As Germany's national metrology institute, PTB is Germany's highest authority when it comes to correct and reliable measurements.
In the Units and Time Act (Federal Law Gazette, volume 2008, part I, No. 28, p. 1185 ff., 11 July 2008), all tasks related with the realization and dissemination of the units have been assigned to it. All legally relevant aspects of the units as well as the competencies of PTB have been combined in this Act.
PTB's tasks are the determination of fundamental and natural constants, the realization, maintenance and dissemination of the legal units of the SI, and safety technology – supplemented by services such as the
German Calibration Service (Deutscher Kalibrierdienst, DKD) and metrology for the area regulated by law, for industry, and for technology transfer. As the basis for its tasks, PTB conducts fundamental research and development in the field of metrology in close cooperation with universities, other research institutions, and industry.
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