May 20th is the world Metrology day, and the ignoramus that I am read it meteorology day and wondering about the relevance of the theme measurement for transport.
Then I looked again, and realized, it was not written by someone who was challenged when it came to spelling but Metrology was different from Meteorology and it dealt with the science of weights and measures or of measurements.
Merriam-Webster assures me this mix up often happens. When it comes to metrology three types of metrology are used in the world today.
- Industrial metrology which ensures the proper functioning of the wide variety of instruments used in various industries.
- Scientific metrology that deals with organization and development of measurement standards and their maintenance. That makes it involved in industries concerning government, healthcare and research for commercial products.
- Legal metrology concerns with measurements that influence economic transaction,this is a very refined type of metrology. This does not tools like other fields,but focuses on buying and selling of materials for economic studies. It can also be used by law enforcement fields.
The objective of a measurement is to provide the required accuracy at minimum cost, metrology also deals with aspects like
- Evaluation of newly developed products.
- Minimize the cost of inspection by effective and efficient use of available facilities.
- To determine that the measuring instrument is capable and efficient for their respective measurements.
- To provide statistical quality control so that cost of rejects and rework reduce.
- Standardizing the measuring methods,
- Ensure methods are accurate
- To prepare designs for all gauges and special inspection fixtures.
The science of measurement is important for scientific research and works a parameter for solving technical problems, particularly in engineering designs. The designing engineer carries the onus of designing a design that is economically viable, has strength and can be specifically checked or measured. Though this gets lesser priority as compared to economic viability.
Present manufacturing techniques call for higher productivity and accuracy. This needs the science of metrology, it accurate measurements particularly dimensional and geometrical accuracies, this allows the automation and automatic controls
This year the theme is Measurements for transport as transport plays a major role in the modern world.
Not only are people moving, so are things like food, clothes, the goods etc, all the raw material that these are made of, all rely on transportation. Ensuring safe and effecienty transport with minimal environmental impact requires amazing range of measurements.
Metrology becomes vital in scientific discovery, innovation, industrial manufacturing and international trade.
Transportation occurs through
- Aerospace
- Automotive
- Rail
Can you even imagine the measurements that go into keeping these safe, efficient and environment friendly? Whatever the measurement system is it needs to be consistent, repeatable and unbiased as possible, the yard stick that we frequently use to determine if something can be restored is based on a handful of inches that we bring to the process, when God has come up with infinite amount of miles. For us who trained to think “Science is measurement” its time to search Darwin’s works for numbers and equation. Somewhere we tend to overvalue the things we can measure and undervalue the things we cannot. Just on a lighter vein I leave you with a quote: “
“Wisdom is not measured by age ,
Intelligence is not measured by grades ,
Personality is not measured by what others say”
― O.Z “Osama Alzoubi”
Parwatisingari's Weblog 