About - History

The D.I. Mendeleyev Institute for Metrology" (VNIIM) is the leading organization in the Russian Federation for fundamental research in the field of metrology and the development of the totality of state measurement standards.

VNIIM is the successor to one of the oldest metrological institutions in the world and the first in Russia – the Depot of Standard Weights and Measures (founded on June 16, 1842).

The totality of measurement standards maintained at VNIIM provides over 70% of the measurement capabilities of the Russian Federation. A total of 71 state primary standards have been created, are being updated, and are in use at VNIIM. Five of the seven national standards for the SI base units (the meter – unit of length, the kilogram – unit of mass, the ampere – unit of electric current, the kelvin – unit of thermodynamic temperature, and the mole – unit of amount of substance) are located at VNIIM. The Institute's calibration and measurement capabilities account for more than 70% of the measurement capabilities of the Russian Federation registered in the database of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM).

The Institute holds the status of a State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation and a Scientific Methodological Center of the State Service for Reference Materials (SMC GSSO).

The Institute has branches in Kazan and Yekaterinburg. It is a laureate of the Russian Federation Government Quality Award. VNIIM has an accredited quality management system compliant with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 "General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories" and ISO 17034 "General requirements for the competence of reference material producers."

Main activities

VNIIM performs the state functions assigned to it to ensure the traceability of measurements in the following areas:

• Measurements of geometric and mechanical quantities;
• Measurements of liquid and gas flow parameters;
• Pressure and vacuum measurements;
• Measurements of physicochemical composition and properties of substances;
• Measurements of thermophysical and temperature parameters;
• Measurements of electrical and magnetic quantities;
• Measurements of ionizing radiation parameters;
• Electrochemical measurements in liquid media.

In these measurement areas, VNIIM carries out research and development, research and testing of technical instruments, metrological expert reviews of objects and documentation, type approval tests of measuring instruments, verification and calibration of measuring instruments, as well as the development and certification of measurement procedures (methods).