Place 2018/19

Working closely with industry

NPL is expanding the community it works with, to help more businesses and organisations to prosper and progress through exposure to world-leading research, facilities and people. We want to ensure that all parts of the UK benefit from the impact of our work. We are a national laboratory with a nationwide presence. 

By taking our internationally recognised science to companies across the UK we help companies understand the role of good measurement practice and how it can increase productivity. We also give the confidence to innovate through new products, accessing new markets and using new technology. Our national presence helps provide local access to NPL's expertise, so that all of UK industry can benefit, especially SMEs. As we continue to develop our national presence, we aim to increase both the volume of measurement research in the UK and the impact of the UK national measurement infrastructure on the UK's prosperity and quality of life.

In addition to our Teddington site, we have centres in four regions across the UK:

• Scotland: NPL in Scotland, using their data science capability, is working with Keysight Technologies Ltd on formulating and delivering a cross-theme project on digital manufacturing; developing concepts and protocols for the calculation of dynamic uncertainties in product systems and families of equipment.
• North of England: Our North of England based Manufacturer’s Measurement Network offers SME manufacturers extensive expertise in measurement and product verification related support to help them identify appropriate validation methods within their business to increase efficiency, reduce waste and improve product quality. Members have access to a range of benefits including attendance at events with manufacturing themes and networking with other manufacturers at different tiers in supply chains.
• East of England: NPL in the East of England is working with Nu Quantum, a small spin out company from Cambridge University, on components for secure quantum communications systems. NPL is engaged with Nu Quantum and helped them submit proposals to the Analysis 4 Innovators programme, which are now underway with NPL’s quantum technology experts. This engagement has resulted in a proposal for a much larger project to be delivered by a consortium including NPL, Nu Quantum, and many other companies and universities. The project would aim to establish a national capability for commercial-grade, room temperature, high performance single-photon visible/NIR wavelength sources and detectors and to establish national protocols for the testing methodology and certification for quantum single-photon components.  
• South of England: NPL in the South of England is working with the Institute for Communication Systems at the University of Surrey, on building of a demonstrator system to evaluate high-throughput millimetre wave (mm-wave) wireless transmission, which will play a pivotal role in future communications systems and networks.