The business-facing organisation, part of the National Measurement Institute, will now design bespoke products, develop highly accurate instruments and do so in expert facilities.
It says: “NPL has developed and applied instruments, standards and methodologies to provide traceable measurements across a broad range of disciplines. The range of instruments we can provide extends from bespoke systems designed to meet specific measurement requirements to standard artefacts and complete metrology systems based on those operated at NPL.”
Organisations like NASA, the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the European Space Agency (ESA). NASA, for example, uses the most accurate machines in the world to craft the mirrors in its space telescopes. NPL was uniquely placed to create the laser systems that control and operate these machines. For ESA, NPL has developed a unique vibration test facility that underpins the performance of satellite components for European space missions.
To support the operation, NPL Instruments will be putting £1.5 million towards new machining centres and state-of-the-art laboratories, as well as the recruitment of new engineering specialists and advanced engineering apprentices.
Dr Peter Thompson, CEO of NPL says: "Today, NPL supplies instruments to industry to give organisations confidence through traceability. The launch of NPL Instruments gives industry access to our unrivalled measurement capabilities, underpinning prosperity and productivity."
