactions, the producer in farm produce transactions and the smaller business in commercial transactions) there was considerable scope for uncertainty, disputation, transaction costs and market inefficiency. (133, 134, 139).

These transaction costs can result from concerns about the accuracy of the measurement e.g. short measure, and the consistency of the measurement e.g. paying more than other customers.

Birch report to OIML, 2003

The stakes of metrology in the development of trade and of the economy are pointed out in the reports of UNIDO and of the World Trade Organization (see bibliography, Annex 1). The contribution of metrology to the economic development has also been described in several reports of the BIPM and the OIML, in particular the reports of Mr. Birch (OIML) and Kaarls / Blevin (BIPM). Lastly, metrology is one of the basis of the international recognitions of product conformity, and is therefore essential in the mechanisms of market regulation.

1.2.11 Protection of citizens

Measurements play a more and more systematic role in the protection of citizens. It guarantees the rights of citizens in legal prosecution, in particular concerning road penalties :

• maximum authorized speed of vehicles,

• pollution of vehicles,

• noise level of vehicles,


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• maximum load of vehicles,

• alcoolemy of drivers,

• etc.

1.2.12 Everyday's life

Metrology is also present in all aspects of everyday's life, either in a visible or invisible way, and the progress of metrology continuously irrigate our lives. The development of GPS systems is a specially visible example, but a large number of sensors, less visible, operate in everyday's life. One does not pay attention to the fact that a vehicle includes about 50 measurement sensors, controlling the parameters of the engine, the pollution, brakes (ABS), detection of unfastened safety belts, pressure of tires, pressure and temperature of oil and cooling system, delays between maintenance operations, etc. Board computers of vehicles manage these measurements without intervention of the driver and show alert messages when necessary. Domestic appliances also include many measurement sensors (weight, temperature, speed of a washing machine for example), the heating installations are commanded in an accurate way, taking into account the meteorological measurements, and the progress of domotics allow to design more efficient buildings : optimization of energy consumption depending of the meteorological measurements, on the costs of available energies (tariffs of electricity), on available renewable energies (solar energy, windmills), switching off certain domestic appliances, etc.

1.3 Some horror stories and success stories

1.3.1 Mars Climate Orbiter

NASA lost a 125 million Mars orbiter because a Lockheed Martin engineering team used English units of measurement while the agencys team used the more conventional metric system for a key spacecraft operation, according to a review finding released Thursday.

The units mismatch prevented navigation information from transferring between the Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft team in at Lockheed Martin in Denver and the flight team at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

Lockheed Martin helped build, develop and operate the spacecraft for NASA. Its engineers provided navigation commands for Climate Orbiters thrusters in English units although NASA has been using the metric system predominantly since at least 1990.

(CNN)

Project Cost

$327.6 million total for both orbiter and lander (not including Deep Space 2). $193.1 million for spacecraft development, $91.7 million for launch, and $42.8 million for mission operations.

NASA


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1.3.2 Radiotherapy

Zaragoza radiotherapy accident, 1990

An error occurred in the maintenance and calibration of a linear accelerator used for clinical radiotherapy; combined with procedural violations, overdosages of 200-700% occurred. The accelerator is related to the Therac-25 involved in several accidents in the United States and Canada. A total of 27 patients were overexposed during treatments for tumors between 10 and 20 December. Signs of radiation injury were observed on 26 December, and the first death occurred possibly shortly thereafter. By 28 February 1991 three patients had died, and an additional 7 died by 31 March 1991. Spainish authorities were reportly hesitant to release details of the accident, but sought foreign assistance in early 1991. A total of 18 eventually died as a result of radiation overexposures. The remaining patients all suffered major disabilities as a result.

Database of Radiological Incidents and Related Events 4

San José, Costa Rica, 1996

An error in the calibration of a cobalt-60 radiotherapy unit in Costa Rica resulted in overdosages of about 60%. The equipment change that produced the error occurred on 22 August, with the first treatments administered on 26 August. Of 42 patients that died through 7 July 1997, 3 died probably as a direct result of radiation exposure and 4 more with radiation exposure a contributing cause. Another 22 died probably of their disease and not of radiation exposure. Of the surviving overexposed patients, 4 suffered "catastrophic" consequences, 16 more severe effects, 26 had lesser effects, and 22 had no effects. Some sources attribute 17 deaths to the misadministrations.

Database of Radiological Incidents and Related Events

Panama City radiotherapy accident, 2000-2001

In August 2000 a modification to the computerized treatment planning system used to calculate shielding blocks during radiotherapy treatments. Unknown to the operators, the change resulted in overexposures to patients. Development of symptoms in treated patients led to discovery of the error on 24 March 2001, after 28 patients had been overexposed. Five patients died due to overexposure, one died in December 2000 of cancer unrelated to treatment, and two died by 2001 (one on 19 October 2000, 2 weeks after treatment) of undetermined causes. Of the radiation-related deaths, dates were as follows: 6 March, about 3 weeks after treatment; 28 March, about 7 weeks after treatment; 7 May, about 13 weeks after treatment; 19 May, about 10 weeks after treatment; 20 May, about 12 weeks after treatment; Most of the other 20 patients displayed injuries, mostly involving radiation injury to the bowel. By 23 May 2002, 17 patients had died, with 13 of the deaths caused by rectal complications and 14 deaths total linked to radiation exposure. By August 2003, 21 patients total had died with 17 of the deaths attributed to radiation exposure. For all deaths, times between exposure and death were 35, 47, 69, 115, 116, 117, 172, 277, 292, 292, 319, 321, 326, 345, 363, 386, 439, 650, 691, 782, and 836 days.

