Effects of the Measuring Instruments Directive -MID- on the operation of test rigs

The conversion of the MID as a European Guideline into national law of the EU member nations will change test bench permissions too.

Was the verification of the test rigs mostly proceed by the German Local Weights and Measures Offices or the Dutch NMI in the country of production, it could be that a usefulness with such kind of procedure will not be possible anymore. In the future it will come to a change of the nationally recognized inspection stations.

Within the scope of conformation procedure the inspection stations of the measurement producers will not need a nationally recognition anymore. Together with the certification of the meter it will be integrated in the QM system with the module F, D or H1 by the European Notified Body.

Inspection stations which are independent from measurement producers and public utilities can be qualified as a European Notified Body.

Additionally inspection stations with recognition will exist for re certification, statistical control and check of the measurement error in use, similar to the European Notified Bodies, if they are also independent from measurement producers and public utilities.

Now the proof of the uncertainties, the test rig documentation and the conformation according the technical guidelines will be important. A reference to existing identically constructed test rigs will not be enough. Each test rig has to be checked separately.

Many test benches were defined by the uncertainty of the flow standards only. These will not enough anymore. The whole sensors of the rig, inclusive the flow standards and calculations have to be covered. All uncertainties have to be taken to account of each separate sensor. The reflection of the calibration uncertainty of the mounted sensors in the rig is not accurate enough.

Often the measurement unit is not protected in relation to a falsification. Mainly pressure sensors have serial number, which is noted in the rig documentation, not so for Pt 100 temperature sensors. Additionally the connection between the sensor and the amplifier is often not generally protected.

In front of renewing of a test area according MID, the test technology should be analysed.

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