< Previous10 bmta.co.uk • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •11 A new technique developed at NPL has the potential to significantly improve breast cancer outcome. ScientistsatNPLhavedemonstratedthefirstin-person measurements of breast tissue using an innovative new detection technique, which has the potential to significantlyimprovebreastcanceroutcomesbyaiding in the earlier diagnosis and treatment of the disease. The technique works by transmitting ultrasonic waves through the breast which are then detected by a new type of sensor resulting in maps which show how much ultrasound is lost in the tissue. Using the new technique, the team at NPL conducted a study measuring the breast tissue of 12 nominally healthy volunteersagedbetween19and65yearsold. The results of the study were published in August by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and are available to download via [https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/ document/9858341] . The analysis explains that the technology could meet an existing requirement for a relatively simple method for assessing the properties of breast tissue, particularly breast density. In comparison to X-ray mammography, this new technology is less invasive, more comfortable and completely safe as it eliminates risks associated with exposure to ionising radiation. NPL has been working for many years on applying its metrology expertise to support collaborative research and development within the healthcare system. From pioneering an ultrasound breast imaging system that improves cancer outcomes to research supporting the effectiveness and regulatory compliance of clinical ultrasound, improving methods of breast cancer diagnosishasbeenafocusforNPL’swork.The team plans to conduct further in-person studies to compare measurements from their research platform to conventional methods of measuring breast density. Daniel Sarno, Senior Research Scientist, NPL said: “New ultrasound technologies are providing unique solutions to many longstanding challenges in healthcare. Over the last decade, there have been growing calls to improve theefficiencyandeffectivenessofbreastscreening programmes – particularly in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. “The ultrasound technology breakthrough made at NPL will enable clinicians to better distinguish different soft tissue types through traceable measurement, with applications for non-invasive breast density assessment, breast cancer diagnosis and therapy treatment tracking. While still in the research phase, we are encouraged by our in-person results and excited about the technology journey from benchtop to bedside.” NEWS bmta.co.uk bmta.co.uk NPL IS WORKING TO IMPROVE BREAST CANCER DIAGNOSISWith unacceptable levels of water loss making the headlines, and the need to meet progressively stricter regulations, water companies throughout the UK are increasinglydiscoveringthebenefitsofclamp-on ultrasonicflowmetersinthebattleagainstdisruption to customers. Unable to manage leakage or unaccounted losses withoutmeasuringflowsandvolumes,clamp-on ultrasonic metering offers a cost-effective, non-invasive solution, allowing installation without supply interruption, unlike conventional in-line metering, which can be somewhat challenging in this respect. How does clamp-on ultrasonic metering work? In simple terms, when it comes to measurement, clamp- onflowmetersworkbysendingtwoultrasonicpulses throughthemedium–oneintheflowdirectionanda second one against it – with the transducers alternately working as an emitter and a receiver. The transit time of theultrasonicsignalpropagatinginthedirectionofflow is shorter than the transit time of the signal propagating againsttheflowandthetimedifferenceisdirectly proportionaltotheflowrate. Measuring to manage Recently appearing at the prestigious, tenth annual international Water, Wastewater and Environmental Monitoring event (WWEM) in Telford, FLEXIM had the chance to demonstrate, in collaboration with AnglianWater,oneoftheUK’slargestwater companies with over six million customers, why FLEXIMultrasonicclamp-onflowmetersarenowtheir metering technology of choice. 12 THE BENEFITS OF CLAMP-ON ULTRASONIC FLOWMETERS IN THE BATTLE AGAINST WATER LEAKAGE Andy Hammond, Flexim bmta.co.uk As showcased at WWEM 2022, clamp-on ultrasonic flow metering is helping to tackle the ever-increasing challenge of leakage reduction and interruptions in UK water supply. With the pressing need to comply with AMP7 objectives high on the agenda, Anglian would need to commit to reducingleakageby16%,decreasesupplyinterruption by41%,andreducepollutionincidentsby30%in order to meet the 2025 deadline for water companies in England and Wales to achieve their PR19 Outcome Delivery Incentives. The challenge to grow real-world confidence in clamp-on capabilities Anglian were well aware of the importance of measuring flowsandvolumes,inordertohaveanychanceof effectively managing leakages or unknown losses. Other obstacles in their way included a lack of appropriate network metering and the excessive costs involved with the use of intrusive meters. Civil, chambering and reinstatement installation work is capable of exceeding £100,000 for large-bore meters, whereas clamp-on flowmeters,withnoneedforbypassesorvalvesfor maintenance, would cost considerably less, for example from £5K rising to £30,000 with a basic chamber. Whiletherewasdefiniteinterestinthecapabilitiesof ultrasonicclamp-onflowmeters,andarecognitionthat they lend themselves well to installation without supply interruption, Anglian was still hesitant as there were