Database of Radiological Incidents and Related Events

1.3.3 Adjustment and control of medical thermometers

In 1985, a manufacturer of mercury-in-glass medical thermometers wished to beneficiate from the recognition of its quality assurance system for the (national) legal control of its production (about 1 million thermometers per year). Its reference standards were calibrated by LNE, with a calibration uncertainty of 0.02 °C (the maximum permissible errors on medical thermometers were - 0.15 °C and + 0.10 °C). 4 http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/nuclear/radevents/index.html


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The results of the unit verification of the thermometers of this manufacturer, carried out by LNE, showed a proportion of about 5 % of non compliance with the MPEs, which did not allow to recognize the quality assurance system, and therefore imposed to continue to have a unit verification by LNE (cost 0.20 FRF per thermometrer, to compare with the price of 5 FRF per thermometer on the market). The local legal metrology authority analyzed the internal verification process of the manufacturer, and discovered that the reference thermometers were not used in accordance with the calibration conditions used by LNE (depth of immersion of the reference thermometers). After this difference had been solved, the rejection rate became normal and the assurance quality system could be validated. This resulted into costs savings of about 5 % of the turnover of the enterprise on this product.

1.3.4 Breath analysers

In 1984, the French Government decided to develop the use of electronic breath analysers for the control of alcoholemy of drivers in order to reduce road accidents and casualties. Up to this date, only chemical breath testers were used to detect possible alcoholemy to be confirmed by blood analysis in a hospital. Electronic breath analysers that could be evidential would allow a more efficient enforcement of the law. As french manufacturers were ready to provide instruments for this, the french authorities charged LNE to develop evaluation and test methods for these instruments, and a legal metrology regulation followed this work. The implementation of tis regulation was complete and included :

• appropriate modification to the law on alcoholemy (making the alcohol in breath a legallly limited quantity),

• the means to establish the tracebility to legal units,

• the requirements on the instruments,

• the evaluation and verification equipment,

• the legal control of instruments (type approval, initial and subsequent verifications). Although some countries favoured other technical options, the fact that a complete set of requirements, test methods, certification procedures existed and was operating in France had for result that a number of other countries adopted similar regulations and this benefited to the competitiveness of the french industries.

1.4 Image of metrology in the industry

1.4.1 Metrology is too often perceived as a constraint by the enterprises

At present, the main concern of a manager concerning metrology is that his metrology should be compliant :

• with the regulations related to measuring instruments,

• with ISO 9001 standard,

• with the requirements of donors of orders. For these managers, metrology is a cost that is imposed on him by outside, an activity for which he has to appoint a responsible person or that he can subcontract, and in all cases, the cost of which he should minimize.


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Why then should he do more than what is required and invest resources in other aspects of metrology ? Managers will develop a metrology policy only if the benefits of a more global approach are demonstrated. It is then necessary to modify this perception of metrology and to promote metrology as a tool for competitiveness instead of just a mandatory activity.

1.4.2 Metrology is too often restricted to product conformity

This aspect of metrology has been largely developed in the enterprises, due to the development of quality systems certification and by the requirements of donors of orders on their suppliers.

ISO 9001-2008

1 Scope

1.1 General

This International Standard specifies requirements for a quality management system where an organization

a) needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide product that meets customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, and

b) aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for continual improvement of the system and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

NOTE 1 In this International Standard, the term “product” only applies to

a) product intended for, or required by, a customer,

b) any intended output resulting from the product realization processes.


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ISO 9001-2008

7.6 Control of monitoring and measuring equipment

The organization shall determine the monitoring and measurement to be undertaken and the monitoring and measuring equipment needed to provide evidence of conformity of product to determined requirements.

The organization shall establish processes to ensure that monitoring and measurement can be carried out and are carried out in a manner that is consistent with the monitoring and measurement requirements.

Where necessary to ensure valid results, measuring equipment shall

a) be calibrated or verified, or both, at specified intervals, or prior to use, against measurement standards traceable to international or national measurement standards; where no such standards exist, the basis used for calibration or verification shall be recorded (see 4.2.4);

b) be adjusted or re-adjusted as necessary;

c) have identification in order to determine its calibration status;

d) be safeguarded from adjustments that would invalidate the measurement result;

e) be protected from damage and deterioration during handling, maintenance and storage.

In addition, the organization shall assess and record the validity of the previous measuring results when the equipment is found not to conform to requirements. The organization shall take appropriate action on the equipment and any product affected.

Records of the results of calibration and verification shall be maintained (see 4.2.4).

When used in the monitoring and measurement of specified requirements, the ability of computer software to satisfy the intended application shall be confirmed. This shall be undertaken prior to initial use and reconfirmed as necessary.

NOTE Confirmation of the ability of computer software to satisfy the intended application would typically include its verification and configuration management to maintain its suitability for use.

ISO 9001-2008

8.1 General

The organization shall plan and implement the monitoring, measurement, analysis and improvement processes

needed

a) to demonstrate conformity to product requirements,

b) to ensure conformity of the quality management system, and

c) to continually improve the effectiveness of the quality management system.

This shall include determination of applicable methods, including statistical techniques, and the extent of their

use.

...

8.2.3 Monitoring and measurement of processes

The organization shall apply suitable methods for monitoring and, where applicable, measurement of the quality management system processes. These methods shall demonstrate the ability of the processes to achieve planned results. When planned results are not achieved, correction and corrective action shall be taken, as appropriate.

NOTE : When determining suitable methods, it is advisable that the organization consider the type and extent of monitoring or measurement appropriate to each of its processes in relation to their impact on the conformity to product requirements and on the effectiveness of the quality management system.

A study carried out in France on the needs expressed by the enterprises and on the offers of trainings is eloquent in this perspective.


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"Among the metrological activities carried out internally, the enterprises consider not important the activities related to the design and to the validation of the measurement process."

Of course, due to its methodology, this study cannot reflect the needs that have not been identified by the enterprises.


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2 INTERNATIONAL GUIDANCE

2.1 International reports on the stakes of metrology

A number of reports, at international and national levels, describe and analyse the stakes and the perspectives of metrology. The bibliography given in Annex 3 gives a list of the main reports and proceedings of Seminars that can be consulted. These reports point out the necessity of a metrological infrastructure (scientific metrology, "industrial“ metrology, legal metrology, training and consultancy, services in metrology, availability of equipment, maintenance and repair services, etc.) for the economic and social development. They show in particular the role of measurement activities in the economic activity and the correlation between the extent of measurement activities and the gross national income of a country, and also the correlation between the resources allocated to research in metrology and the level of development of a country. At international level, the BIPM and the OIML have published a number of reports and proceedings.

