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EMPIR project develops software for conformity assessment accounting for measurement uncertainty

Close up of a man’s hands typing into the keyboard of a laptop. Superimposed is the screen he is working on showing various quality management icons

Auditor working on a quality management system on a computer

Many industries in Europe require precise knowledge of an instrument’s measurement uncertainty – but this is currently often difficult to calculate

EURAMET projects
No measurement is complete without a statement of the ‘measurement uncertainty’. In simple terms, this is the quantification of the ‘doubt’ that exists for the measurement along with how significant this doubt is. Measurement uncertainty can arise from many different factors - from the measuring instrument, from the item being measured, from the environment, from the operator, or from other sources.

A reliable knowledge of this uncertainty is vital in any sector where the suitability of measurements need to be known, including health, aerospace, automotive and energy industries.

Moreover, determination of an instrument’s conformity requires both an uncertainty statement and the assessment of its performance against multiple tolerance criteria - but tools required for doing so are not offered in current guides and standards and not always simple to implement.

During the EMRP project Novel mathematical and statistical approaches to uncertainty evaluation (NEW04, Uncertainty) software was developed by LNE with support of NPL and RISE for conformity assessment, taking into account the associated uncertainties. This was done using the BIPM guide “The role of measurement uncertainty in conformity assessment” in conjunction with a best practice guide developed in the project: “A guide to decision-making and conformity assessment”.

The EMPIR project Software to maximize end user uptake of conformity assessment with measurement uncertainty (17SIP05, CASoft) further developed this software to allow the calculation of specific as well as global risks during conformity assessment, using a user friendly interface.

The CASoft software has since been used in the EMPIR project Support for a European Metrology Network for mathematics and statistics (18NET05, MATHMET) to help develop Quality Assurance Tools (QAT) for data and software.

Software available free of charge

The final version of the software, CASoft, developed in conjunction with accreditation laboratories, is now freely available along with template files to facilitate its use.

Free to download, the automated calculation tool will provide users with reliable conformity testing, leading to reduced manufacturing costs and improved product safety.

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

The EMRP joint research project was part of EURAMET’s European Metrology Research Programme. The EMRP was jointly funded by the EMRP participating countries within EURAMET and the European Union.

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