OIML Pilot Training Center:
Report on the first OIML NAWI training course
17–21 July 2016 - Beijing, P.R. China
Su Guo, OIML Advisory Group Secretary
The OIML Pilot Training Center (OPTC), located on the Changping Campus of the National Institute of Metrology, China, was officially opened on 18 July 2016. This is the first ever such OIML Training Center in the world.
Over 50 participants from Cambodia, China, Colombia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Rep. Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Viet Nam and the BIML participated in the first OIML Training Course on Non-Automatic Weighing Instruments.
Opening speech by Mr. Pu
The fact that the OIML chose to set up its first OPTC in China, the world’s largest developing country, is not only an acknowledgement of China’s considerable work in the field of metrology, but also the opportunity for China to engage in a historic mission. In the future, the OPTC will become a global model for international metrology training as well as a home for metrological talents, thus enhancing both managerial and technical capacities in countries and economies with emerging metrology systems (CEEMS).
The first training course focused on the test methods and procedures in OIML R 76 Non-automatic weighing instruments (NAWIs). This Recommendation was chosen because these instruments are widely used throughout the world, and OIML R 76 is also the basis for other international Recommendations. Additionally, it is one of the most comprehensive Recommendations in existence and is widely recognized and acknowledged as being authoritative and complete. NAWIs were also the first measuring instruments to become applicable under the framework of the OIML MAA, with the signing of the R 76 Declaration of Mutual Confidence (DoMC). This training course will continue to reinforce the global understanding of OIML R 76, strengthen the influence of OIML type evaluations, and also promote the development of the “one test, one certificate, global mutual recognition” concept.
The NAWI training course comprised thematic lectures, on-site training and group discussions, and was led by invited experts from Germany, China and the BIML as co-trainers. Participants also visited the Changping Campus of the NMI and a Sartorius manufacturing plant.
Delegates attending the first OIML OPTC NAWI training course
All the participants openly discussed many aspects of legal metrology, talked about key (and especially difficult) problems facing the field of NAWIs, exchanged experiences, and proposed new ideas for international training methods. Finally, each participant noted down their comments and experience of legal metrology training policies and mechanisms as well as issues relating to NAWIs according to their own roles. The Advisory Group will evaluate the assessment and will report back during the 51st CIML Meeting in October.
Generally, the participants responded that they appreciated this NAWI training course because it had a modular curriculum design and because the content was good, rich and diverse. In particular, it invited senior experts to give concrete guidelines. Because all the participants came from well-known research institutes and enterprises, the course offered them both a global vision as well as a combination of specific tangible work practice, so they found it very rewarding. Secondly, participants found the training effective as it succeeded in building a high-level international platform of metrology cooperation, it addressed key issues during the discussions and it allowed those present to exchange experiences, each participant describing the situation in their own country. Participants agreed that through this training they were able to further deepen their understanding of legal metrology, of the OIML, and notably of OIML R 76.
Finally, participants agreed that the Training Center is very important, especially for the CEEMS community. China, as Chair of the OIML Advisory Group, will follow the needs of everyone involved, not only to promote training on NAWIs but also to promote other legal measuring instruments. The organizers hope that the OPTC will be a model that will rapidly be used as the basis for establishing more centers as a network in the world.
OIML OPTC NAWI training course group photo
Training material: Click here
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