Areas of current and emerging demand for improved metrology recently defined by different economies lead to the following list of areas of priority:

• health care,

• food, agriculture and bio-technology,

• information and communications technology,

• nano-sciences, nano-technology, materials and new production technologies,

• energy,

• environment and climate change,

• transport, and

• space and security research.

Kaarls, BIPM, 2007 [ ..]

Studies conducted by NBS (9,11,12,14,17) between 1967 and 1984 indicated that the expenditure on measurement by industry, government and the community was between 3 and 6% of GNP and sectoral measurement intensity i.e. the expenditure on measurement related activities as a percentage of total expenditure varied between 20% and less than 1% of sector expenditure. Major users included Government, trade, electric gas and water utilities.

John Birch, 2003 [ ..]

National studies and reports give also quite interesting contributions :


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It appears that the positive relationship between proxies for countries’ measurement infrastructures and their performances in delivering quality to citizens is confirmed by a correlation coefficient between both variables of 0.505.

...

State subsidies for maintaining national measurement standards and for metrology research are therefore seen as part of policies that will foster quality, competitiveness, as

well as provide favourable environment for SMEs. Especially small to middle-sized states have a particular interest to allocate public subsidies in priority fields.

PTB - Nikola Poposki - Nineta Majcen - Philip Taylor [15]

Numerous reports are available on the web pages of NMO (UK) and reports were published by the French Academy of Science and by the French Academy of Technologies.

2.2 Recommendations on the national metrology systems

OIML International Document no. 1 "Elements for a law on metrology, reminds the stakes of a national infrastructure covering all aspects of metrology, clarifies the role of the State in setting up such an infrastructure, and gives a number of guidance for setting up and monitoring it, depending on the different organization schemes of organization of the State and on the different levels of development of the countries. This Document insists on the necessity for a State to define a global metrology policy, carried out at interministerial level.

2.3 European priorities for the research in metrology

The EURAMET documents identify the needs of development of metrology in order to answer the needs, in partyicular in the domain of new and emerging technologies, and in sectors where the need of measurements has considerably increased (climate change, environment, health, energy).

Health

Metrology for health underpins the more reliable and efficient exploitation of diagnostic and therapeutic methods and the development of new techniques, which is needed to improve health care, limit costs and foster the competitiveness of the related European industries and services. In addition, legislation requires more and more substances and techniques to be covered by metrology such as through the EU medical devices and in-vitro diagnostic directives.

EMRP [ 14]


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Energy

One of the current challenges is to explore the different solutions for transforming the current fossil fuel energy system into more sustainable ones based on a wide range of renewable energy sources. This challenge for new sources of energy addresses new technologies as well as energy efficiency, security of supply, climate change (highly connected with environment and climate changes) and EU competitiveness.

On the one hand, the current energy systems such as thermal, electrical or nuclear must have their efficiency improved to save the currently used basic sources such as fossilized energy or radioactive material. Needs include improved measuring devices for the quality of the electricity, combustion of fuel or temperature control in power plants.

On the other hand, research is strongly needed for the development of the new renewable energy sources in terms of characterisation and comparison of their efficiency as well as the knowledge of how they are used by the consumer or the end user. The sustainability of the energy sources is addressed in that sense.

EMRP [ 14]

New Technologies

Nanotechnology is a key enabling technology. The driving forces behind are the demand for ever increasing integration, e.g. in electronics and information technology, as well as the possibility of achieving new functionalities which are not possible otherwise such as through nano-structured surfaces, photonic crystals, optical meta-materials, and nano-particles. In many cases in nanotechnology, quantum-mechanical effects prohibit a scaling-down of properties of micro systems and thus require new scientific approaches. In the EMRP, the following metrological key challenges have been identified:

• development and combined application of optical and scanning probe microscopy for analysis of nano-structured surfaces, nano-particles and photo masks for semiconductor manufacturing;

• nano-electronics, nano-magnetic and nano-electro-mechanical systems: research towards measurement of sub-nm length, spatially resolved temperature profile of nano-circuits, electro-magnetical properties;

• nano-materials: research towards traceablity of toxicity measurements, shape, size, size distribution, chemical characterisation of nano-particles such as nano-tubes or combustion products.m carbon dioxide sequestration ;

• assessment and management of environmental noise.

Such validations of traceable measurements technique will also have the address the specific technological challenge of conducting such measurements of environmental parameters from spaced-based platforms, where both measurements accuracy and longterm stability of measurement instrumentation pose specific challenges.

EMRP [ 14]


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Environment

A key challenge facing the EU is the need to ensure continuous and sustainable growth whilst reducing negative environmental impacts. Many of the activities required to achieve this will depend on new stable and comparable measurement standards for environmental changes and the environmental performance of new technologies. These typically involve measurements at much lower levels and over longer timescales than are required to address other themes within the EMRP. The nature of the challenges faced in protecting the environment and in developing new sustainable technologies dictates a multi-disciplinary approach that will drive the requirement for research within the EMRP that brings together different disciplines within measurement science. The activities to be addressed most urgently through research include validated and traceable measurement techniques, sensors and measurement standards related to:

• detecting change and monitoring climate;

• measuring flow and concentration of species under regulation such as the Kyoto protocol;

• efficient and sustainable use of resources;

• longer-term carbon dioxide sequestration ;

• assessment and management of environmental noise.

Such validations of traceable measurements technique will also have the address the specific technological challenge of conducting such measurements of environmental parameters from spaced-based platforms, where both measurements accuracy and longterm stability of measurement instrumentation pose specific challenges.

