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High speed image processing is the basis of a unique 3‐D measurement system developed by British Aerospace and the City University Optical Metrology Centre. The system can produce 3‐D coordinates for over a hundred measured points up to every 1/25th of a second. As a result it can simultaneously measure locations of components during assembly or guide a robot end effector in drilling operations. This work has recently won the 1998 Metrology for World Class Manufacturing Award for Innovative Metrology and a DSP in Action Award for 1998.

Water systems in civil aircraft, stimulated by passenger comfort needs, have grown to be a comprehensive and important part of aircraft engineering. In this article, following a review of the system types, the design features arc discussed in detail and emphasis has been placed on the functional and hygiene requirements, and on the need for simplicity and weight conservation. Attempts have been made to augment air‐borne water supplies by reclamation means, but these have not been too successful. Investigations should therefore continue into the ways and means of improving the utilization of existing ‘fixed’ capacity systems. Installation safety aspects are also discussed.

In this analysis or the action of fine particle filters and the discussion of methods of test, the following principal conclusions are reached:

An overall aim with a new human‐oriented TQM metrology is to help managers in giving answers to the questions of what to measure, how to measure and why? It is the purpose of this paper to give input to answering these questions. In doing so the measurement problems are to be discussed in relation to the context in which the measurements are applied. Some common risks or failures are also to be discussed when more complex or advanced measurements are used such as LISREL or PLS measurements.

The main methodology is to re‐interpret measurements from three company cases by having a special focus on understanding the importance of the human‐oriented dimension of TQM and Change Management. The European Excellence Model (EFQM) is used as the reference framework for understanding what to measure, how to measure and why?

The measurements support the view that establishing measurements related to the human dimension of TQM and Change gives new opportunities for understanding the results achieved or not achieved.

Because the research is based on a combination of theory and case studies it is believed that the findings can be generalized to most companies working under the laws of free competition. The specific measurement examples should not be copied but should be adapted carefully to other contexts and cultures.

The case companies analysed are two relatively big global industrial companies and a big national and government‐owned service company (Post Denmark). Case studies from small‐ and medium companies have not been analysed here but several materials from these kinds of companies support the conclusions in the paper.

This is the first paper towards a human‐oriented metrology for improvement and change. The main value of establishing performance measurement systems with a balanced focus on tangibles and intangibles (the human dimension) is that this kind of measurement is a necessity for understanding the root causes of the results achieved or not achieved.

Robot calibration and metrology systems vary widely in performance, but, as a general rule, they are considered to be expensive systems that are normally beyond the budget of the average company. A market survey involving some of the leading systems available reveals that the leading performers are characteristically easy to set‐up, operate and, most important, more economical. Nevertheless, the price range of these systems is still too high for them to be in widespread, regular use. The development of systems that combine these characteristics, but at a low‐cost, would fill an important void in the automated manufacturing industry.