NPL Technology Applied Case Studies
NPL's expertise often manifests itself in technology products or processes that are for sale or available to licence. Many companies benefit from NPL technology inside their own products, processes and services.
View case studies on the following companies:
Hale Hamilton | Hexagon | Instron | Isotech
Millbrook Scientific Instruments | Precison Acoustics | Southern Scientific Ltd
Hale Hamilton
Minimised Dead Volume in cylinder values
Hale Hamilton and NPL developed a new gas cylinder valve after identifying measurement issues with conventional values.
The new valve and connector greatly decreases the time required to obtain stable measurements compared to those observed when using a standard cylinder connection and regulator.
Hale Hamilton are confident this unique development will provide cylinder filling companies worldwide with significant benefits.
Hexagon
Providing quick and easy access to length standards
Over a partnership spanning more than 20 years, Hexagon have successfully commercialised several calibration instruments developed at NPL. Including gauge block interferometers and frequency stabilised lasers. This partnership has provided industry with faster, more reliable systems, with world leading accuracy, requiring less operator training.
To date Hexagon have sold gauge block interferometers in 30 different countries
Instron
Miniaturising thermo chemical testing
When NPL were looking for a partner to commercialise its miniature thermo mechanical test system (ETMT), Instron a global company, specialising in materials testing instruments and systems, seemed an ideal partner.
In a short space of time, Inston have ensured that the ETMT a multi property bench-top testing instrument, is now available worldwide.
A major benefit for Instron was that NPL delivered a market ready product that didn't require expensive and time consuming R&D investment. Another benefit was the provision of valuable sales leads from NPL commercial and academic contacts.
Isotech
Tympanic Thermometer Cell - Validation of ear thermometers
NPL responded to concerns over the clinical accuracy of infrared ear thermometers by developing and patenting a fixed-point blackbody reference source for infrared ear thermometer that requires no calibration. Isotech have developed this product under licence.
Isotech are confident this will be a great boost to patient diagnostics and their product is currently being trialled by hospitals.
Millbrook Scientific Instruments
Bringing SIMs to industry's bench top
As a result of collaborating with NPL, Millbrook Instruments now offer a charge neutralisation system as an accessory to their recently launched, popular MiniSims - a desktop instrument for secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) used to study the distribution and concentration of atoms and molecules on surfaces.
The benefits versus competitor products include ease of use, automation and its small size.
Millbrook believe that using a system originated at NPL has helped enhance their credibility in the UK as well as in their export markets.
Precision Acoustics
Making ultrasound treatment ultra-safe
This relationship has resulted in the development of several products and has seen Precision Acoustics become the leading manufacturer of ultrasound quality assurance equipment.
The latest development is the Power Meter which will provide physiotherapists with a low cost, easy to use device to ensure that patients are provided with the safest most effective ultrasound treatment available.
Precision Acoustics believes that the association with NPL has enabled them to achieve acceptance in a worldwide market normally reserved for much bigger players.
Southern Scientific Ltd
Making radioactive diagnostics and treatments safer
Every year in the UK, radioactive pharmaceuticals are administered to about 670,000 patients for diagnostic imaging or for cancer therapy. As radioactivity is a known carcinogen itself, it is important that patients receive the minimum quantity needed for their treatment.
Southern Scientific Ltd have worked with NPL to develop and validate a new PC-based readout for an instrument used by medical physicists. The instrument is used to check the radioactive drugs before injection into the patient, and the Southern Scientific/NPL project enables these measurements to be accurate and traceable to national standards of radioactivity.
Further Information
To find out more about NPL Technology Applied, please contact Ross Manning