EMRP [ 14]


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3 ELEMENTS FOR A METROLOGY POLICY

3.1 Survey of the needs in metrology

3.1.1 Identifying the strategic industrial development issues

Surveys have been carried out at international level, by the BIPM, and at regional level (see EURAMET documents). These surveys evaluate the global needs for the development of the best capabilities, in order to answer the needs of public policies and the development of new and emerging technologies. They do not address the specific needs of one country, but the needs at global level. Some countries have studied the specific situation of their national industry, concerning its ability to develop new and emerging technologies, to answer the global competition and to contribute to the national public policies (protection of the environment, health, etc). Such reviews are generally published, but they are not directly applicable to other countries. In each country, the Government should review the situation of different sectors of its economy, considering :

• their exposure to international competition and their forces and weaknesses,

• the conditions of their success in the international competition, including the metrological issues,

• the needs related to the public policies (health, environment, road safety, etc.) This review should not only look at new technologies such as nanotechnologies or biotechnologies, but it should also examine how to raise the quality level and the quality/cost ratio of all industries that are exporters, potential exporters or in competition with other countries' industries on the national market, so as to assure their competitiveness. Such a survey should be carried out periodically, a time interval of 5 years being appropriate. It would then be a reference document for the government, to develop a strategy concerning the industrial development, the support to research and development activities, the support to innovation and the metrology policy. The needs in metrology, depending on the considered sector, may be :

• to develop research on new measurement methods and references for new technologies,

• to organize the traceability for measurements presently carried out in the industry, which do not yet benefit from an appropriate traceability,

• to develop calibration services, training and consultancy needed by the industry,

• to support the availability of measuring equipment needed by the industry and the existence of maintenance services.

3.1.2 How to carry out this review

Such a review should be organized sector by sector (textile, food industry, mechanical industry, electronic industry, IT industry, etc.). It can be carried out either by a governmental service or by a consultant.


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The expert in charge of these reviews should consult all stakeholders :

• according to the sector, governmental services in charge of health, food safety, environmental protection, domestic trade, international trade, research, etc.

• public agencies depending on various ministries,

• industrial federations (when they exist in the country) and representatives of industries,

• R&D laboratories, technical centers, training bodies,

• standardization bodies and certification bodies. Working groups should be set up to collect the information and analyze the situation in each sector, so that the report would consist in a series of sheets, with a synthesis for each group of sheets on each domain. An example (in French language) is given by the publication of the French ministry of economy "Technologies clés 2015" (http://www.industrie.gouv.fr/tc2015/)

3.2 Orientation of national research in metrology

3.2.1 Management criteria

The primary objective of research in metrology is not to induce directly technological leaps in industrial products, but to accompany the technological leaps by a service consisting in enabling this technological progress, allowing to characterize new products and provide appropriate uncertainties to the traceability of measurements in this perspective. This is why most of this research is funded by the State rather than by contracts with the industry. It is however essential to develop, in complement, partnerships with the industry on specific issues, and the general governance of the metrological research should take account of this partnership and associate industries to the strategy of the metrological research. A number of criteria to be followed in the management of the netional metrology institute should be given as objectives by the State. Examples of such criteria are given in Annex 1. The priorities and orientations of the research in metrology must realize a balance between academic scientific research and more applied research, and the programs must be analyzed by evaluating their impact with multiple criteria :

• scientific resourcing,

• international image and recognition of the national research,

• support to the needs of public policies (e.g. health, environment, etc.)

• support to technological leaps in the industry,

• support to the quality and competitiveness of industries,

• etc. An example of such a multicriteria analysis is given on the NMO website in the document "National Measurement System Programme Roadmaps" 5. 5 http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/nmo/docs/nms/nms-consultation-doc-support-docs-may-09/sept-roadmaps.pdf


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3.2.2 Steering committee

The National metrology institute must have a strategic committee / board of trustees in which industry actively participates. This strategic committee, who advises on the priorities and programs, should of course include representatives of scientific institutions and representatives of the public authorities, but also representatives of industry. These representatives of industries should come from the strategic sectors and must be of high level enough to bring their competence to the strategic thinking of this committee. An example of composition of such a board of trustees is given on the PTB web site : "Mitglieder des Kuratoriums der PTB" 6.

3.3 Technology transfer from research to industry

Research in metrology consists in developing new experiments in order to reach accuracies that were not yet attained. This is done by developing specific procedures using high technology processes. These procedures are generally out of the reach of most industries and they need high scientific skills. However in the development of such procedures, it happens very often that the research laboratory develops new devices and sensors that can be quite useful to improve the performances of calibrations and measurements in laboratories and in the industry. These may be for example displacement sensors of an accuracy that was not possible with existing sensors, etc. The metrology research laboratories must then have procedures to bring such innovations to the benefit of industry and propose to industries opportunities to convert such innovations into industrial products or processes. This technology transfer has two impacts : in a first step it results in innovative products that may be a source of profit to the industry who makes them, in a second step the existence of such new products enables all concerned industries to improve theit metrology and measurements. An example of such technology transfer opportunity may be found on the PTB web site7. This role of technology transfer from scientific metrology must be encouraged and developed.

3.4 Support to innovation

3.4.1 Standardization and product certification

Standardization is tightly linked with metrology, in three ways :

• it specifies product performances, in particular for sensors and measuring equipment,

• it specifies quality requirements necessary for the competitiveness of industries, including requirements for the metrological activities of the enterprises,

• it defines test and evaluation methods and statistical process control methods.

6 http://www.ptb.de/cms/fileadmin/internet/allgemeine_dokumente/zielaufgaben/Kuratoren_der_PTB.pdf 7 http://www.ptb.de/en/technologietransfer/technologietransfer.html


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Three levels of standardization must be mentioned :

• PAS (publicly available specifications), developed and published by groups of enterprises or stakeholders, this is a prenormative stage,

• national standards,

• regional or international standards. Innovative products often need new standards to formulate performances (improved performances or new functions and their performances) and to describe methods of evaluation of these performances. Such new standards are necessary for informing potential clients of the benefits of these innovative products. These standards should be developed as quickly as possible to allow the innovation to be known and understood by the market. Depending on the level of standardization chooses (see above), the delays in the development of these standards are different, but in all cases these standards show a consensus :

• of a group of stakeholders in case of a PAS,

• of all national stakeholders in case of a national standard,

• at international level in case of an international standard. In complement to standardization, a product certification process can show the compliance of products with the above mentioned standards and therefore give confidence in the actual quality of the products. The example given in 1.3.4 shows how standardization (or regulation) completed by product certification can support innovation.

