First UKAS Accreditation for Open Channel Flow Calibration

Hymetrics Ltd has become the first organisation in the UK to be granted UKAS accreditation for the open channel flow calibration of weirs and flumes. Under the standard ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 the hydraulics facility at Hymetrics Ltd is now accredited for flow calibration services undertaken in its laboratory in Oxfordshire. This standard assesses technical competence and provides credibility for organisations that produce testing and calibration results.

In order to achieve accreditation in this new area, proving trials were conducted with ISO Standard weirs and flumes on a specially constructed open-channel test-rig. This allowed Hymetrics Ltd to simulate the conditions that are found in industrial environments and explore channel configurations (length, gradient, turbulence levels) that allow reliable and robust measurement.

Gaining this accreditation is a significant step forward for the company which has spent the past few years focussed on research and development of its hydraulic structures used for monitoring of flow in open channels. Phil Clow is the Accreditation Manager from the Electrical, Physical and Thermal section at UKAS who oversaw the assessment. He said: “Achieving UKAS accreditation adds certainty to the methods and test results. It helps to demonstrate the consistency of each aspect of the process, from initial measurements through to the resulting data. Being able to prove these qualities is vital for maintaining customer confidence in the evaluation services.”

Accreditation by UKAS is recognised internationally, which has had a beneficial affect on the company’s export potential. Ashley Molloy, Operations Director at Hymetrics Ltd concluded. “UKAS accreditation has opened the door to a larger market within the water and process industries. Accreditation is recognised at the international level bringing a greater sense of assurance to our clients. Already we are in discussion with a company in France and are looking to collaborate in a joint venture together in the near future.”