The accredited laboratory for calibration of instruments for electrical quantities, energy and power – Laboratory for Electrical Measurements (LEM) is established at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies. The quality assurance and competence system of LEM is accredited on 22.11.2015 by the Institute of Accreditation the Republic of North Macedonia (signatory of the International Agreement on the Recognition of EA MRA / MLA Calibration Certificates) in compliance with the international standard MKS EN ISO / IEC 17025: 2006, with Accreditation Certificate No LK-012. In 2019 LEM was re-accredited according to the new edition of the international standard MKS EN ISO / IEC 17025: 2018. The scope of accreditation of LEM includes calibration of: instruments and generators for direct and alternating voltages and currents, resistance, capacitance, frequency and phase angle. LEM is the only national reference laboratory for calibration of reference standards for electrical energy and power, especially important providing measurement traceability and unity of measurements in this segment of legal metrology.
The vision of LEM is to be a top scientific metrology laboratory in the field of electromagnetic quantities with a level of scientific and metrology precision that will provide domestic, regional and international recognition, and its mission is to perform calibrations and tests according to national and international standards and regulations, using cutting edge scientific methods and equipment, application of the best laboratory practice, according to the needs and requirements of the users, providing a continual chain of measuring traceability in the field of electromagnetic quantities in the metrological infrastructure of North Macedonia and wider in the region. LEM builds its reputation on the basis of three pillars of quality: highly competent staff, state-of-the-art laboratory space and equipment with proven measurement traceability to primary national or international reference standards, as well as scientifically validated laboratory procedures. The top competence of the LEM staff is constantly maintained through participation in the most important international scientific conferences in the field of metrology, where their own scientific contributions are presented, participation in international trainings, as well as by participation in inter-laboratory comparisons and international proficiency testings. The dissemination of the scientific achievements is accomplished through publication of papers in peer-reviewed metrology journals. The equipment is calibrated in national metrological institutes in the region and wider with the best measurement and calibration capabilities (CMCs) listed at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) in Paris, or in calibration laboratories accredited by accreditation bodies under of the International Agreement on the Recognition of EA MRA / MLA Calibration Certificates. LEM reference standards include the following equipment: 8 ½ Digit Multimeter Agilent 3458A, Multi-Product Calibrator Fluke 5500A, Time Electronics 5025C Multifunction Mobile Calibrator, Three phase comparator Zera COM3003, Calibrator Calmet C300, FLUKE 732A DC Voltage Reference Standard, voltage divider FLUKE, IET resistance standards, IET capacitance standards, high-resolution digital multimeters, resistors, capacitive and inductive decades and professional measuring bridges. LEM has become a recognizable entity in the metrological system, both nationally and regionally. Calibrations of measuring equipment carried out in LEM, are the needs of the national industry (companies such as: MEPSO, Euronikel Industry, SASA Mines, Cable Factory-Negotino, Makstil, etc.), international corporations operating in the technological industrial development zones-TIDZ (Gentherm, Kostal, ARC Automotive, Aptive Services Macedonia, Draexlemeier etc.), conformity assessment bodies (calibration laboratories, testing laboratories, inspection bodies, certification bodies), but also for companies from the region (KEDS, INKOS, Kosovo, HTT and 3G-Albania, etc.). One of the most important activities of LEM is the participation in inter-laboratory comparisons and international schemes for testing the competence. LEM participated in several successful inter-laboratory comparisons, mostly international. In the period from 2016 to 2018, the COOMET project No. was implemented. 695/ UA/16, KEY COMPARISON OF POWER, in which the pilot laboratory was the Ukrainian National Metrological Institute UKRMETRTESTSTANDARD, and in which 13 top national metrological institutes participated. LEM successfully participated in this key comparison and thus proved its top competence and quality in performing calibrations of electrical power and energy. The final report of this key comparison is published in the KDBC key comparison database of the International Bureau of Weights (BIPM) in Paris. LEM also cooperates with national metrological institutes in the region, but also with other accredited calibration laboratories, through participation in various regional initiatives, such as the international project “Quality Infrastructure in the Western Balkans”, under the auspices of SIDA, EFTA, CEN, EC, in the period 2017-2018. LEM follows up the scientific activities of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) in Paris, the European Regional Metrology Organization Euramet, and in particular its scientific metrology program EMPIR. LEM through its representatives participates in the activities of the Macedonian Association of Laboratories and Inspection Bodies MAKLAB, and cooperates with state institutions in quality infrastructure, such as the Institute for Accreditation, the Institute for Standardization and the Bureau of Metrology of Republic of North Macedonia.
