Structure

„Without metrology there is no measurement, without measurement,
there is no knowledge. Accurate measurements build great trust.”

 Linas Galkauskas
Head of the Institute
tel. +370 616 36036

Metrology: The Science of Accurate and Reliable Measurement

Metrology is the science of measurement, playing a crucial role in ensuring accuracy, reliability, and consistency across various fields—from scientific research and industry to healthcare and trade. At its core, metrology is not just about obtaining measurement results but also about validating their correctness and defining their limitations. By assessing uncertainty and maintaining traceability, metrology provides the foundation for confidence in data, supporting innovation, quality assurance, and global standardization. 

FTMC has been authorized to perform and implement the functions of the National Metrology Institute (NMI) since July 1, 2014. To ensure compliance with international standards, a Quality Management System (QMS) was established in accordance with LST EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018. The QMS undergoes regular peer reviews and has been recognized by EURAMET. In 2021, the NMI of Lithuania became one of the eight NMIs from the Nordic-Baltic region to establish the European Metrology Network (EMN) “Smart Specialisation in Northern Europe”. In 2023, FTMC further expanded its engagement by joining the European Metrology Network for Pollution Monitoring.

Currently, FTMC maintains the national standards in the seven areas of measurements: electricity and magnetism, ionising radiation, length, mass, amount of substance, thermometry, time and frequency.

Time and Frequency Standard Laboratory (TFSL) is reproducing values of the unit of time, the second (s), and the unit of frequency, the hertz (Hz). The mission of TFSL is the representation of Lithuanian Coordinated Universal Time UTC(LT), ensuring the traceability of the magnitudes reproduced to the International System of Units (SI), disseminating them to Lithuanian scientific establishments, personal and legal bodies by calibrating their working standards and measurement devices, disseminating Lithuanian time scale, and other relevant means. The TFSL, in cooperation with the JSC BaltStamp, provides qualified time stamping services which meet the eIDAS regulations and the ETSI standards. The time stamping service is issuing up to two million time stamps per month for Lithuanian governmental organisations and European users.

The mission of the Electrical Standards Laboratory (ESL) is to maintain and develop the standards of unit of voltage, the volt (V), and unit of resistance, the ohm (Ω), ensuring their traceability to the SI, calibrating  working standards and measurement devices, pursuing research in the field of measurement of voltage, resistance and electrical current.

The mission of the Temperature Unit Standard Laboratory (TUSL) is the realization of the international temperature scale ITS-90 and the value of the unit of temperature, the Kelvin (K), ensuring their traceability to the SI system. Lithuanian National Standard of the temperature unit (in the range from -195^oC to +961,78 ^oC) is of the primary level, while the reference point of the freezing point of Cu (+1084,62^oC) is of the secondary level. The main challenge in chemical metrology is that its fundamental SI unit, the mole, cannot be directly realized in practice. Instead, measurements typically focus on substance concentration rather than absolute quantity. Chemical metrology involves the measurement of composition, concentration, and purity of substances, often within complex matrices. Unlike physical measurements, chemical measurements are influenced by factors such as sample preparation, matrix effects, and chemical interactions, making them more challenging to standardize and obtain reliable results. Ensuring metrological traceability and accuracy in chemical measurements requires the use of certified reference materials, validated methods, and rigorous uncertainty evaluation. 

The reliable, traceable and accurate chemical measurements in different sectors of biotechnology, healthcare, safety and environment protection are provided by the staff of the Laboratory for Reference Materials and Measurements (LRMM). Another area of interests of NMI is a new regional metrological capacity for certification of reference materials according to the requirements of ISO 17034 standard. 

The Ionizing Radiation Metrology Laboratory (IRML) of the NMI is responsible for ionizing radiation measurements, including the absolute activity of radionuclides using primary and secondary methods. Betaemitters such as ³H, ¹4C, ³⁶Cl, ⁶³Ni, ⁹⁰Sr, 9⁹Tc, and ¹²⁹I are standardized using the TDCR instrument, achieving a standard uncertainty of 0.3–0.6% (k=1). Meanwhile, radionuclides like ¹⁸F, ⁶⁰Co, ⁶⁷Ga, ⁹⁹mTc, ¹¹¹In, ¹³¹I, ¹³⁷Cs, ¹⁵³Sm, ¹⁷⁷Lu, ²⁰¹Tl, and ²²³Ra are standardized using well-type dose calibrators, with a standard uncertainty of 1.0–2.2% (k=1). The laboratory also conducts calibrations of radiation sources, spectrometers, and dose calibrators, while performing research on radionuclide dispersion, radioactive waste composition, and sample analysis. The calibrations and sample measurements, ensuring traceability to the National Standard of radionuclide activity, have been carried out for Lithuanian hospitals and other customers. 

Both the national standard of mass and the national standard of length were transferred to FTMC by the Government Decision of the Republic of Lithuania in 2019.

The Length Unit Standard Laboratory (LUSL) is responsible for the field of length. Main objectives are: 1) calibration of gauge block measurement value from 0.5 mm to 100 mm with expanded uncertainty Q [48 nm, 0.9·10^-6 L] nm; 2) calibration of gauge block comparators with expanded uncertainty of 0.03 mm; 3) calibration of micrometers (measurement range (0-100) mm) with expanded uncertainty of 3.6 mm; 4) calibration of calipers (measurement range (0-1000) mm) with expanded uncertainty Q [60 mm, 10·10^-6 L] nm; 5) calibration of dial gauge (measurement range (0-50) mm, resolution 0.01 mm) with expanded uncertainty Q [7 mm, 7·10^-6 L] mm; 6) calibration of dial gauge (measurement range (0-50) mm, resolution 0.001 mm and 0.002 mm) with expanded uncertainty of 0.7 mm and 1.2 mm, respectively.

The Mass Unit Standard Laboratory (MUSL) The accuracy of mass measurements is crucial in trade, legal metrology, and scientific research, highlighting the importance of continuous advancements in mass metrology. The primary standard for mass, historically based on the International Prototype of the Kilogram (IPK), has transitioned to a definition based on the Planck’s constant in 2019, ensuring long-term stability and reproducibility. The mission of the national mass unit standard is to maintain and develop the standards of mass unit ensuring the traceability to the SI system in the range from 1 mg to 20 kg.