3.4.2 Importance of metrology in this process

Metrology is essential for demonstrating the benefits of an innovation in this process of standardization and certification. As it is often said, to measure is to compare, and indeed innovative products need to be compared to existing products in order to appreciate their advantages. The first role of metrology is to characterize the properties of a product that are improved by the innovation. In some cases these properties are measured by measurement processes that are already well established and used, but in other cases these properties are not yet analysed on existing products and depend on the intention that led to the innovation. Such properties may relate to the impact of a product on the environment, on the reliability of a product, on additional functions present in the product, etc. It is in this case essential to elaborate measurement procedures and traceability means to characterize the innovation and to allow comparisons between the innovative product and the existing products.. Progress in measurement techniques and in the applicable standards make it possible to better compare different alternatives for similar products. For instance, several years ago it was usual to compare energy consumption of cars by comparing their gasoline or gasoil or LPG consumption according to standards. Now we are able to compare the carbon emission per kilometre, which enables to compare cars using all sources of energy, gasoline, diesel, biofuel, hybrid, hydrogen, electrical cars. Of course this depends on the point of view that is used for comparing these products and this needs a careful consideration of what has to be compared. The contribution of metrology is here quite important to clarify what in practice is - or can be - measured, and this is a major input of metrology.


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An example of contribution of metrology to innovation is the example of devices intended to measure the interdistance of vehicles on the road (legal metrology).

Measurement of interdistance of vehicles

In the 90's, road safety regulations concerned the maximum allowed speed of vehicles and its evidential measurement.

However some very serious accidents occured (in particular in a tunnel between France and Italy), which put in evidence the risks due to too short driving distances between vehicles.

A number of manufacturers developed new devices to measure the distance between vehicles and to enforce regulations on this interdistance. There were roughly two kinds of approach for such an innovation : • either measuring speeds and time elapsed, • or directly measuring distances (by digital images for example).

A careful metrological analysis was then necessary to clarify what has to be enforced (distance between vehicles or time between vehicles), what measurements were carried out by different instruments and to elaborate procedures to evaluate them.

Without such a metrological analysis, the road safety authorities would not have been in capacity to appreciate the benefits of the different innovations that were proposed on the market.

This analysis allowed the authorities to make a better regulation on driving distances, it allowed manufacturers to better demonstrate the value of their innovations, it allowed the enforcement authorities to rely on certified equipment and it allowed to set up warning signals to drivers concerning the driving distances and to give confidence to the public in the evidential measurements carried out..

3.4.3 Including metrology in the policies supporting innovation

The policies intended to support innovation must include a strong incentive to develop the accompanying activities and appropriate financial support :

• characterization of the innovative product, by developing appropriate measurements and test methods and by providing metrological expertise to help this characterization,

• prenormative and normative activities,

• setting up a product certification for the innovative products. Most countries have a policy for supporting research and development in the industry. Such a policy should be completed by an appropriate policy such as described here to ensure the success of the innovations.

3.5 Promoting metrology in the design of products

The design of products is probably the most important phase for the competitiveness of enterprises. Competitiveness depends in first place on the quality of products, which means their ability to fulfil the expectations of their users. The quality of a product includes :

• appropriate functions and performances, as needed or expected by the clients,

• reliability, safety,

• conformity with regulatory requirements,

• price, but also total life cycle cost. Two technical tools of quality, which both need metrology, are then of major interest, and must be promoted, together with the metrological activities that they imply.


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3.5.1 Product risk analysis

Failure Modes, Effects and Criticity Analysis (FMECA) 8, is a technique which is largely used in some advanced sectors (very systematically in areospace industry, in rail transport industry, relatively often in the automotive industry), but insufficiently developed in many sectors of industry. This technique allows to identify the weak points in the design of a product and to remedy to these weak points, so as to eliminate defects and to improve the reliability of the products. This analysis of failure modes needs to be based on a collection of data coming from the experience of the enterprise or from specific test programs. Of course such data must be reliable in order to allow this analysis, and ney need an appropriate metrology in the enterprise. FMECA allows to define appropriate specifications for the product and parts of a product, so that unnecessary costs due to overspecification can be avoided, while the necessary specifications are made. FMECA also allows to determine in the most efficient way which key controls have to be made in production in order to prevent defects and non conformities of the product. It is then a quite efficient tool to minimize the control points, avoiding unnecessary redundancy and specifying the measurement and test equipment in an optimal way.

3.5.2 Functional analysis and value engineering

Functional analysis and value engineering are very efficient techniques to improve the "value" of a product, the term "value" meaning here the balance between the functions and performance of the product on one hand, and its cost on the other hand 9. This is also often described as "lean design", or "design to cost". This may be applied to the design of a new product, or to the improvement of the design of an existing product. The major benefits of using such techniques are to simplify the design of a product, to reduce the number of parts and components of the product, to improve its reliability, to considerably reduce its cost, while assuring the expected performances. This also needs to describe in detail the functions of a product and of its components, the performances required for these functions and the procedures to measure these performances. Metrology has also a quite important part to play here. To give some understanding to metrologists who are not familiar with value engineering, we can say that evaluating uncertainties of a measurement presents similarities with value engineering. When evaluating uncertainties, a metrologist identifies the principles of a measurement, its interactions with the operator and with the environment, he builds a budget of uncertainties and then evaluates the measurement uncertainty. Going one step further he can try to modify the measurement principles to eliminate some influence factors, and he is also able to determine which are the major sources of uncertainty on which progress can be made.

8 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FMECA 9 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value_engineering


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3.5.3 Actions of demonstration of the benefit of these techniques

In order to increase the competitiveness of industry, the State should initiate a certain number of actions to demonstrate the bebefits of these techniques, associated with an appropriate metrological approach in the industries. Such actions may be organized and carried out as described in Annex 2 and can then provide examples that can be shown to enterprises, of the possibilities of improving the competitive position of products on the market.

