Metrology - in short, 2nd edition

Project Description

The Booklet was a joint activity between the Metrotrade and Regmet projects. “Metrology - in short, 2nd edition” was introduced to Metrotrade as a new task in October 2002 based on a decision on the 3rd partner meeting. The rationale to initiate “Metrology - in short, 2nd edition” was to promote metrology in Europe and the European interconnection with the global metrological network in benefit of the metrological support to international trade, by means of writing “Metrology - in short, 2nd edition”and -print the booklet and distribute it worldwide.

The decision to print “Metrology - in short, 2nd edition”, and not just make an electronic version, was based on the following arguments:

1) Paper is a proven success: The experience from the 1st edition, and other printed national editions of “Metrology - in short”, clearly indicated that the success and dissemination of the booklets largely depended on being paper copies that you can hold in your hand, use quickly and independent of access to a computer.
2) The basis layout for a booklet format was there to build on.
3) The 1st edition was well known “on the market” as booklets, so an electronic version could be considered to be “a step back” for the “Metrology - in short” concept.
4) A sole web-based publication very easily become to broad, to large and lack the preciseness that should result from the hard reduction editors need to make to fit the text into the given limited number of (physical) pages available in the booklet.

“Metrology - in short” is a handbook – not a scientific paper.

A meeting was held in London at NPL in December 2002 between the Metrotrade and Regmet task leaders, being the two editors, in order to structure the 2nd edition and organise the process of the project. At the following Metrotrade and Regmet partner meetings the structure of the 2nd edition was agreed and different tasks of revising and produced new chapters was allocated to the partners. In order to ensure a through global coverage, collaboration with national metrology institutes form other regions were commenced, which resulted in regional inputs and comments to the booklet from the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Africa via the national metrology institutes of the USA, Australia and South Africa. Canada was already a formal partner in Metrotrade. The differences between the 1st and the 2nd editions of “Metrology - in short” are more focus the global perspectives (1st edition was mainly European focused) and more focus on legal metrology in addition to scientific and industrial metrology. The 2nd edition has increased its size with 8 pages.“Metrology – in short, 2nd edition” has been printed in 10 000 copies, partly in colours, and distributed to all the 17 Metrotrade and Regmet partners in Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, United Kingdom and to the collaborating national metrological institutes in USA, Australia and South Africa.“Metrology – in short, 2nd edition” is available on www.metrotrade.dk and www.euromet.org. "Metrology - in short” 2nd edition, is a booklet describing the European and international metrological infrastructure - the technical and organisational structures and terminology behind legal, industrial and scientific metrology. The first edition of the booklet ‘Metrology – in short’ was produced under EUROMET project 595 and funded by CEN-TCU. 10,000 copies of the 56 page booklet were distributed. The second edition will include new topics such as the CIPM MRA and specific guidance for those involved in measurement related to regulation and trade.