Expert Group Quality and Metrology
Working plan 2004-2005
1. The area of activity for the expert group.
The group is active in two fields, quality assurance and management system, and metrology and measurement technology. Conformity assessment activities in these fields are of special interest for the group.
Concerning quality assurance the group consider it its task to support general quality assurance activities in conformity assessment operators (CAO) and to help reduce barriers to trade, increase sustainable growth and help innovation and entrepreneurship by supporting CA activities. The group is considering the development of new management standards for CAOs as very important and will closely follow the development of such new standards. Another very important area for CAOs is the question about the future form of accreditation.
Within the metrology and measurement technology field the group is considering the "new" areas e.g. chemical metrology and metrology and measurements in nano-technologies as important. To create traceability within these new fields is essential. Cooperation and coordination of Nordic activities and resources within metrology is necessary especially since it is very expensive to build up new infrastructure for the “new” metrology fields.
Traditionally the QM-groups have had it activities within testing and metrology. The group consider that there is a need for more activities also in certification and inspection as well as in supporting activities.
2. Trend and needs within the area
The revision of ISO 17000-series standards will strongly influence the future in the QA-field for CAOs. The CAOs as well as other organisations are implementing and running increasingly integrated management systems (quality, environment, labour health, ethics etc.). Many CAOs are multifunctional, multi-disciplinary and multi-site and in connection with that there is a development of management standards for CAOs with several common elements and hopefully also in the end a common standard for all the different types of operators (testing, certification and inspection).
The group will support projects dealing with quality assurance activities for conformity assessment operators, e.g. intercomparisons and activities in connection with production and certification of reference materials.
The near future trends in metrology will clearly be influenced by the above mentioned new technologies nano-technology, micro-mechanics and microelectronics as well as development of measurement technology in industrial processes. The group is willing to fund such projects as well as activities within the area of chemical metrology. How to organise the metrological infrastructure will be an important issue for the future. The group can also fund activities aiming at coordination of and cooperation within Nordic metrology with a “European” perspective.
The introduction of new or revised EU directives (e.g. CPD and MID) and the enlargement of the union, especially the Baltic States, will need both horizontal and sectorial activities from NORDTEST to establish a reasonable safety level and to avoid technical barriers to trade.
The market surveillance in the Nordic countries is not functioning that in all areas but it is actually an essential element of general safety, consumer protection and fair competition. Projects in this area are welcomed.
3. Long term trends
In metrology there is a tendency to collaborate more and also to reduce the number of primary standards. Also the legal metrology will probably be reduced and many of the present tasks for legal metrology will be left to "the market". There will be a need for coordination of these activities in the Nordic countries and an increased need for advanced measurements in industrial applications, probably both in "old" and "new" technical areas. There will be more customer oriented activities and most probable more mixed assignments, e.g. measurement technology and quality assurance.
For CAOs the long-term trend is that there will be more mixed assignments e.g. inspection and certification. The activities of CAOs will be less bureaucratic and more customers oriented. More of the conformity activities will be left to the market.
The management systems in CAOs and metrology institutes will become more and more integrated to deal with all activities of an organisation.
The increased role of "the market" will require a more efficient market surveillance system.
Shopping list
The shopping list is giving examples of projects that the QM-group is considering as important. To write a project proposal with a title from the shopping list is however not a guaranty to get funding.
1. The area of activity for the expert group.
The group is active in two fields, quality assurance and management system, and metrology and measurement technology. Conformity assessment activities in these fields are of special interest for the group.
Concerning quality assurance the group consider it its task to support general quality assurance activities in conformity assessment operators (CAO) and to help reduce barriers to trade, increase sustainable growth and help innovation and entrepreneurship by supporting CA activities. The group is considering the development of new management standards for CAOs as very important and will closely follow the development of such new standards. Another very important area for CAOs is the question about the future form of accreditation.
Within the metrology and measurement technology field the group is considering the "new" areas e.g. chemical metrology and metrology and measurements in nano-technologies as important. To create traceability within these new fields is essential. Cooperation and coordination of Nordic activities and resources within metrology is necessary especially since it is very expensive to build up new infrastructure for the “new” metrology fields.
Traditionally the QM-groups have had it activities within testing and metrology. The group consider that there is a need for more activities also in certification and inspection as well as in supporting activities.
