TC8 - Traceability in Metrology - Documents

There are no documents available at the moment.

TC8 - Traceability in Metrology - Aims

Aims of IMEKO TC8 "Traceability in Metrology":

TC8 provides a forum for an international interchange of opinions among experts in the relevant field.

The TC8 organizes international scientific events such as symposia, workshops, round-table sessions, and activities on traceability, calibration procedures, intercomparisons, uncertainty evaluation, and other related topics, in close cooperation with international organizations in legal metrology to share knowledge and experience, in order:

1. to improve comparability and compatibility among measurements and calibrations worldwide,

2. to foster collaborative projects among international groups, and support mutual recognition of measurements and calibrations between National Metrology Institutes (MRA) or Accreditation Bodies,

3. to harmonize criteria, procedures, and uncertainty evaluation methods to facilitate technical information exchange.

Main fields of interests:

• Basic terms and definitions related to traceability
• Traceability requirements for national metrology institutes
• Statement and evaluation of traceability
• interlaboratory comparisons
• New fields and needs for traceability

In order to reach the aims and meet todays requirements the TC created 4 sub committees:

1) classic traceability and its application today

Traceability, is the backbone of metrology: being a property of a measurement result that links it to a reference. It guarantees that measurements carried out in different places and different times are comparable and needs to be fully established and implemented in all measurement fields, including emerging sectors like diagnostics, genomics, digitalization, or quantum technologies. There are many cases where traceability is not straight forward and specific paths must be conceived and put in place.

2)  traceability in digitalization Although traceability is the backbone of metrology, the term sounds outdated. But a new survey amongst IMEKO colleagues from all over the world has shown that there are new topics which came into focus due to digitalization. 25 of the 57 responding IMEKO members have already experienced changes (with respect to traceability), and only 7% expect daily work not being affected in any way in the near future. All others need and could be supported on time.

IMEKO TC8 sub-committee 2 "traceability in digitalization " shall discuss and highlight, amongst others, the following topics:

• Automated use of "horizontal traceability"-information provided by digital certificates
• Traceability of virtual devices highlighting the use and need for virtual standards, reference implementations and (golden) reference data sets
• Traceability of/in sensor networks – e. g. to clarify questions like: Does each sensor need to be traceable to classify a network as traceable as a whole?
• Traceability of self-learning and AI systems-When and how can a system being able to change settings on its own be considered/classified as traceable?
The work will be harmonized, and the results will be discussed with IMEKO TC 6 "Digitalization".

3)  special issues 

e. g. vanishing standards during calibration/testing in chemistry

4)   interdisciplinary Traceability

what do we have in common, what can we learn from oneanother; redefinition of the system of unites (SI) and effects on traceability.

Responsible for the IMEKO TC8 website content: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

TC8 - Traceability in Metrology - About

Traceability, is the backbone of metrology:

Being a property of a measurement result that links it to a reference. It guarantees that measurements carried out in different places and different times are comparable and needs to be fully established and implemented in all measurement fields, including emerging sectors like diagnostics, genomics, digitalization, or quantum technologies. There are many cases where traceability is not straight forward and specific paths must be conceived and put in place.

The SI revolution of 2019, linking each definition to a fundamental constant, represents a revolutionary paradigm shift also in terms of promoting and assuring metrological traceability. The redefinition of SI has been a starting point towards new challenges and new goals to be faced. It is necessary to disseminate the new concepts and reassure that such a revolutionary change must nevertheless guarantee the continuity in the everyday life and in the metrological traceability approach.

The current officers, Michela Sega (Chair),  Thomas Wiedenhoefer (Vice Chair) and Dr. Sergio Pinheiro de Oliveira (Scientific Secretary), are working in close cooperation with the TC members to renew its tasks to take into account the new challenges of metrological traceability.

 In order to give new life to the TC, to face the new challenges without leaving apart the consolidated fields, it was decided to create four subcommittees to deal with specific topics: 

1) classic traceability and its application today 2)  traceability in digitalization (digital calibration certificates, virtual worlds/digital twins) 3)  special issues – e. g. vanishing standards during calibration/testing in chemistry 4)   interdisciplinary Traceability – what do we have in common, what can we learn from oneanother; redefinition of the system of unites (SI) and effects on traceability. Each subcommittee aims at identifying specific issues to be addressed and acting as  discussion forum and interface with external stakeholders. For more information or if you want to support our work as a member of TC8, please contact our This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 IMEKO TC8 currently has 23 active Members from the following 16 countries:

Bosnia and Herzegowina | Brazil | Bulgaria | P. R. China | France | Germany | Hungary | Italy | Rwanda | Singapore | Switzerland | Thailand | Uganda | Ukraine | United Kingdom | United States of America

Responsible for the IMEKO TC8 website content: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

TC8 - Traceability in Metrology - Links