18
2 Metrological Infrastructure
implementation of OIML documents; for example, in Poland, the native country of
the author of this book, the president of the Central Office of Measures introduces
these documents in the form of regulations. Besides preparing documents and recommendations, OIML also publishes dictionaries of metrology terms and various
publications of a scientific nature.
The project to create the SI system of units was approved at a plenary meeting
of the OIML in Paris in 1958. Initially, SI did not include the mole, an extremely
important unit for chemistry. Only in 1971 was the mole included as the amount
(number) of a substance, a basic unit.
The widespread introduction of the SI system took some time. Taking Poland
again as an example, it was only in 1966 that SI was established as a legitimate
public system for units of measurement. The Act of June 17th, 1966 on measures and
measurement tools (Journal of Laws, 1966, No. 23, item. 148) introduces the guiding
principle of the use of the only legal units of measurement, making an exception to
this rule only for scientific purposes and for the needs of national defense. Currently,
the Act of 11th May 2001 is in force, while in the Journal of Laws, 2004, No. 243,
item. 2441 the “Proclamation of Marshall of the Polish Government on November
4th, 2004 on the announcement of the uniform text of the Law Act on Measures” is
mentioned.
The world metrological infrastructure for the measurement of physical properties
includes BIPM and the network of National Metrology Institutions (NMIs) in the
Member States of the Metre Convention. The hierarchy of models providing comparisons of measurement standards of physical quantities is well developed, starting
from the international level, through the national level to the calibration laboratories,
and consequently to the users of measuring instruments. In this way, the hierarchical system ensures traceability. This allows the user of the measuring instrument
to be sure that the measurement results are linked to the national and international
standards of measurement units. Of course, this infrastructure is not a guarantee of
receiving a reliable result; it is certainly the responsibility of the one who performs
the measurements. Therefore, it is necessary to use the validated measurement methods and measuring instruments with the appropriate metrology status, in order to
take correct measurements and properly determine the measurement result with its
uncertainty.
The signing of the MRA CIPM (Mutual Recognition Arrangement of International Committee for Weights and Measures) by the directors of National Metrological Institutions was an important step in the development and recognition of
the uniformity of units at the international level. The Agreement was signed during
the 21st General Conference of Weights and Measures, which took place on October
11–15, 1999, as proposed by the International Committee for Weights and Measures.
Currently, the MRA is signed by 64 countries, including 45 signatory states of the
Metre Convention, 17 associated countries, and two international organizations.
The most important consequence of the signing of the Metre Convention was the
creation of National Metrology Institute (NMI) in the signatory countries, and an
agreement that the standard units have become units of measurement based on the
metric system.
2 Metrological Infrastructure
implementation of OIML documents; for example, in Poland, the native country of
the author of this book, the president of the Central Office of Measures introduces
these documents in the form of regulations. Besides preparing documents and recommendations, OIML also publishes dictionaries of metrology terms and various
publications of a scientific nature.
The project to create the SI system of units was approved at a plenary meeting
of the OIML in Paris in 1958. Initially, SI did not include the mole, an extremely
important unit for chemistry. Only in 1971 was the mole included as the amount
(number) of a substance, a basic unit.
The widespread introduction of the SI system took some time. Taking Poland
again as an example, it was only in 1966 that SI was established as a legitimate
public system for units of measurement. The Act of June 17th, 1966 on measures and
measurement tools (Journal of Laws, 1966, No. 23, item. 148) introduces the guiding
principle of the use of the only legal units of measurement, making an exception to
this rule only for scientific purposes and for the needs of national defense. Currently,
the Act of 11th May 2001 is in force, while in the Journal of Laws, 2004, No. 243,
item. 2441 the “Proclamation of Marshall of the Polish Government on November
4th, 2004 on the announcement of the uniform text of the Law Act on Measures” is
mentioned.
The world metrological infrastructure for the measurement of physical properties
includes BIPM and the network of National Metrology Institutions (NMIs) in the
Member States of the Metre Convention. The hierarchy of models providing comparisons of measurement standards of physical quantities is well developed, starting
from the international level, through the national level to the calibration laboratories,
and consequently to the users of measuring instruments. In this way, the hierarchical system ensures traceability. This allows the user of the measuring instrument
to be sure that the measurement results are linked to the national and international
standards of measurement units. Of course, this infrastructure is not a guarantee of
receiving a reliable result; it is certainly the responsibility of the one who performs
the measurements. Therefore, it is necessary to use the validated measurement methods and measuring instruments with the appropriate metrology status, in order to
take correct measurements and properly determine the measurement result with its
uncertainty.
The signing of the MRA CIPM (Mutual Recognition Arrangement of International Committee for Weights and Measures) by the directors of National Metrological Institutions was an important step in the development and recognition of
the uniformity of units at the international level. The Agreement was signed during
the 21st General Conference of Weights and Measures, which took place on October
11–15, 1999, as proposed by the International Committee for Weights and Measures.
Currently, the MRA is signed by 64 countries, including 45 signatory states of the
Metre Convention, 17 associated countries, and two international organizations.
The most important consequence of the signing of the Metre Convention was the
creation of National Metrology Institute (NMI) in the signatory countries, and an
agreement that the standard units have become units of measurement based on the
metric system.