TEST & MEASUREMENT
measurement capabilities are peer reviewed and compared internationally to verify their equivalence. This ensures that Irish businesses wishing to trade internationally can prove the traceability, and therefore the validity of their own facilitates trade, especially in highly regulated industries, such as medical devices, aviation and pharmaceuticals. One of the key methodologies NSAI Legal Metrology employs is the use of calibrated reference standards during inspections. These reference standards are meticulously calibrated and maintained to provide a consistent and accurate benchmark for verifying the performance of measuring instruments. For instance, when inspecting weighing scales, our calibrated weights ensure that the scales provide accurate readings, which is crucial for both commercial transactions and regulatory compliance. Similarly, for liquid fuel pumps, our calibrated
volume and temperature measures guarantee that the fuel dispensed is precisely what is indicated, preventing any discrepancies that could impact consumers and businesses alike. Taxi meters, which are integral to fair fare calculations, time measures to ensure accuracy. In the agricultural sector, milk meters are inspected to ensure that dairy farmers and processors have reliable measurements for their supply chain. Additionally, home oil delivery tanks are checked with calibrated measures to ensure that consumers receive the correct quantity of
heating oil, which is vital for both economic and safety reasons. By leveraging these calibrated reference standards, Legal Metrology Services uphold the integrity of measurements across various sectors, promoting fairness, transparency, and consumer
Part of NSAI’s measurement work involves training, from basic calibration to uncertainty evaluation. How does this training help build measurement capability in Irish labs and companies?
Another key strategic objective of the NSAI National Metrology Laboratory (NML) is knowledge transfer. The NML therefore provides training courses and consultancy to Irish industry from experienced metrologists to ensure awareness of best practice in measurement. The courses are tailored to cater for instrument technicians and calibration specialists but can also inform other interested parties of measurement requirements.
Looking ahead, what emerging technology trends or industrial how NSAI approaches test and measurement services, and where do you see the greatest opportunities or challenges?
The NSAI National Metrology Laboratory (NML) engages at a European level with other National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) to determine the latest technological advances and assess their metrological needs. The NML is currently involved in projects to improve temperature measurement capabilities in air and at very low temperatures, which are necessary to meet regulatory requirements in the pharma and medical science sectors. Resilient time distribution is another key area of development of the NML. Satellite navigation systems (such as GPS) are heavily dependent on reliable time measurement and are vulnerable to attack by nefarious agents. The NML is currently establishing a timing service which will support improved reliability of these services. The NML is also providing enhanced services to semiconductor manufacturers for a variety of electrical quantity measurements, which will improve their production processes.
https://www.nsai.ie/ www.irish-manufacturing.com January/February 2026 Irish Manufacturing 29
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