2. Trend and needs within the area
The revision of ISO 17000-series standards will strongly influence the future in the QA-field for CAOs. The CAOs as well as other organisations are implementing and running increasingly integrated management systems (quality, environment, labour health, ethics etc.). Many CAOs are multifunctional, multi-disciplinary and multi-site and in connection with that there is a development of management standards for CAOs with several common elements and hopefully also in the end a common standard for all the different types of operators (testing, certification and inspection).
The group will support projects dealing with quality assurance activities for conformity assessment operators, e.g. intercomparisons and activities in connection with production and certification of reference materials.
The near future trends in metrology will clearly be influenced by the above mentioned new technologies nano-technology, micro-mechanics and microelectronics as well as development of measurement technology in industrial processes. The group is willing to fund such projects as well as activities within the area of chemical metrology. How to organise the metrological infrastructure will be an important issue for the future. The group can also fund activities aiming at coordination of and cooperation within Nordic metrology with a “European” perspective.
The introduction of new or revised EU directives (e.g. CPD and MID) and the enlargement of the union, especially the Baltic States, will need both horizontal and sectorial activities from NORDTEST to establish a reasonable safety level and to avoid technical barriers to trade.
The market surveillance in the Nordic countries is not functioning that in all areas but it is actually an essential element of general safety, consumer protection and fair competition. Projects in this area are welcomed.
3. Long term trends
In metrology there is a tendency to collaborate more and also to reduce the number of primary standards. Also the legal metrology will probably be reduced and many of the present tasks for legal metrology will be left to "the market". There will be a need for coordination of these activities in the Nordic countries and an increased need for advanced measurements in industrial applications, probably both in "old" and "new" technical areas. There will be more customer oriented activities and most probable more mixed assignments, e.g. measurement technology and quality assurance.
For CAOs the long-term trend is that there will be more mixed assignments e.g. inspection and certification. The activities of CAOs will be less bureaucratic and more customers oriented. More of the conformity activities will be left to the market.
The management systems in CAOs and metrology institutes will become more and more integrated to deal with all activities of an organisation.
The increased role of "the market" will require a more efficient market surveillance system.
Shopping list
The shopping list is giving examples of projects that the QM-group is considering as important. To write a project proposal with a title from the shopping list is however not a guaranty to get funding.
- Projects dealing with market surveillance and a possible arrangement of a workshop to discuss the issue with the interested Nordic and Baltic parties
- Projects dealing with validation
- Projects about inter-laboratory comparisons, (also including participants from the Baltic states)
- Projects about traceability in chemical laboratories in connection with chemical metrology
- Project about building up an organisation of reference laboratories within the chemical area
- Projects about preventive actions and risk analysis
- Projects about security when using electronic documents and/or other IT-applications
- Projects regarding quality assurance of in-situ and on-line testing and measurement in industrial production
- Projects to produce recommendations on how to achieve quality assurance of complicated assignments involving several institutes and laboratories
- Projects describing experience regarding establishment of an integrated management system in a laboratory
- Projects dealing with new technical requirements in connection with EU Directives, e.g. (MID)
- A project about conformity assessment as a part of the general management system
- Key performance indicators for CAOs
- Projects about flexible scope of accreditation
- Projects about impartiality and independence of CAO, e.g. Type inspection bodies.
- Seminar presenting the NORDTEST activities in Metrology
Updated 2004-06-24
Kontaktpersoner:
DENMARK
Gunnar H Østergaard
FORCE TECHNOLOGY
Navervej 1
DK-6600 VEJEN
FINLAND
Jouko Roine
Inspecta AB
ICELAND
Jón Sigurjónsson
Rannsóknastofnun Byggningariðnaðarins (RB)
Keldnaholti
IS-112 Reykjavík
NORWAY
Odd Solumsmoen
Det Norske Veritas AS
NO-1322 Høvik
SWEDEN
Magnus Holmgren
SP
Box 857
SE-501 15 Borås
Kontaktpersoner:
DENMARK
Gunnar H Østergaard
FORCE TECHNOLOGY
Navervej 1
DK-6600 VEJEN
FINLAND
Jouko Roine
Inspecta AB
ICELAND
Jón Sigurjónsson
Rannsóknastofnun Byggningariðnaðarins (RB)
Keldnaholti
IS-112 Reykjavík
NORWAY
Odd Solumsmoen
Det Norske Veritas AS
NO-1322 Høvik
SWEDEN
Magnus Holmgren
SP
Box 857
SE-501 15 Borås
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