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A new version of EURAMET’s Metrology in Short

To commemorate 150 years since the signing of the Metre Convention, in 1875, a new version of EURAMET’s booklet 'Metrology in Short' has been published on World Metrology Day

In 2008 EURAMET published the 3rd edition of its popular Metrology in Short (MiS) series. However, over the last seventeen years many significant changes have occurred in metrology, from the formation of two new Regional Metrology Organisations covering Africa and the Middle East, to the redefinition of the SI units in 2019. New legislation has also been introduced in Europe with regards to accreditation and conformity assessment of goods as well as the international conformity certification for measuring instruments.

In response, and to commemorate one hundred and fifty years since the signing of the Metre Convention in 1875 “for all times, for all peoples”, EURAMET has now published the 4th edition in this series on World Metrology Day.

Free to download, Metrology in Short version 4, like its predecessors, is designed for those both unfamiliar with the topic of metrology as well as those who are involved in it.

The new version summarises the history of metrology, the worldwide measurement system, and how any measurement can be linked to any other measurement in the world through the International System of Units (the SI). An addition to the new MiS is a chapter on legal metrology – what it is and how it affects almost every aspect of our daily lives.

The 4th edition also has an expanded glossary of metrological terms, from “Absolute measurement error” to the “WTO TBT agreement” as well as an appendix on the SI and another on how measurement uncertainty is calculated.

Metrology in Short version 4 outline

Chapter 1: History of Metrology

How measurements have changed from 4000 BCE, linking measurements to such things as grains of wheat, through the artefacts produced following the signing of the Metre Convention in 1875, to the fundamental constants of the Universe itself.

Chapter 2: The worldwide measurement system.

From the first formation of the National Metrology Institutes (NMI) at the end of the 19th Century to the European Metrology Networks (EMN) and the continent spanning Regional Metrology Organisations (RMOs).

Chapter 3: Harmonised measurement standards and traceability.

How any measurement can be linked to any other measurement in the World through the SI.

Chapter 4: Legal Metrology

How legal metrology underpins almost every aspect of our daily lives and ensures that trade is fair and consistent across the globe.

Robert Gunn, Chair of EURAMET’s Technical Committee for Interdisciplinary Metrology (TC-IM) and Head of International Metrology at NPL said about the new Metrology in Short:

“Metrology in Short has been a great reference resource for many years and I’m delighted that we can celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Metre Convention with this new edition to assist metrologists and general readers for many years to come. ”

The revision of ‘Metrology in Short’ has been initiated by TC-IM. The fourth version of Metrology in Short was developed by EURAMET e.V., the Technical Committee for Interdisciplinary Metrology (TC-IM), within the EURAMET TC-IM Project 1374 and in cooperation with the EURAMET community.

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