METROLOGY

The National Metrology Institute of South Africa

supports manufacturing and trade

Metrology is one of the foundations that support the strategies to increase the country’s productive capacity and trade. Industrialisation is supported through the development and improvement of national measurement standards.

BY NMISA

The National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA) is part of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition’s (dtic) family of the Technical Infrastructure (TI) Institutes, which also includes the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), National Regulator for Compulsory Specification (NRCS) and the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS), that together provide for confidence in local goods and products and allows for successful prosecution in cases of non-compliance. The accuracy of measurement results can be demonstrated by ensuring that these are traceable to the National Measurement Standards (Government Gazette No. 1131,19 2018) maintained by the institute.

NMISA adheres to the dtic mandate which includes economic transformation, job creation, building capabilities, improving efficiencies, as well as supporting economic development and ease of doing business.

The principle “measured once, measured everywhere” applies as NMISA links its National Measurement Standard to the international system of units (SI) ensuring international acceptance. Accurate measurements are key in facilitating trade, blocking counterfeit goods, dumping of low-quality products, removing technical barriers to trade and eliminating border rejections.

Without a measurement infrastructure it is difficult for the country to manufacture to international specifications and tolerances as well as to ensure the integrity of commodities, locally and for the export market. Competitive manufacturing relies on accurate, internationally comparable measurement.

Transitioning to a green economy is also dependent on effective quality infrastructure. The certified reference materials, gas mixtures, proficiency testing schemes and reference analysis provided by NMISA underpin environmental monitoring by enabling local testing laboratories to demonstrate the accuracy of their results from tests performed on various samples. It also enables regulation and prosecution of polluting agencies in a court of law.

NMISA supports SMEs operating at all levels of the value chain: from basic measurements supporting traditional trade to sophisticated measurement systems. In addition to measurement services, NMISA provides a suite of training courses to local and African technologists, scientists and engineers working in the field. Hands-on practical training in NMISA laboratories is offered as part of some courses or on request for specialised guidance. NMISA supports innovative product development in South Africa and the region and contributes towards reducing the reliance of the continent on international supply chains.

Accurate measurement results enable:

• Globalisation of trade in manufactured products by: • Providing traceable, comparable and mutually acceptable measurements globally • Assisting manufacturers to get it right the first time • Lean manufacturing by: • Allowing for productivity, product reliability and less waste • Supporting repeatable and predictable results over time • Leading to fewer errors in decision-making • Promoting increased human safety • Market acceptance of products and services by: • Leading to product superiority by meeting quality specifications • Resulting in market confidence in measurement reliability

NMISA SERVICES

Materials science

NMISA provides reliable materials characterisation services to South African industries. These services include elemental and microstructural analysis, which is relevant throughout the entire lifecycle of materials, ie raw material acquisition, materials/ products manufacture, production, use/reuse/maintenance and waste management.

The division supports national projects and initiatives for additive manufacturing. Key examples include the provision of analysis that forms the basis for the successful development of locally produced 3D printed products for biomedical uses and metal components for aeronautical applications.

NMISA’s materials characterisation services provide valuable insights into the quality control and failure analysis of products used in the railway and automotive sectors. The mining and minerals sectors benefit from the provision of fit-for-purpose

solutions developed for the determination of mineral content, used to monitor the effects on human and environmental health.

Services include:

• Optical microscopy • Focussed ion beam scanning electron microscopy • X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy • Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy • X-ray diffraction with Rietveld refinement • Particle size distribution

Support is provided in terms of product development, failure analyses, identification of elements in bulk or nano material, surface characterisation for quality control, optimisation for sensor technology and environmental monitoring.

Gas analysis

The gas analysis laboratory enables compliance with legislation and reliable reporting of emission measurements through the provision of traceable primary reference gas mixtures. Services provided by the section include the dissemination of traceability in the air pollution monitoring industry through the provision of primary reference gas mixtures, reference measurements and calibration of various monitoring instruments, including training, proficiency testing, assessments and consultancy.

These laboratories ensure that reliable primary reference gas mixtures are used to calibrate the equipment used to monitor emissions into the atmosphere, thereby ensuring that emission measurements in South Africa are accurate. This also protects the public as regulation enforces those industries to report emissions above the threshold and provides solutions to reduce the emissions, with penalties for high emitters.

Measurement of mass

Measurements of mass are central to the manufacturing of highquality goods and services, mining, pharmaceutical and the construction of infrastructure. We offer the following calibrations services to the SADC region: • Standard weights and weighing instruments • Calibration of volume measures using gravimetric method • Density of solids and liquids • Hydrometer calibration using Cuckow’s method • Surface and interfacial tension of liquids measurements • Consultancy and hands-on practical training in mass and small-volume metrology

Dosimetry standards

The Dosimetry Standards laboratories are an important part of South Africa’s infrastructure and support the country’s medical, mining, agricultural, nuclear and other industries where radiation is present. This division provides reference measurements for laboratories that monitor the radiation of workers in SADC, which ensures that workers are not exposed to radiation while performing their duties.

Inorganic chemistry

The quality of water affects us all and requires the measurement traceability that NMISA provides. The effective treatment of wastewater, as well as quality monitoring, can be scientifically challenging. NMISA provides a confidential proficiency testing service that permits laboratories to assess the accuracy of test results by following their routine methods, which enables them to test the effectiveness of their methods and programmes. The following analytical services are offered: • Analysis of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins

and selected pesticides in sludges and sediment. • Analysis of PFCs and selected pesticides in waste and water. • Trace element analysis in water, including toxic elements.

Dimensional laboratory services

This laboratory is responsible for the dissemination of length traceability within SADC through the calibration of length standards and the coordination of measurements. The coordinate measurement laboratory is equipped with Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM), which come in different shapes, sizes and accuracy. NMISA has five CMMs, three Bridge type CMMs, one Laser Tracker and one Articulate Arm.

NMISA recently acquired an LK ALTERA CMM and upgraded the Zeiss Prismo CMM to improve its gear measurement capabilities. The Zeiss Prismo Ultra CMM is regarded as the most accurate CMM in South Africa. The gear measuring system uses a touchprobe measuring method and can measure all types of gears. The system uses a rotary table that carries gears of up to 500kg and 600mm in diameter. This system will play a vital role in the manufacturing sector through the thorough inspection of gears.

Photometry and radiometry

The photometry and radiometry section maintains the candela and national measurement standards for optical radiation, including specialised measurement and calibration solutions for research and development as well as training and consultation. Areas of application include germicidal and industrial ultraviolet sources and detectors, solid-state lighting, advanced radiometric sensors and materials’ properties. The laboratory supports lighting, aerospace, health and safety, manufacturing, automotive, agriculture and earth observation.

This division is the only calibration laboratory in South Africa that is SANAS accredited to perform LED-related calibrations. The capability was set up to support the energy-saving drive and encourage the use of LEDs. These measurements allow for the shortening of the traceability chain and assist with regulation enforcement by the standardisation bodies.

Additive manufacturing (3D printing)

NMISA supports the local automotive industry by providing traceability for measuring instruments (3D) and the testing of conformance of locally manufactured automotive components

Contact us at sales@nmisa.org to find out how our measurement solutions can help you to produce highquality, reliable products, achieve compliance, increase revenue and support your business.

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