National Measurement System Programmes

Each of the 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 working groups of the Measurement Advisory Community, which comprise of industrialists, academics and government representatives. The majority of the Programmes are formulated as three-year packages of work.

The National Measurement System Programmes from 1 April 2007

In April 2007, the NMS projects funded by the former DTI were rearranged into a new set of programmes. This was recommended by the Review of the NMS in 2005-2006 - click the "Strategic Reviews of the NMS" link on the left. The portfolio of NMS programmes was simplified by forming fewer, larger, programmes that grouped together projects with similar objectives, characteristics, timescales and impacts. This will enable more informed strategic choices to be made on the balance of investments between programmes. It will also be more efficient to operate and manage the simplified portfolio.

Click on the link to the right to view the NMS Programme Structure from 1 April 2007.

The NMS Programme Types from 1 April 2007

The new NMS portfolio comprises five main programme types:

1. The Knowledge Base

This consists of five programmes covering the following measurement disciplines:

Chemical & Biological Metrology
Engineering & Flow Metrology
Ionising Radiation and Acoustical Metrology
Materials & Thermal Metrology
Physical Metrology (includes Optical, Photonics, Electromagnetic and Time, Frequency & the Metre)

Knowledge Base programmes contain projects that use and develop the extensive existing capability and facilities of the UK National Measurement Institutes (NPL, LGC and NEL). The projects typically address a current well-defined public, legislative or industrial need. For example, Knowledge Base projects could perform R&D to uphold and improve national standards and provide traceability for UKAS accredited measurement services or reference materials. Knowledge Base projects promote industrial innovation in established technologies, maybe through R&D to improve measurement techniques and methods.

2. Metrology R&D

This programme contains projects that are aimed at developing new measurement capabilities in support of strategic national priorities, such as those defined by the Government’s Technology Strategy under the headings of Advanced Manufacturing, ICT, Healthcare, Security, Transport, Energy and Environment. The projects aim to address the measurement needs of emerging technologies and to support future legislation.

3. Underpinning Metrology

This consists of two programmes which serve the needs of the Knowledge Base and Metrology R&D programmes:

Pathfinder (formerly Quantum) Metrology, and
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 measuring uncertainty.

4. Cross Cutting Metrology

This consists of two strategic programmes that operate for the benefit of the whole NMS portfolio:

International Metrology
Knowledge Transfer (including Measurement for Innovators)

The International Metrology Programme represents the NMS in Europe and globally. Its projects contribute to international initiatives that bring benefits to the UK through collaboration and coordination, as well as the gathering and analysis of information to assist policy formation and give advice to NMS programmes. The Knowledge Transfer programme is delivered through the Measurement for Innovators programme that improves and promotes the accessibility of advice from the NMIs in the form of Joint Industry Projects, subsidised consultancy for SMEs and secondments between the NMIs, industry, metrology organisations and academia.

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) by ensuring that measurements are legal, accurate and fair to the buyer and seller. The Government Chemist programme delivers the Government Chemist’s statutory functions as referee analyst, as named in more than 20 Acts of Parliament.

Individual Programmes (pre-April 2007)

The following table details the portfolio of NMS Science & Technology programmes in their pre-April 2007 form, together with the prime contractor organisations. Details of the specific programmes can be found by clicking the appropriate programme link on the left.

Programme Name	Themes	Prime contractor organisation(s)
Acoustic	The provision of primary standards of sound pressure for both sound in air and water over a wide frequency range: Acoustic emission Audiometry Medical and industrial ultrasonics Measurement of machinery and environmental noise Guidance on measurements of human vibration	NPL
Biotechnology	The Measurements for Biotechnology (MfB) Programme focuses on current bioanalytical challenges in the biopharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, where better measurement means more efficient discovery and development of drugs and diagnostics, more certain control of biopharmaceutical production and better communication with regulators.	LGC NPL
Electrical	Wireless communications Health and exposure Instrumentation, control and innovative sensor technology Electromagnetic interaction with materials Traceability to the SI	NPL
Engineering	The Engineering Programme covers measurements requirements of core processes in an exceptionally wide range of industries, ensuring products new or old meet specifications, comply with regulations and improve manufacturing efficiency.	NPL
Flow	The facilities cover flows of water, oil, gas, multiphase, wet gas and density at elevated temperatures and pressures. The national standard infrastructure is supplemented by a facility for abrasive flow testing. All of the facilities are available for commercial calibration, evaluation and R&D work.	NEL
International	Ensures that the UK has a coherent and strategic approach to International issues and provides a gateway to overseas organisations, in particular National Metrology Institutes (NMIs).	NPL
Ionising Radiation	Radionuclide metrology Radiation dosimetry Neutron standards	NPL
Knowledge Transfer	The KT Programme is working to ensure: Further exploitation of the NMS science & technology programmes Recognition of the importance of measurement science for innovation Improved capture of UK industry’s measurement requirements and translation into NMS programmes	NPL LGC NEL
Legal Metrology	International Co-operation Policy and Legislation NWML Facilities Continuing Compliance Metrology Awareness and Liaison Programme Monitoring	NWML
Materials	Covers a wide spread of materials and processes such as: data for modelling casting of engine blocks measurement methods for technical ceramics process modelling the injection moulding of plastics measurement methods for hot rolling of steel	NPL
Measurement for Emerging Technologies	To address the measurement requirements of those emerging technologies that will facilitate the introduction of new products and processes, where the UK can be competitive in a global market	NPL
Optical Radiation	Innovation for thematic sectors (including manufacturing, environment, health) Core measurement services and national facilities Building for the future	NPL
Photonics	Photonic enabling technologies Photonic communications Photonics for medicine and biology	NPL
Quantum	Quantum optical frequency standards Fundamental constants and development of the SI Quantum detection Quantum information processing and communications	NPL
Software Support for Metrology	Modelling Techniques Validation and testing Metrology software and algorithm development techniques Support for NMS infrastructure and Generic technology transfer activities	NPL
Thermal	Temperature Standards Humidity Standards Novel and Combined methods Thermophysical property standards	NPL
Time, Frequency & the Metre	Atomic frequency standards Time scale realisation and dissemination Optical frequency dissemination	NPL
Valid Analytical Measurement (VAM) - Chemical Valid Analytical Measurement (VAM) - Physical	The VAM Programme covers the field of analytical measurements. The programme has three main technical themes Chemical measurement Bio-measurement Physical measurement	LGC NPL

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