3.6 Promoting metrology for the efficiency of industrial processes

Similar considerations and techniques may apply to the production process. The first technique is the evaluation of the capability of the production equipment. This is often classified in the techniques of Statistical Process Control, but it is clearly metrology. Many small industries do not know accurately enough what performances their machines can provide in their actual conditions of use and maintenance. Even when the persons in charge of the production know it, the persons in charge of designing the products do not have any idea of this capability. This often results in manufacturing specifications that are beyond the normal possibilities of the enterprise, in disputes between designers and production, in non conformities and in frequent and time consuming adjustment operations on the machines. The evaluation of the capability of manufacturing equipment must be promoted and must be the object of training. FMECA has been mentioned for the design of products, but it may also apply to the manufacturing process. It allows to identify the risks of failures, errors, accidents in the manufacturing process and will result in a better disponibility of the equipment, less drifts and deviations, less failures of the equipment, less non conformities, a better security for workers, reduction of risks for the environment, etc. FMECA applied to the process is often a mandatory activity for enterprises which are subject to regulations for the protection of the environment. As for product FMECA, metrology is a necessary source for this technique. Value engineering may also apply to the production process (as well as lean manufacturing, etc.) It allows to considerably improve the production process, in terms of operation costs, raw material consumption, energy consumption, impact on the environment. It also needs to set up appropriate measurements, and metrology is therefore closely concerned. These techniques are not sufficiently developed in a number of sectors of the industry, and should also be the object of actions initiated by the State to demonstrate their benefits (see methodology of actions described in Annex 2).

3.7 Metrology at the production stage

Metrology is an essential component for ensuring conformity in production. A chapter of ISO/IEC 9001 standard is devoted to this issue : 7.6 Control of monitoring and measuring equipment. In complement to this chapter, ISO 10012 standard "Measurement management systems -- Requirements for measurement processes and measuring equipment" gives more recommendations for this metrological activity. This issue is generally well known by industries, who are often required by their donors of order to be ISO 9001 certified. However it must be noted that a number of quality system certification bodies use assessors who have a rather poor knowledge of metrology and that in many cases the audits related to chapter 7.6 of ISO 9001 are limited to a documentary


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assessment : is there a list of measuring equipment, is there a program for recalibration, do they have stickers to identify them and attest their recalibration validity ? The two first sentences of this chapter of ISO 9001 are quite important :

ISO 9001:2008, 7.4

The organization shall determine the monitoring and measurement to be undertaken and the monitoring and measuring equipment needed to provide evidence of conformity of product to determined requirements.

The organization shall establish processes to ensure that monitoring and measurement can be carried out and are carried out in a manner that is consistent with the monitoring and measurement requirements.

These two requirements are essential : how the specifications measuring equipment have been defined, do they fit to the needs, how these equipment have been initially qualified, how are they used (environmental conditions), have users been trained on these equipment ? Equipment which are not fit for use, or which are used in inappropriate conditions can result in bad measurements, inducing non conformities that are not under control and that may affect the competitiveness of industries. The actions of promotion of quality assurance should put enough emphasis on this aspect. Although it is not presently common, quality systems certification bodies should be invited to use metrology experts to assess the metrological function of the enterprise when auditing the quality system. The standards on statistical control and statistical process control are widely used for verifying the purchased elements and for keeping the production under control. These statistical methods are based on risks of first and second specie (supplier risks and client risk) and on efficiency curves which represent the probability of wrong acceptance or probability of wrong rejection. The calculations which establish such curves are based on the implicit hypothesis that measurement uncertainties are negligible. This is not always the case and these methods should be completed to take into account the additional risks deriving from measurement uncertainties.

3.8 Improving the dialog between donors of order and subcontractors

Donors of order usually impose product specifications to their suppliers and these requirements are very rarely negociated. The designers of the donor of order usually choose specifications according to the best state of the art possibilities, although it may very often be overspecifying. This has two effects :

• the cost of subcontracted work is higher than it might be,

• the subcontractors may accept specifications that they will hardly comply with, and will then have to eliminate many non conforming products at their own cost.

Such practices harm the competitiveness of the donor of order and of the subcontractor. It is essential to develop co-operation and dialog between donors of order and subcontractors and to promote negotiation in the determination of the requirements of subcontracted products. Very often the subcontractor has much more experience than the donor of order on the subcontracted product and such co-operation will be beneficial to both.


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Some fora and associations having for purpose to develop co-operation between large companies and SMEs exist in various countries (for example Pacte PME in France 10) and this kind of organizations should be encouraged and supported by the State.

3.9 Making metrology easier to understand by managers

Metrology, unlike quality, is not a word of the common language, and makes people think that this is a discipline restricted to specialists. Anyone has an idea of what quality means, and, as it is a positive word, any manager in the industry will declare that quality is a major objective for him. Very few managers have an idea of the different techniques of quality such as FMECA, value engineering, statistical process control, Tagushi methods, etc. On the contrary managers are interested in techniques which are named in simple, intuitive words, such as lean management or lean manufacturing, zero defects, etc. But on a general point of view, quality is widely recognized as an asset for the competitiveness of enterprises, and its definition, the ability of a product or service to meet the needs and expectations of clients and users, may be easily understood. This is not the case for metrology, whose name evokes a scientific activity. Managers may accept that metrology is useful, but they also tend to consider that it is costly, that it needs very high level specialists and that it may be unnecessarily ambitious for his company. If on the contrary you are talking about good measurements to ensure the quality of his products and to improve the efficiency of his production process, and if you explain that there are very often opportunities to improve products and processes with appropriate measurements at a reasonable cost, and sometimes with no additional cost, managers will pay you attention. It is therefore necessary to simplify the presentations on metrology and to put them at the right level, explaining in simple words what can be the benefits for industry, of carrying out appropriate measurements at the most appropriate level. The basic message is what Lord Kelvin explained : you really know something only if you can measure it, and a measurement means something only if you know its uncertainty (see quotations in 1.1). This applies to all phases of the lifecycle of the product :

• from the expression of the needs : what are the expectations and needs of potential customers, what are the advantages of the product in the competition, this must be expressed in numbers,

• down to after sales and evaluation of clients satisfaction : what insatisfactions are detected, what are the defects of the product in use, this must also be expressed with measurements,

• through all phases, from design to final product control. This also applies to the efficiency of the enterprise :

• do we waste raw materials ?

• can we better use energy and make savings ?

• do we have under control the risks of unavailability or failure of the production equipment ?

• is security correctly assured ? 10 http://www.pactepme.org/


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• is the impact on the environment acceptable and under control ?

