Radiation thermometry in Inmetro’s laboratories

This use case provides from the presentation of Ricardo Sávio Teixeira Moretz Sohn, Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia (Inmetro) at ScilabTec 2015

Challenge

Research activities developed in the field of metrology naturally involve the measurement and assessment of the uncertainty budget of several quantities. In order to increase the confidence in the measurement results, it is important that each measurement can be performed repeatedly, generating indeed a matrix of data. Thus, computer programs designed to deal easily with matrices are extremely convenient in this area.

Solution

To produce and manage arrays of measurement data, some software groups are available: spreadsheets, numerical computing software, data acquisition systems and software for interfacing equipment. Spreadsheets, such as Excel for example, tend to meet the users’ needs very well when the amount of data is not very high, there is no need for more complex graphical user interfaces and most of the calculations can be performed by means of simple mathematical functions. However, when this is not the case, programs like LabVIEW and Scilab are often more appropriate.

 

Results

In the Radiation Thermometry Laboratory of the Brazilian National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology – Inmetro, Scilab has been used for the development of calculation and data acquisition systems, most of them using graphical user interface (GUI). The applications have been developed by the laboratory technical staff, with little previous experience in Scilab, since the learning curve of this software is quite satisfactory.