a number of preconceptions about the technology that led to some concerns. With ultrasonic clamp-on metering garnering a variable reputation over the past three decades, water companiesneedreal-worldconfidencethatthese versatileflowmeterscantrulydeliverrobustandreliable solutions.Isn’tclamp-onjustatemporarysolution? Aren’ttheytrickytoinstall?Aren’tmeasurementsoreven installations unreliable or intermittent? And there was more than a little scepticism of the readings – are they really completely accurate? These were some of the worries Anglian had to overcome. FLEXIMwasfirsttaskedwithprovingtheeffectivenessof clamp-on technology for Anglian Water in 2017, beginning by providing sewage pumping station monitoring, including buried installations. MCERTS-accredited meters followed, and during this period, not one meter failed. Withopinionshiftingandconfidencegainedthrough experience, FLEXIM was asked to begin work for Anglian on raw and potable water network monitoring in 2020, delivering accurate and reliable data solutions in often awkward,difficulttoaccesslocations,includingthe replacement of long-dead inline electromagnetic metering. 13 bmta.co.uk14 bmta.co.uk Commitment to research and development takes ultrasonic measurement to a whole new level With the capabilities of clamp-on technology improving dramatically in recent years, we take a look at the accuracies of ultrasonic, clamp-on measurement. Inthepast,dopplerultrasonicflowmeasurementhas beenfrequentlyrecommendedforwastewaterflow measurement, as performance is typically stated as havinganaccuracyof±2%ofreadingsonliquidswith entrained solids or gases. However, performance at this level of uncertainty is rarely the case in practice. Despite specificationclaims,entrainedairorsuspendedsolids percentages within wastewater vary constantly and doppler rarely achieves measurement uncertainty better than±10%inthefield. Ultrasonic transit time measurement, on the other hand, uses transducers that typically operate in the 0.2-2MHz frequencies, and works by sending two ultrasonic pulses throughthemedium–oneinthedirectionofflow,anda second one against it. The transducers are alternately working as a transmitter and a receiver; ultrasound sentwiththeflowdirectionspeedsup,againsttheflow slowsdown,andthetimedifference,Δt,isdirectly proportionatetotheflowrate. Meteraccuracy(laborfieldcalibrated)±0.3%ofreading,±0.01m/s Installed accuracy±1.0%ofreading,±0.01m/s Repeatability0.15%ofreading,±0.01m/s Maximum pipe diameterUpto6.5m Becauseit’snotalwayspossibletoachieveoptimum installation away from valves, bends and other inline disturbances,FLEXIM’sautomaticflowdisturbance correction feature is highly advantageous. Developed in collaboration with the highly respected PTB, the National Metrology Institute of Germany, research focussed on the exact determination of non-disturbed and disturbedflowprofiles,withdisturbancecorrectionfactors derived from the ratio of the two results. In situations where recommended straight runs can bedifficulttofind,the(usually)required10Dupstream straightlengthtoachieve±1.0%installedaccuracyis reduced to a much more achievable 2D upstream and 3D downstream, optimised for 90° bends and double bends, both in and out of plane. Other disturbance types are also improved. Forevengreatermeasurementconfidence,advanced meterverificationcanbecarriedoutannually.This involves instrument conditioning monitoring, health check and predictive maintenance, with the diagnostic data‘fingerprint’beingstoredatthetimeofinstallation, formingtheverificationreference.Becausediagnostic values may change over time due to pipe condition deterioration or even internal pipe build-up, the reference diagnostics can be used for an accurate comparison, 15 bmta.co.uk andaverificationreportisgeneratedautomaticallyto provide evidence for predictive maintenance and quality management systems. This negates the need for periodic meter recalibration, offering considerable operational expenditure savings and no measurement interruption. Developing a standard approach within potable water networks Workingwhereotherclamp-onflowmetershadfailed, AnglianwerebeginningtorealisethatFLEXIM’sclamp- on ultrasonic metering could help them achieve their AMP7 objectives. However, they still needed to be reassuredthatclamp-onflowmeterscouldbedeployed at scale in clean networks with zero network supply interruption, and at optimal total expenditure. This is why ‘outsidethebox’thinkingwouldbeneededtodeliverthe most cost-effective deployment. The ‘coffin chamber’ technique Needing to deploy more meters at scale to address network visibility and drive down leakage without supplyinterruption,atrulycost-effectiveflowmeter deployment methodology was developed that would dramatically reduce the investment usually required on sitecivilconstructionwork.The‘coffin-chamber’involves excavating the pipe, before installing the ultrasonic clamp-on meter on the outside of the pipe. Next, a durable plastic chamber is built around the pipe and flowmeter,backfilledwithpeashingleandcappedoff. Finally,thecoffinchamberisbackfilledandrestored to grade. AllowinginstallationofultrasonicflowmetersonHPPE, carbon steel, ductile iron, grey cast iron or even cement pipes, in sizes from 150mm to 2m or potentially larger still, advantagesofthecoffin-chambermethodofflowmeter deployment are wide-ranging. These include protection ofboththepipeandflowmeterduringexcavationorin the event of any necessary meter maintenance, as well as improved or reduced planned outages, lowest cost chamber and civil work, and improved meter uptime leading to effective network