The University of Bath has opened a new ‘state of the art’ laboratory that allows very large objects, such as aeroplane wings, to be measured to within a fraction of a millimetre. The Laboratory for Integrated Metrology Applications (LIMA) is part of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and has strong links with its Innovative Design & Manufacturing Research Centre.
The researchers at LIMA are working with a number of industry partners to develop new techniques for measuring large objects to accuracies that were not feasible before. These partners include the National Physical Laboratory, Renishaw (plus other metrology vendors), five other universities and a number of advanced-engineering and aerospace companies.
The new laboratory was officially opened on 25 November by Peter Mason, CEO of the National Measurement Office. He said: “It’s great to see an initiative that brings together government, the national measurement institutes, industry and academia — all focusing on a very clear requirement to apply measurement to the widest possible purpose.”
Professor Paul Maropoulos, head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and chairman of LIMA, said: “We are delighted at Bath to be working with all the partners of LIMA to develop new metrology-enabled technologies and methods that will have applications in many industry sectors — from aerospace to wind turbines, power generation and health-care.”
The picture shows Glynis Breakwell — vice-chancellor of Bath University — and Brian Bowsher — managing director of the National Physical Laboratory — signing a Memorandum of Understanding.