Centre for Metrology and Accreditation
 | |
| Abbreviation | MIKES |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1991 |
| Type | Sector research facility |
| Headquarters | Espoo, Finland |
Director General | Timo Hirvi |
| Website | www.mikes.fi |
The Centre for Metrology and Accreditation (Finnish: Mittatekniikan keskus; Swedish: Mätteknikcentralen), MIKES, is the national metrology institute of Finland. MIKES performs research in metrology, i.e., in measurement science. MIKES’s customers include both Finnish and international companies as well as the public sector. Other national metrology institutes are for example PTB (Germany), NPL (UK), NMIJ (Japan), and NIST (USA). MIKES operates under the administrative domain of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.
Current operations
MIKES was founded in 1991, and it includes two separate operational activities: MIKES Metrology and FINAS (Finnish Accreditation Service). The number of employees is 80, of which half work in metrology. The yearly budget is 10 M€. The four main tasks of MIKES Metrology are to realize the SI-units, to perform high level research in metrology, to develop measurement techniques for the industry and society, and to offer calibration, expert and educational services.
Regarding legal metrology, MIKES collaborates with the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency, Tukes. Tukes ensures that measurement equipment used for pricing products in commerce, e.g., grocery store scales and fuel dispensers at gas stations, satisfy the legal requirements.
In 2005 MIKES moved to a new building that was designed with the special needs of measurement science in mind. Temperature stability, vibration damping and shielding against electromagnetic interference are state of the art.
The MIKES building is located in the south of Finland, in Otaniemi, Espoo (see the map). MIKES Metrology also has activities on the premises of a former UPM paper mill in the town of Kajaani (see the map). The number of employees in Kajaani is 7. In addition, MIKES has several contract laboratories (designated institutes, DI) that perform calibrations within their own fields of expertise, including the Finnish Environment Institute SYKE, the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority STUK, the Aalto University, and the Finnish Geodetic Institute.
Research
MIKES’s strategic research areas are quantum metrology, spectroscopy, nano and micro metrology, environment, and energy. MIKES has an active role within the European Metrology Research Programme EMRP of EURAMET and in Finnish research projects. MIKES cooperates e.g. with European metrology institutes, with the scientific community in the Otaniemi area, and with organizations within the joint centre CEMIS in the Kajaani area.
Director Generals
Ulla Lähteenmäki 1991-2001
Timo Hirvi 2001-