Innovation in measurement activities, improving business competitiveness

Equipment for performing calibration of measuring instruments in the medical field.

Pursuant to the Prime Minister's Decision, the Provincial People's Committee issued Plan No. 96/KH-UBND dated July 16, 2019 to implement "Project 996 in the province to develop measurement facilities for enterprises in the province, access modern measurement technology in the industrial revolution 4.0". As the focal agency in the implementation of Project 996, the Department of Science and Technology (KH and CN) develops an annual task implementation plan; coordinates with departments, branches, districts and cities based on functions, tasks, needs and conditions for developing measurement activities to synthesize and approve tasks under the plan within the scope of State management according to the authority and regulations of relevant laws. With the goal of building an increasingly tight State management system on measurement, the Department of Science and Technology has issued management documents and instructions on the implementation of measurement tasks: coordinating the implementation of State management tasks on quality measurement standards in 9 districts and cities; guiding the implementation of legal regulations on measurement to ensure safety in production; guiding a number of contents to ensure measurement regulations for petroleum measuring devices in the implementation of Official Dispatch 1123/CD-TTg of the Prime Minister; registering to implement the measurement assurance program in LPG (liquefied petroleum gas and oil) business; coordinating the implementation of the measurement assurance program for the water industry... These documents help production and business establishments understand more clearly and fully the laws related to measurement, creating a legal basis for managers to carry out inspection, examination and product quality assurance activities.

In the process of implementing State management activities, the Department of Science and Technology has conducted surveys of organizations and enterprises to receive feedback on difficulties and inadequacies in measurement management regulations, thereby synthesizing, proposing amendments, supplements, and perfecting policies, and at the same time guiding enterprises in implementing measurement measures and ensuring product quality. In addition, the Department of Science and Technology has submitted to the Provincial People's Committee for approval the public task of preserving, managing and using measurement standards in 2024 for the Center for Application and Services of Science and Technology to ensure that local measurement standards are always ready to serve State management and social needs. Currently, the Center for Application and Services of Science and Technology has invested in expanding and equipping additional capacity measurement standards to serve the inspection and supervision of petroleum trading; arranging and setting up additional infrastructure for storing and preserving main standards to meet technical requirements. In 2024, the province developed an additional organization to conduct testing and calibration inspection in the field of cold water meters (Nam Dinh Clean Water Joint Stock Company), bringing the total number of designated inspection organizations in the province to 3: Nam Dinh Electrical Testing Center, Center for Application, Science and Technology Services, Nam Dinh Clean Water Joint Stock Company. Of which, Nam Dinh Electrical Testing Center is qualified and has been granted a certificate of application of the ISO/IEC 17025 quality management system. In 2024, 3 inspection units performed inspection and calibration for 536,967 measuring devices, resulting in 508,654 measuring devices meeting technical measurement requirements. Detected and requested calibration of 28,313 measuring devices that did not meet technical measurement requirements.

Inspection, examination and handling of violations related to measurement have been strengthened. In 2024, the Department of Science and Technology closely coordinated with relevant departments and branches to conduct 6 State inspections on measurement at 82 establishments using measuring instruments, performing group 2 measurements to rectify measurement activities for essential goods in the area; organized the collection of information on measurement and testing activities to synthesize needs and develop measurement support plans for organizations and enterprises in 2025 and the following years. In November 2024, the Department of Science and Technology organized a training course on measurement assurance programs at enterprises for Nam Dinh Electricity Company; a workshop on "The role of measurement assurance activities in production and business serving socio-economic development" combined with propaganda to celebrate Vietnam Measurement Day; training on measurement assurance in ophthalmology examination and treatment facilities; Training on ensuring measurement in LPG business... Thereby, helping businesses better understand the importance of measurement in improving product quality, creating consensus in the community and society.

It can be said that the enhanced State management of measurement in the province has brought about practical results, especially for measuring instruments, measuring equipment, essential and important products such as electricity, water, gasoline, gold jewelry, etc. However, measurement activities in our province still have many difficulties that need to be overcome. Many enterprises do not have full awareness and sense of responsibility for measurement; have not paid attention to innovating measurement activities in production and business; only a few enterprises in the fields of electricity, water, gasoline and oil are researching, building and applying new measurement standards. The province still lacks a network of technical experts to advise on measurement assurance for enterprises. Measurement innovation activities require a large investment to change measuring equipment, measurement methods and train human resources for a long time, while enterprises do not immediately see the effectiveness, so there needs to be a support mechanism to encourage enterprises to innovate measurement activities.

In the coming time, the Department of Science and Technology will continue to strengthen the State management of measurement in the province on all essential products and some important areas such as electricity, water, gasoline, gold jewelry and fine arts. Promote the role and effectiveness of the Department of Standards, Metrology and Quality, State management agencies on measurement and units with the function of measuring, testing product quality, and testing measuring equipment. Strengthen coordination and effectiveness of coordination between departments, branches and functional agencies in management work to promptly correct violations in measurement activities in the area.

Article and photos: Ngoc Anh

Source: https://baonamdinh.vn/kinh-te/202503/doi-moi-hoat-dong-do-luongnang-cao-nang-luc-canh-tranh-cua-doanh-nghiep-308035e/