monitoring. Tofindoutmoreaboutnon-invasiveultrasonicflowmeasurementinthewaterindustry,contact AndyHammond-www.flexim.co.uk|sales@flexim.co.uk|+44(0)160678142016 DYNAMIC MONITORING OF INTELLIGENT MACHINING SYSTEMS Daniel Povey, Higher Research Scientist, NPL Industrial Digitalisation AstheUK’sNationalMeasurementInstitute(NMI), the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) must always consider the ways in which it can best support UK Industry. The global focus on digitalisation is thus one of the many areas in which NPL aims to identify and address measurement challenges, and as such, there has been continual growth in activities across NPL with digitalisation at their core. A number of these activities fall under the Advanced Machinery and Productivity Initiative (AMPI), which is a collaborative initiative led by a consortium of both industrial and academic institutions to stimulate innovation and adoption of new technology through collaboration and direct support to industry. The initiative is funded by the UKRI Strength in Places Fund (SIPF) and includes both industry-led and academia-led research portfolios. Collaboration is ingrained in both portfolios to facilitate an innovation-led approach to benefitindustrynationwide. DMIMS Overview The Dynamic Monitoring of Intelligent Machining Systems (DMIMS) project is one part of the academia-led research portfoliowithinAMPI.Itisafive-yearprojectbeingledby NPL which aims to address multiple measurement-related challenges within the context of machining systems. In broad terms, there are three focuses for the project, identifiedbelow: •Thedevelopmentofquantifiablyaccurate,traceable, integrated sensor systems; •The creation of generalised digital requirement specificationsforintegratingmetrologicalprocess data and process-related metadata; •Improvement upon the integration and automation ofmetrologyontheproductionfloor,withparticular attention paid to interoperability. Thematically, these focuses are incredibly close to one another, addressing the integration and development of machine process and metrology. In isolation, each could be its own project, but together they provide a compelling bmta.co.uk Figure 1: Test bed schematic17 bmta.co.uk setofgoalsforthissinglefive-yearprojectwhichis intended to provide a springboard for further collaboration and innovation. The initial phase of the project is a demonstration testbed for integrating peripheral sensing into a manufacturing process,ormorespecifically,themoving,makingand measuring of a part. The process has two distinct stages: manufacture and inspection, which will be facilitated by a cobot as shown in Figure 1. A billet of material is selected by a machine-vision- assisted cobot and placed inside the CNC router. The CNC router cuts the billet according to the digital CAD model. The cobot removes the billet from the CNC router and places it inside the part inspection solution, which performs dimensional measurements to enable comparison of the physical part to its CAD counterpart. While on-machine metrology research has been around for some time, the novelty of this project lies in its focus on the fusion of datasets from: on- and off-machine sensing systems; computer vision system(s); and the incorporation of machine-learning techniques. This project is addressing the metrology of several systems in concert, as opposed to a single system. Peripheral Sensing The CNC router, part inspection solution and cobot, form the basis of the testbed and will each be supplemented with calibrated and traceable peripheral sensors to extract additional telemetry during each run. The goal of the test bed is to demonstrate traceable and accurate peripheral sensing which enables data-driven decision-making about the process. This will involve the creation of calibrated peripheral sensing using “standard” IoT infrastructure (such as off-the-shelf IoT sensing products), and the enhancement of machine data capture; supplementing data from the CNC router and part inspection solution with data from the peripheral sensing solution to improve confidenceinthedata. We are incorporating a diverse range of technologies and sensing systems: from machine vision to real- time location sensing and low-power environmental monitoring. The lessons learned from fusing data from disparate and potentially asynchronous sources are as much an output of DMIMS as the data itself. There are several challenges to be addressed in this part of the project, including the task of establishing a reliable way of synchronising machine data with peripheral data. Timestamping data is essential to performing meaningful analysis and implementing a common timing protocol is hindered by system components whose timing mechanismsarelockedinto‘black-box’software.Ina similar vein, machine data is very often time-sensitive in an industrial setting, placing constraints on the practical elements of fusing live data from separate systems. There is also the subject of regulation to consider: anysignificantmodificationtoapieceofequipment (such as a CNC router) carries the risk of altering its intended behaviour or affecting performance – which understandably invalidates regulatory markings such as CE and CA UK marks. Measuring the impact of modificationsmadeduringthecourseoftheinvestigation is an ongoing part of the project. Virtualisation In parallel, a virtual model of the system is being developed. The creation of a virtual model provides the opportunityforseveralbenefitssuchasiterativedesign improvement, virtualised quality and validation routines, and improved knowledge of the process itself. A