From mid-August, commercial users of the MeterVue system will be able to remotely view live video of calibrations and other projects. This improvement is part of NEL’s continual push to improve the services it supplies as part of its role as a one of the National Measurement System laboratories.
“This will further enhance the cost and time-saving benefits that the system brings,” says Phil Mark, NEL’s Group Manager for Testing Services, who explains that the new function was developed in response to feedback from meter manufacturers which showed that there was a real demand for this type of functionality.
“This is an exciting new development for us and for our clients,” Phil adds. “The new system has been rigorously tested and has proved to be very effective. Not only will remote users be able to see what’s going on in real time, they will also be able to ask for the video to be focused on particular aspects of a calibration, giving them full control of what they see.”
One example of how the new system can be used relates to the Perspex viewing section that is often installed in the pipe upstream of meter that is under test. A video stream of the view through such a window will allow a technician to remotely check if fluid flow patterns are as expected, they can then request any necessary changes to be made in real time.
“Another example,” Phil explains, “is a situation where a customer is bringing in a third party (for example, a certification body) to check or witness a process. The new functionality offers the potential for all this work to be done remotely, saving time and money for all parties involved. All without any reduction in the level of technical integrity the system offers.”
To access the new functionality users log into the MeterVue system as usual. They then see the video feed on their computer monitor.
MeterVue has been in operation at NEL since 2013. It is designed for multi-company, multi-group and multi-user applications. Meter performance may be assessed and flagged against pre-set criteria. Trending between calibrations can also be analysed. In addition, comparisons with pre-set criteria can be performed.