3.10 Developing metrology as a horizontal skill

Metrology in the industry is very often considered to be the responsibility of one specialist, who is in charge of taking care of the management of testing and measuring equipment, in particular in theprocess of ISO 9001 certification. This has for consequence that other engineers and technicians do not care about measurement and metrological issues, as there is someone to do this. The metrology service of the company has very few interactions with the design department, the marketing department and other technical departments. Metrology in a company must be decompartimentalized and must not stay isolated from the other activities. Metrology contributes to global quality, together with othertechniques such as described above. It is generally advisable to put in question the necessity of a metrology specialist in the enterprise, who would take care of all issues on metrology. This is justified only in industries specialized in instrumentation, or in certain high technology enterprises where specific metrological issues are raised. In these cases, the metrology specialist should then be included in the research and development department. The management of the measuring equipment remains necessary, but it may be part of the responsibilities of maintenance. In all cases it is necessary that an appropriate competence in metrology be present in the skills of engineers, and in most cases, when advanced metrology issues are raised, it is more appropriate to call an external expert from a laboratory or a technical center to provide support and advice. To evaluate measurement uncertainties in the design of a product or a process is necessary in the training of all engineers and technicians. It is a way to evaluate the robustness of the product or process under variations of parameters or under accidental events. In addition to take account of measurement uncertainties is an incentive to look for innovative solutions to the problems. The programmes of initial training of engineers and technicians include some notions of metrology but these notions are generally not sufficient. Metrology is very important for students to have a critical eye on the problems that they will meet in their career. Some general notions of metrology should also be taught in commercial studies, concerning how to express the needs of the market, the expectations of potential clients, and on how to be a good interface between design departments and clients. The metrology research institutes should then have contacts with higher education bodies (universities, engineering schools, commercial schools), in order to convince them to introduce an appropriate dose of metrology in their training programmes. Contacts should also be taken with authorities in charge of educational programmes in the secondary cycle so that all their students have a minimal understanding of basic notions of metrology.


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Annex 1 Criteria for the management of a metrology institute

1 Visibility, relevance and reputation of the structure

• Ability of the structure to achieve visibility in the national and international research,

• Position in comparison to other bodies or structures in competition (internationally),

• Complementarity, consistency and relations of the different entities of the structure.

2 Strategic positioning

• Quality of the strategy of research in partnership, consistently defined with the stakes of the activity sectors of the institute, the scientific and technological stakes and the identified needs of socio-economical actors,

• Integration of research in partnership in the strategy of the institute,

• Adequacy between the strategic objectives and the planned means and the implementation of this strategy.

3 Governance and organization

• Relations between the governance and the administrative supervision by the State, in terms of delegation and empowerment,

• Presence and role of the socio-economic stakeholders in the governance.

4 Quality and professionalism

• Quality strategy (quality development programmes, accreditation, certification, etc.),

• Professionalism of personnel (training to quality, training to project management, etc.),

• Professionalism of the management (setting up an analytical accountancy, evaluation of complete costs, contracts, satisfaction of clients, etc.)

5 Intellectual property and valorization policy

• Intellectual property and valorization policy at the level of the structure,

• Single entry point, easy communication.

6 Relations with socio-economic stakeholders

• Account taken of the needs of socio-economic stakeholders,

• Specific actions towards small and medium enterprises.

7 Ability to scientific and technological resourcing

• Ability of the structure to scientific and technological resourcing,

• Resourcing strategy,

• Relations with (other) academic research,

• Policy of training by research.

8 Communication and international relations

• Envisaged actions of communication,


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• International research activity,

• Quality of the relations with international partners (socio-economic partners or other research bodies).

9 Definition of objectives for progressing

• Adequacy with the strategic positioning.


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Annex 2 Collective actions to demonstrate the impact of metrology

1 Target and principles of the action

Actions should be initiated and launched by the State or by local government authorities. Budgets are needed to support them with public funding. To initiate such actions, it is necessary that the State or the local government services enters into discussions with a local organization of enterprises, which would be charged to find enterprises volunteering for such an action, and to provide organizational means (meeting rooms, etc.) Such an action should address a group of small or medium size enterprises (typically ten to fifteen enterprises) that can meet and exchange experiences,

- in the same region of the country, and

- in the same sector of activity. The action should be carried out with a training and consulting body choosen on the basis of terms of reference related to his competence and experience. This body is choosen by consensus between the State and the enterprises. The action should include four phases :

- presentation of the methodology and collective training of responsible staff of the enterprises to the methodology of the study,

- collection of information and data by the enterprises,

- study and action in each enterprise with the support of a consultant (it is generally necessary to have three visits of the consultant, and actions taken by the enterprise between these visits),

- evaluation of the benefits of the action in each enterprise. The training and consulting body issues a report for each enterprise, and a global synthetic report that is intended to be published. The cost of the actions (training and consultancy) should be borne by the enterprises, with a financial support of the State. Several ways of supporting such an action may be applicable :

- either a part of the cost is paid directly by the State to the training and consultancy body, in which case the enterprises will pay only the remaining cost,

- or the cost is entirely paid by the enterprises and the State will reimburse a part of this cost to them.

Typically half the cost of trainers and consultants is borne by the State, the rest being borne by the enterprises. The human resources of the enterprises involved in the action should be evaluated and mentioned in the global report. The costs for hosting the meetings and trainings are generally borne by the organization of enterprises. They should also be mentioned in the global report.


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2 Terms of reference of the action

2.1 Object of the action

The object of the action must be clearly defined : experience of implementation of a given quality management tool in a given group of SMEs. Examples of quality management tools :

- Metrology and risk analysis (FMECA) applied to the design of a product in order to optimize the product performance and reliability,

- Metrology and value analysis applied to the design or redesign of products,

- Metrology and value analysis applied to the manufacturing process in order to optimize the consumption of energy and raw material,

- Metrology and risk analysis (FMECA) applied to the production process in order to optimize the product compliance and production costs,

- Metrology and statistical process control in order to optimize a prepackaging process. The group of enterprises should also be well defined, for example

- textile industries,

- mechanical industries,

- food industries,

- etc. 2.2 Phases of the action The phases of the action should be the following :

- each participating enterprise appoints a person to participate in this action and carry out the tasks incumbent on the enterprise; depending on the object of the action and on the organization of the enterprise, this person may be the quality manager, the person responsible of product design, the person responsible of the manufacturing process, etc.