virtual model also facilitates de-risked process improvement and optimisation. To create a useable model there must beahighdegreeofconfidenceinitsaccuracy,requiring quantifieduncertaintyandtraceabilityofthedatafeed used to create it. Due to the nature of uncertainty propagation, it is critical that we obtain the best data practicable at the point of measurement, such that the usefulness of the data is maximised throughout its lifecycle: Figure 2. Interoperability Significantefforthasbeenputintomaximisingthe interoperability of our solution. We are using open-source resources where possible and practical, while recording the steps taken to integrate distinct components. Open-18 bmta.co.uk sourcesolutionscanbemoredifficulttoimplement,but the interoperability offered by open-source is often harder to realise with black-box or IP-locked solutions. Withthespecificexampleofaperipheralsensingsystem, the value of a generic solution is of greater value to industry than a solution applicable to the products of a single vendor. Similarly, using standardised open-source frameworks and formats maximises the choices a data owner has when deciding what to do with their data, increasing the likelihood of a smoother integration with other parts of the supply chain, whether that is choosing a data storage vendor, a cloud computation platform, or wishing to migrate from one service to another. As such, the various open-source frameworks, tools and standards that already exist in a machining context are of interest to our project. One way in which DMIMS incorporates interoperability is through the use of a Robot Operating System (ROS) network. ROS is an open-source robotics middleware that, while not technically an operating system, provides a set of software frameworks for developing software for robotics and robotics-adjacent applications. For the DMIMS testbed, it provides a useful messaging framework, a service provisioning and consumption protocol, as well as a well-documented foundation from whichcustomprogramswritteninPythonandC++can be executed. Summary The initial phase of the DMIMS project is as much about producing an automated advanced manufacturing cell as it is about exploring and expanding upon the skills, techniques, resources, and technologies required to do so.Byunderstandingthespecificpracticalrequirements of this kind of systems integration and development, a strong skills foundation is formed for future endeavours within the DMIMS project, as well as the wider initiative that is AMPI. Figure 2: Visualised data lifecycle and the propagation of uncertainty If you are interested in the topics discussed, would like some more information, or perhaps have an idea for a collaborative project, please feel free to contact Daniel Povey daniel.povey@npl.co.uk19 bmta.co.uk If you are reading this newsletter and would like to become a member of the BMTA, please send an email to enquiries@bmta.co.uk, requesting a membership application pack. Enquiries about associate and individual membership should also be addressed to enquiries@bmta.co.uk. Membership of the Association is open to all organisations in the measurement, testing and calibration industry. We encourage senior people in organisations to become individual members, and organisations to become corporate members. BECOME A MEMBER Our membership fees are based on the size of your organisation making it affordable to the smallest company.TakealookatourwebsitetodiscoverthebenefitsofBMTAmembership:www.bmta.com DEDICATED TRADE LISTING Build your brand credibility and trust from our dedicated trade listing. KEEP YOUR FINGER ON THE PULSE Help your business stay ahead of the game by receiving full access to the regular updates on the latest industry news and information. INFORMATION AND INSIGHT Access to surveys, reports, forecasts, market information, whitepapers and the latest guidelines that may impact upon your business and industry. NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES Share ideas, ask questions and play a role in determining changes and new processes in the industry. Continue your education and development with seminars, workshops and classes to help you learn and grow in your profession. BECOME AN ACTIVE MEMBER Havethepotentialtoinfluencelegislationthataffectsthe industry, help lobby lawmakers and sway public opinion more positively. DISCOUNTED TRAINING AND EDUCATION Receiveupto20%discountwiththeUK’smostaccurate tender alert service - Tenders Direct, who read and categorise every public sector tender in the UK, ROI and OJEU to ensure their service delivers accurate and relevant opportunities for your business. FREE GOVERNMENT FUNDING ADVICE Helping you access Government funding in the form of tax incentives and reliefs such as R&D Tax Credits, Capital Allowances, Patent Box and Grants. DISCOUNTED DELL PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Receiveupto20%discountofflaptops,desktopsand accessories.Plus,freeaccesstoDell’shighlytrainedSmall Business Technology Advisors to help grow your business. BSI DEVELOPMENT NOTICES AND COMMITTEE ACCESS Get the opportunity to represent us on BSI technical committees that you might not otherwise have access to. By giving you an insight into future changes that may impact your business, BMTA will encourage you to make your voice heard and your views known in the standards making process, both nationally and internationally. WHY JOIN? Here are some of the things BMTA can do for you: TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BMTA MEMBERSHIP PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR DETAILS.Next >