>
The Research Institute for Engineering Measurement (RIEM) is one of four research institutes in NMIJ. The mission of RIEM is to contribute to manufacturing industries by establishing, maintaining and disseminating measurement standards in the areas of dimensional, mass related, mechanical and flow measurements.
Load Kelvin, who is famous for his name being used as a unit of thermodynamic temperature left a proverb, “If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it”. It has been interpreted and expressed in various ways. One of the terms, “If you can not measure it, you can not make it.” expresses exactly the mission of RIEM. High quality products cannot be made without high precision metrology.
The strategy of RIEM to attain this mission is to form a technical base in these areas. There are many specialists of measurement in universities; however there is no place other than RIEM where specialists in specific metrology areas are gathered. In addition to this, RIEM has state-of-the-art measuring instruments and expertise in every metrology area. Thus, given this situation, I can say that RIEM can be a technical base in these areas.
In order to form such a technical home base, a wide spectrum of researches ranging from fundamental to applied researches must be conducted. In particular, RIEM has made significant contributions to the revision of the International System of Units (SI) especially for “kg". Concerning applied researches, a numerous number of collaboration researches and technical consultations have been produced and completed in response to a wide range of requests from industries. Members of RIEM have been performing extensive researches so that RIEM can be the right place as a “technical base” to provide solutions for the industrial users.
In addition to develop, maintain and supply metrological standards, RIEM is responsible for legal metrology. Technical activities of legal metrology include type approval tests of specified measuring instruments and inspections of verification standards used in local verification offices. The RIEM also performs various important tasks in legal metrology by cooperating with Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and providing trainings for local verification offices and manufacturers of measuring instruments. As for legal metrology, our mission is also to form a technical base where the technology and information are collected and provided.
One of the most important functions of a technical base is to be a network hub of information and human resources both for international and domestic. The RIEM is actively contributing to CIPMMRA in the aim of supporting trade facilitation. The last but not the least important task of RIEM is to collaborate with foreign national metrology institutes (NMIs) and support for developing NMIs through regional metrology and legal metrology organizations, the Asia Pacific Metrology Programme (APMP) and the Asia Pacific Legal Metrology Forum (APLMF). I will take over the Chair of the APMP after the General Assembly which will be held in Da-nang, Vietnam in November. I am looking forward to playing this important role and feel a great responsibility as well. The RIEM has been promoting international collaboration extensively and will continue this policy. I would appreciate your kind support and cooperation in the metrology community.