Advanced digital infrastructure for harmonised temperature metrology

One aim of the EU’s digital strategy is developing reliable digital technologies. Temperature is the most widely measured parameter in industry and the calibration of temperature sensors through automated data collection, storage, and processing is of great interest to the thermometry community, health sector and industry, allowing shortened calibration times with reduced errors. Recent advances in artificial intelligence, digital twins, and Digital Calibration Certificates (DCCs), which store calibration certificates on calibrated instruments and are machine-readable, are transforming metrology by enabling faster, more accurate, and interoperable services. Digitised workflows reduce time per certificate by approximately 10‑15 minutes, potentially saving the EU over €6.5 million annually. However, many National Metrology Institutes and Designated Institutes lack the resources to establish the necessary digital infrastructures, and DCC capabilities are fragmented and only partially available.

This project will establish a digital platform as a novel approach to sharing solutions among participants, harmonising processes and enhancing smart specialisation. It will employ data‑exchange formats and application programming interfaces for direct interpretation by machines, allowing automatic execution of more complex actions and decision processes. Digital workflows with specification notations, frameworks, programming designs and data formats will be established for temperature and disseminated between at least 4 participating institutes. The software and guides produced will be made open access, reducing reliance on paper certificates, printers, and consumables, providing a faster turnaround for calibrations with reduced errors and increased quality.

This will support the EU’s aims in this area and help position European metrology as a global leader in digital transformation.