World Metrology Day 2016

A message from Fluke Chief Corporate Metrologist Jeff Gust

World Metrology Day commemorates the signing of the Meter Convention on May 20, 1875. The Treaty of the Meter established one uniform and global measurement system, enabling advances in science and technology as well as making international trade easier. It took humanity from a time where weights and measures could vary significantly from one country to another--or even from one town to another--to the point where we can purchase products from just about anywhere in the world and be confident that we understand the quantities that we obtain. The Treaty of the Meter is not just a set of rules for a handful of scientists to employ; it is a critically important agreement that is necessary for the advancement of human civilization itself.

While it is true that the United States has not entirely abandoned customary measurement units, it imperative to note that the U.S. was at the first Meter Convention and was among the group of nations that were principal signatories to The Treaty of the meter. Today all nations on earth utilize to one extent or another the International System of Units that have evolved from the Treaty of the Meter. Those who are dedicated to metrology, the science of measurement, recognize May 20th each year as their time to celebrate the importance of measurements.

Fluke equipment is used by nearly every National Metrology Institute in the world to maintain the Treaty of the Meter. We are recognized globally as a leading manufacturer of test and measurement equipment, including the world’s most accurate instruments for making electrical, temperature, pressure and flow measurements. We see World Metrology Day as a way to recognize and celebrate how all of us at Fluke work together to enable a global measurement system.

The theme of World Metrology Day 2016 is “Measurements in a dynamic world.” We are undergoing a time of significant technological advancement on a global scale. Mankind is transitioning from a fossil-fuel-based energy system to one of renewable energy. Transportation advances such as high speed rail and carbon fiber aircraft are changing the way that we travel. The internet continues to require higher transmission speeds to keep up with the demand of audio, video, and data transmission. Nations from around the world collaborate to extend humanity’s boundaries to other planets in our solar system. None of these technology advances would be possible without a globally consistent measurement system. We must be able to measure and quantify the improvements in new technology before they can be realized and shared with the world.

I hope that each of you will join in the celebration of World Metrology Day and take pride in working for one of the world’s foremost metrology companies.

Happy World Metrology Day!

Jeff C. Gust
Chief Corporate Metrologist