Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt

In wide areas of everyday life, the public has a great interest in correct measurement results and reliable measuring facilities. "Metrology for Society" thus encompasses predominantly tasks which are regulated by law. In a multitude of laws and regulations, PTB has been assigned various tasks; in many of these legal provisions the PTB is the only authority named. Herein lies a special responsibility. It is the task of the PTB (its mission) "to make available and use measuring techniques and procedures for the reasonable protection of the consumers in commercial and official transactions and of the active population in their job environment, for the conservation and restoration of health, for personal and industrial security as well as for the conservation of nature and the protection of the environment". One focal point in this area is the type approval and type examination of measuring instruments within the context of national or European laws and regulations, for example in the fields of

• energy measuring technique for electrical energy, gas and water (heat, cold)
• security in road traffic (speed monitoring, breath alcohol control)
• electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)
• environmental measuring techniques (absolute measurements in pollutant and trace analysis, noise protection, etc.).

Most of the type approvals are executed by the PTB on the basis of the Verification Act. Due to the coming into force of the European Measuring Instruments Directive (MID), an amendment to the Verification Act and the Verification Ordinance is effected. The PTB has significantly assisted the preliminary work hereto and has meanwhile been recognised as notified body in accordance with European law so that customers from industry can be offered the conformity assessment procedures required by the MID.

Under the Medical Devices Act, the PTB is responsible for safeguarding the uniformity of measurement in medicine. These include the development of new or the improvement of already existing measuring methods for diagnostics and therapy control. On the other hand, the PTB makes vital contributions through the development of standards and standard measuring devices, for example for the dosimetry of ionising radiation or for medical equipment having measuring functions, as well as through studies on the traceability of analytical measurements – in clinical chemistry – to the SI units and standard measuring methods.

In agreement and in cooperation with the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), the PTB pursues activities in the fields of physical safety engineering and explosion protection for electrical equipment, which are of economic and, above all, social importance. Due to its competence, it here fulfils an international reference function. The same applies to the work in the field of radiation protection.