- a first training session (half a day) is organized in order to present the action and its methodology,

- if necessary, the participants have one week to identify the product on which the action will be carried out in their enterprise,

- a second training session (typically three days) is organized in order to present the quality tools that will be applied during the action, for example initiation to value analysis, initiation to FMECA, initiation to statistical process control, etc.

- the participants have about one month to collect the information and data that will be used for the next phase, and identify and inform the other staff of the enterprise who will have to participate in a working group,

- the consultant comes to each enterprise for 1.5 to 2 days to start the analysis of the data collected, conduct working groups applying the quality tools and define actions and studies that should be carried out before his next visit,

- the enterprises have about one or two months to carry out this complementary work,

- the consultant comes again for 1.5 to 2 days to finalize the study in the enterprise and to conclude with the enterprise on the corrective actions to be taken,


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- the enterprise implements these corrective actions and evaluates their impact, this may take a couple of months

- the consultant comes for 1 day to each enterprise to evaluate the outcome of the action for the enterprise and make any necessary complementary recommendation,

- the consultant sends an individual report to each enterprise and a synthetic report to the organizers (the organization of enterprises and the state),

- a final meeting with the enterprises is organized in order to present the global report, to discuss with the enterprises the benefits of the action , evaluate the action and draw general conclusions.


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Annex 3 Bibliography - Links

1 Quelle place pour la métrologie en France à l'aube du XXIe siècle ? Académie des Sciences - CADAS - 1996 - Editions Lavoisier

2 Legal metrology at the dawn of the 21st century, Knut Birkeland, 1998, OIML (http://www.oiml.org/publications/E/E001-e98.pdf)

3 Besoins nationaux et internationaux dans le domaine de la métrologie : les collaborations internationales et le rôle du BIPM, Blevin, 1998, BIPM (http://www.bipm.org/utils/fr/pdf/blevin1998-FR.pdf)

4 Review of the Rationale for and Economic Benefit of the UK National Measurement System, PA Consulting Group, UK (http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/nmo/docs/nms/economic-reviews-august-2010-updates/pa-review-of-the-nms1999.pdf)

5 Allocution du Secrétaire d'Etat à l'Industrie, Séminaire Euro-Méditerranéen de métrologie, novembre 2000

6 The TBT Agreement and metrology, Vivien Liu, OMC, Séminaire Euro-Méditerranéen de métrologie, novembre 2000

7 Les besoins de l'industrie en métrologie, Claude PICOT, Saint-Gobain Emballage, Séminaire Euro-Méditerranéen de métrologie, novembre 2000

8 Globalization and International Organizations, J.F. Magana, OIML Seminar, 2002 (http://www.oiml.org/seminars/2020/docs/2020_04.pdf)

9 The role of metrology in a cognitive society, Thierry Gaudin, OIML Seminar, 2002 (http://www.oiml.org/seminars/2020/docs/2020_02.pdf)

10 The assessment of the economic role of measurements and testing in modern society, Dr. Geoffrey Williams, Oxford University (http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/nmo/docs/nms/economics_of_measurement_july2002.pdf)

11 Benefit of Legal Metrology for the Economy and Society, John Birch A.M., CIML Honorary Member, 2003, OIML (http://www.oiml.org/publications/birch_study.html)

12 Rapport du Groupe de Travail sur la métrologie du futur, Académie des Technologies, 2004 (http://www.academie-technologies.fr/fileadmin/templates/PDF/Publication/rapp_Metrologie_avril2004_5B1_5D.pdf)

13 Évolution des besoins dans le domaine de la métrologie pour le commerce, l’industrie et la société et le rôle du BIPM, Kaarls, BIPM, 2007 (http://www.bipm.org/utils/fr/pdf/kaarls2003-FR.pdf)

14 European Metrology Research Programme, Outline 2008 (http://www.emrponline.eu/edocs/emrp_outline_2008.pdf)


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15 Assessing publically financed metrology expenditure against economic parameters, Nikola Poposki - Nineta Majcen - Philip Taylor, Springer-Verlag, 2009 (https://www.ptb.de/lac/fileadmin/redakteure/dokumente/Impact_JQAs_2009.pdf)

16 The Economics of Metrology and Measurement, Report for National Measurement Office, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, G.M. Peter Swann, Innovative Economics Limited, 2009 (http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/nmo/docs/nms/prof-swann-report-econ-measurement-revisited-oct-09.pdf)

17 Measurement Knowledge and Innovation: Evidence From the Community Innovations Surveys, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, UK, 2009 (http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/nmo/docs/nms/economic-reviews-august-2010-updates/nms-economic-impact-evidence-paper-r-lambert-july-2010.pdf)

18 Legal Metrology's contribution to Trade Liberalisation and Public Policy, John Birch AM, Hon Member CIML, OIML Seminar (zip file), Mombasa 2009 (http://www.oiml.org/publications/S/S005-e09.zip)

19 Economic Impact Case Studies, NMO, UK, 2009 (http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/nmo/docs/nms/economic-reviews-august-2010-updates/economic-case-studies-2009.pdf)

20 Evidence From the Community Innovations Surveys, Paul Temple, NMO, UK (http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/nmo/docs/nms/measurement-report-amended-30-11.pdf)

21 Economic impact of the National Measurement System, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, UK, July 2010 (http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/nmo/docs/nms/economic-reviews-august-2010-updates/economic-impact.pdf)

22 Introduction tto NCSL International, Carol Hockert, NIST, NCSLI Past President, 2010 CIML Meeting (http://orlando.oiml.org/docs/outcome/metrology_in_the_usa.zip)

23 NASA presentations on metrology, 2010 CIML Meeting (http://orlando.oiml.org/docs/outcome/nasa_presentations.zip)

24 National Measurement Office Corporate Plan 2011-15, NMO, UK (http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/nmo/docs/about-us/key-docs/nmo-corporate-plan-for-website-2011-15.pdf)

25 National Measurement System – Strategy 2011-2015, NMO, UK (http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/nmo/docs/nms/nms-strategy-document.pdf)

26 Measurement Matters, NMO, UK, 2011 (http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/nmo/docs/nms/measurement-matters.pdf)

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