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Enhancing process efficiency in high-value manufacturing through improved temperature measurement

The close engagement of end-users with the work of EURAMET joint research project ‘Enhancing process efficiency through improved temperature measurement’ (14IND04 EMPRESS), was demonstrated at a recent workshop held at NPL, the UK’s National Measurement Institute. The project, now in its third and final year, is working to develop new sensors and calibration techniques, and introduce measurement traceability directly into high-value manufacturing processes.

The workshop was organised in order to enable the uptake of the project’s results by industry. 61 scientists and engineers from 43 organisations across Europe including academia, research institutes and industry gathered at NPL. They discussed industry requirements and challenges and learnt how these could be met by the latest developments in improved temperature measurement.

The efficiency of high value manufacturing processes is heavily reliant on accurate, traceable temperature measurement. These processes include furnace control, heat treatment, casting, forming, welding, forging, gas turbines, gas furnaces and those used for internal combustion engines.  

Speakers from manufacturing and instrumentation organisations, universities and other national labs delivered topical presentations on:

• New thermocouple developments
• Phosphor thermometry
• Flame and combustion thermometry
• Practical Johnson noise thermometry
• The re-definition of the Kelvin
• Aerospace & submarine manufacturing, oil & gas industry, composite production & repair

Feedback indicated the significant impact delegates felt could come from the world-leading activities in temperature metrology being carried out in the EMPRESS project, and were keen to hear how these will develop further in the follow-on EMPRESS2  project.

The EMPRESS project is part of EURAMET’s European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR).

This EMPIR project is co-funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the EMPIR Participating States.