A Training and Education Framework for Metrology

Where metrology – the science of measurement – was once seen by many manufacturers as an expensive yet essential contribution to the product inspection function of the business, the use of computer controlled automation and increasing adoption of digital manufacturing technology is highlighting the crucial dependence on metrology for gaining confidence in product and process data.

The role of the person who can quantify this confidence – the metrologist – is therefore becoming critical for enabling manufacturing companies to make valid business decisions. To date however this role has had little or no formal recognition and no framework for progression within the discipline. Metrology is usually taught within the HE sector as a part of engineering courses but confidence in measurement underpins all parts of commerce and business and the role of metrologist can have a much broader impact than in engineering alone.

The Proposal

We are therefore designing a framework for education and training of metrologists to provide recognition of the role and of an individual’s competence within it. Following on from the MCDDM launch event where Training and Development was presented by Steff Smith of the Institute of Measurement and Control, Phil Bamforth of Rolls Royce and Trevor Toman of Coventry University/MCDDM, a workshop was held to ascertain the essential features of the framework. It is consequently being designed to lead to Chartered Scientist/Metrologist, PhD, Eng.D but can also end at whatever point the individual chooses that aligns to their career needs and aspirations.

Next Steps

The next stage will be to identify members of a Special Interest Group (SIG) who will be responsible driving the actions necessary to align industry needs and training and development opportunities and to ensure standards are created to ensure compliance and quality of delivery and output.