Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence has signed a new 10-year license agreement with the UK’s National Measurement Institute to produce gauge block interferometers. It marks a long-established relationship between the leading measurement solutions provider and the NPL that now spans three decades during which time more than 30 of these special instruments have been sold around the world.
Left to right: Andrew Lowe, Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence electrical engineer, special products group; Dr Andrew Lewis, NPL science area leader, dimensional metrology; Gary Brice, Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence business manager; Professor Paul Shore, head of NPL Engineering Measurement Division
The latest interferometers have been delivered to customers in the Middle East, meaning 22 national metrology laboratories, half of the nation Member states of the Metre Convention, use the NPL-Hexagon equipment to provide the traceability link at the highest level in their countries.
Hexagon was selected by the Institute in the 1980s to undertake the design and manufacture of commercial copies of the NPL instrument as the company offered the right mix of necessary mechanical, electrical and optical skills.
Gary Brice, Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence’s business manager, explains: “Initially, it was thought the market for these interferometers might be quite small. However, thanks to their reliability and the development of new versions, the number of sales has been impressive and represents a significant fraction of the worldwide primary metrology systems used to provide the highest tier calibrations of gauge blocks.”
The National Physical Laboratory 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. For more than a century, NPL has developed and maintained the nation’s primary measurement standards. NPL ensures that cutting-edge measurement science and technology have a positive impact in the real world. NPL delivers world-leading measurement solutions that are critical to commercial research and development, and support business success across the UK and the globe. NPL employs over 500 scientists, based in south-west London, in a laboratory, which is amongst the world’s most extensive and sophisticated measurement science buildings. For more information, visit www.npl.co.uk.
Hexagon Metrology plc
Tel: 0870 4462667
Email: enquiry.uk@hexagonmetrology.com
www.hexagonmetrology.com