European Virtual Institute for Thermal Metrology evitherm

European Virtual Institute for Thermal Metrology EVITHERM

• Project Overview

• Background
• Objectives
• Work package structure
• Management & Coordination
• Presented by Robert Angus
• National Physical Laboratory

EVITHERM – How did we get to this point?

• April 2001 – NPL submits Expression of Interest to develop EVITHERM in EC FP5 Growth Programme

• October 2001 – EC issues EVITHERM dedicated call

• February 2002 - Collaborative proposal submitted to develop EVITHERM involving 34 member institutions from 12 European nations.

• December 2002 – EVITHERM contract signed by EC

• January 2003 – EVITHERM 3-year development project starts

EVITHERM participants

Why is thermal metrology important ?

• Over 60% of processes in manufacturing industry in Europe rely on accurate temperature measurement and control and thermal properties of materials.

• Wide range of industrial sectors affected from steel production to aerospace and food production

• Key factor affecting safe operation, process efficiency, environmental impact and product quality

• Regulatory drivers - food storage, transport and processing; combustion and incineration; air quality; global warming

EVITHERM – Why is it required?

• Industry requires up to date authoritative thermal data, technology, advice and training to optimise manufacturing processes and increase skills

• BUT

• Fragmented and geographically scattered information and expertise – difficult to locate and access most appropriate information – different regional or sectoral requirements

• Variable quality and depth of information and expertise – is the information correct or appropriate? – How to choose ?

• RESULT

• Barrier to industrial advancement and competitiveness – particularly to SMEs and developing countries

• European economic issue - because of impact of measurement on industrial efficiency

EVITHERM – Objectives

• To develop a coordinated internet based infrastructure that will be established as an information and knowledge transfer focal point for European organisations working in the thermal metrology field

• Infrastructure will be based on the expressed technology and knowledge transfer needs of the end-user, particularly SMEs

• Self supporting legal entity at the end of 3-year EC project

EVITHERM – user benefits

• EVITHERM will provide information and links on:

•  

• Member capabilities

• Thermal events, activities/capabilities of NMIs, universities and other centres of excellence, equipment suppliers, trade organisations

• Latest science/technology developments

• Validated property databases and specialised thermal databases

• Good practice guides, E-training, standards

• Reports, papers, presentations and reviews from meetings

•  

EVITHERM – user benefits

• EVITHERM will enable members to interact with each other to facilitate:

• Meetings, conferences, workshops and training events

• Problem solving

• Consultancy

• Industrial round-robin comparisons – invitations to participate or see results

• Finding partners for collaborative research, exploitation of research outputs & other projects

•  

EVITHERM – Work packages

• 3 Management, Marketing and Communication Work Packages

• WP1 – Coordinating the project, establishing EVITHERM as a business and coordinating the technical content – leader NPL

• WP2 – Creating, developing and marketing the EVITHERM web site – leader PLG

• WP3 – Enabling EVITHERM to transfer knowledge to meet the needs of industry and to communicate effectively to different regions in Europe – leaders IMGC and PTB

EVITHERM – Work packages

• Six Technical Work Packages

• Providing authoritative technical data which is appropriate to industry needs

• WP4 -Thermal conductivity and diffusivity -leader IKE

• WP5 -Thermal expansivity and density - leader ARC

• WP6 - Emissivity and other IR-optical properties - leader IMGC

• WP7 -Thermal analysis and calorimetry - leader TC

• WP8 - Contact thermometry - leader LNE

• WP9 - Non-contact thermometry - leader PTB

EVITHERM – User Interface

• Ease of access to the data generated by the Technical WPs is critical to success of project

• Technical data from all WPs will be searchable by a wide range of categories including:

• Industry sector (metals, building, medical etc)

• Thermal parameter

• Material

• Research institution

• Resource( equipment, technique, expertise)

• Supplier

• Technical subject

Intellectual Property Rights - IPR

• An important issue affecting all data generated by EVITHERM participants

• An IPR agreement will be generated for review and signature by all existing and new participants

EVITHERM – Project management

• Project management carried out via Steering Group (SG) comprising 8 WP leaders and selected new industrial members (to be identified).

• Scope of SG activities defined by Project Management Agreement

• WP leaders, under direction of SG, to manage individual technical work packages and activities of associated members

EVITHERM – Principal Contractors (CRs)

• 5 CRs signed contracts with the Commission to jointly and severally carry out project.

• Technically and financially responsible for their Members
• Intermediaries between their Members and the Coordinator
• Transfer payments to their Members for the work carried out in accordance with conditions of Membership agreements

• CRs also WP leaders

EVITHERM – Project Coordinator (NPL)

• Principal Contractor with additional responsibilities

• In charge of scientific, financial and administrative coordination of the project

• Intermediary between CRs and the Commission

• Transfer all documents and correspondence relating to project to Commission
• Transfer all payments to CRs received from Commission
• Inform Commission of transfers in budgets
• Inform all contracting parties of events or changes in circumstances liable to substantially affect project

EVITHERM – Members

• Sign Membership agreements with specified Principal Contractors

• Carry out work in compliance with Annex I to contract
• Cooperate with Principal Contractor and WP leader to ensure efficient management of project

• Target to get all Membership agreements to Commission by 1st week Feb latest – absolute deadline end March

• 3 Members also WP leaders

EVITHERM – Principal Contractor/Member linkages

EVITHERM – The way forward

• We are ALL involved in a learning process as we make plans to develop EVITHERM

• We need your ideas, expertise and experience

• Please use this meeting

• to raise issues and share your ideas so that we can turn EVITHERM into a successful reality