How does NMI ensure international confidence in Australia’s measurement system? Australia, through NMI, is a signatory to CIPM's Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA), established to provide users in industry, science, technology and the broader community with reliable quantitative information on the capabilities of and services delivered by national metrology institutes. It provides the technical basis for wider agreements negotiated for international trade, commerce and regulatory affairs, e.g. intergovernmental free trade agreements. The photo shows NMI’s inaugural CEO, Dr Barry Inglis, signing the CIPM MRA on behalf of Australia.
One of the key activities providing the technical basis for this confidence is an ongoing extensive program of international comparisons of national measurement standards in which peak metrology institutes around the world participate. NMI’s performance in these international comparisons provides the means of comparing its measurement capabilities with the rest of the international metrology community, assuring global credibility for the measurement services it delivers to Australian stakeholders.
NMI is also helping to establish mutual confidence within the global legal metrology environment through the OIML Mutual Acceptance Arrangement for pattern approval of measuring instruments.
Under the CIPM MRA, NMI participated in a key comparison for lead in wine. NMI’s performance underpins Australia’s testing capability in wine analysis as well as NMI’s work in providing reference values for water proficiency testing schemes.
NMI’s participation in this international comparison confirms its capability to manufacture a range of gas mixtures with low level components, providing traceability for these measurements for Australian gas companies.
The use of devices to measure the speed of vehicles contributes to the safety and well-being of Australian citizens. NMI participates in related OIML committees to ensure that speed cameras used in Australia can comply with relevant international standards.