Feb 8 2009
CEMMNT is pleased to announce that the Cardiff based company, metaFAB, has joined the CEMMNT network of metrology companies. The metaFAB microfluidics laser-engineering facility opens its metrology suite to industry through the UK Hub for The Centre of Metrology in Micro & Nano Technology (CEMMNT), providing industry with pay-as-you-go access to a range of NIKON microscopies, including non-contact vision imaging, high-resolution x-y-z measurement, high power stereo zoom, and spinning disk confocal measurement. A VEECO optical interferometer is also available to enable micro and nano scale measurement mapping over both small and large areas.
An agreement between metaFAB and CEMMNT, made in January 2009, means that the metrology facilities at metaFAB will be promoted alongside that of Taylor Hobson, QinetiQ, the National Physical Laboratory, BAE Systems and Coventor through the dedicated CEMMNT Hub.
Professor David Barrow, Director of metaFAB, said of the agreement, "This initiative will widen the geographic capture of industrial clients for the facilities that we have invested at metaFAB." Furthermore, "This increases the cohesion between the 23 micro and nano technology centres established across the UK with both regional and Technology Strategy Board (TSB) support."
In particular, metaFAB provides open access to a unique Nikon, non-contact, vision-based, imaging microscope (iNEXIV), which is ideal for the automated quality control of small engineered parts. Professor Barrow commented, "Customers for this tool come from diverse industries ranging from engineering to biotechnology. Parts tend to be about the size of a coin or smaller and have features that need to be measured with an accuracy measured in micrometres." Customers usually receive a quotation electronically and post the samples to metaFAB, where the measurements are made. Professor Barrow further commented, "The special relationship with Nikon means that we have very significant backup for our service, and our relationship with CEMMNT effectively increases our marketing team in this special service sector. This compliments further the industry offering of open access to our Thermo Fisher, High-Performance-Liquid-Chromatography Mass-Spectrometry facility for chemical analysis."
CEMMNT Business Development Director, Paul Newbatt, commented, "This agreement further strengthens the role of CEMMNT as the UK hub for metrology in micro and nano technology. We look forward to a successful, cost-effective, promotional relationship between metaFAB and CEMMNT."