National Measurement System

NOTE: We have changed the Programme area of the site to make it more user-friendly. Click the Programmes tab on the left to access this area.

Do you work in a business? Does the bottom-line matter to you? Is it important to have efficient manufacturing processes and good quality products? Do you have to meet regulatory and statutory legislation? Do you need more certainty that your suppliers meet your specifications? Is it important to have optimum design, selection of plant and process equipment? Do you want to increase your export sales?

Perhaps, you work in a public organisation? Improving quality of life? Inspiring public confidence? Working for cleaner environment? Improving healthcare? Improving crime detection?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then the NMS is important for you.

The DTI is responsible for the NMS, which provides world-class measurement standards and calibration facilities to the UK. These enable UK businesses and public authorities to make accurate measurements that are nationally and internationally accepted.

The NMS supports innovation in industry generally, by enabling the benefits of new products and processes to be measured and by stimulating new product development in the instrument sector. It also raises productivity through improved process and quality control. Measurement also underpins a wide range of public goods, including consumer protection ("legal metrology"), forensic science, environmental controls, safe medical treatment and food safety regulation, as well as the technical standards that ensure barrier-free trade.

The Department invests £50 million a year on measurement science to meet users' ever-more demanding need for accuracy and to help users take advantage of leading-edge measurement techniques. We need users to help us choose the right areas to invest in and are interested to hear about the measurement problems you need to solve. Please contact us if you feel we can help.