Developing Metrology Networks

The Hub is working closely with the UK’s national measurement agency and the UK’s Technology and Innovation Centres (the Catapult Centres) to accelerate the early progression and adoption of our research outputs as well as being able to maximise the long term impact of the Hub.

National Physical Laboratory (NPL)

NPL is the UK’s National Measurement Institute, and is a world-leading centre of excellence in developing and applying the most accurate measurement standards, science and technology available.

NPL and the University of Huddersfield have been collaborating for many years in the field of engineering measurement. As a result of this relationship and the specific expertise within the University’s Centre for Precision Technologies (CPT), NPL chose to open a Measurement Services Laboratory on campus, the only laboratory outside of its London base and the first of its kind of any university in the UK. In 2014, NPL opened their new facilities at the University of Huddersfield’s 3M Buckley Innovation Centre and a strategic partnership was developed.

NPL is a key partner of the Hub and by pooling our expertise together, we are developing joint measurement research projects that will meet the needs of local industry. The Hub is also a member of the NPL Manufacturer Measurement Network which aims to help regional SMEs to optimise productivity and increase confidence in their products, keeping their businesses at the forefront of measurement and validation technology.

High Value Manufacturing Catapult (HVMC)

The research team has a close working relationship with a number of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centres, most of whom were co-creators of the Hub and its vision. We are actively involved in the Catapult’s Metrology Special Interest Group and currently have ‘Researchers in Residence’ at two of the Catapult centres. The scheme aims to increase the connections between the UK research base and the Catapults, accelerate the impact of funded research, increase knowledge exchange and develop new collaborations between academia and Catapult centres.

Professor Andrew Longstaff, Researcher in Residence at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), is working on measurement strategies, technologies and practical methods to significantly reduce the time taken to calibrate machine-tools.

“I’m delighted to receive this prestigious fellowship, which will not only help companies to be more productive but will also help them to correctly diagnose what is causing problems if they arise.

“The results of the research will be spread among the wider manufacturing community through the Catapult, enabling companies to reduce the time they take to calibrate machine tools and giving them more confidence that they will to produce components accurately.”

Dr Shan Lou, Researcher in Residence at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), is working on surface measurement methods for manufacturing, functioning and metrology of additively manufactured products.

“This project is investigating and developing a set of bespoken surface topography measurement and characterisation methods for additive manufacturing (AM).

“By measuring AM surface topography accurately and reliably, the project will contribute to the optimisation of AM process, facilitate the functional evaluation of complex AM components, and benefit the geometry metrology of AM products. This will result in an increased uptake of AM technologies into a wider range of applications.”