Over the past few months, it has become clear that several of our clients suppliers (and even their customers) have lost their way when it comes to calibration of their measuring equipment. We have had a bit of a rethink on how we can help our clients to understand what is required and how they can ensure a maintained level of accuracy throughout their supply chain.
"It's quite simple. If you have determined it needs to be measured, it needs to be accurate!" - T.E
It's amazing how many organisations fail to fully comply with this basic requirement. We have seen literally thousands of incorrect, poorly worded and frankly badly understood attempts over the years, so we want to share our advice. When accuracy is important, you need to understand what the limits of your tolerance are. As with all measuring, there will always be a degree of uncertainty, which needs to be taken into account. Have a look at this example diagram...
In this diagram we can see three key pieces of information. The actual measure of the equipment, the limits of the specification and the upper and lower limits of uncertainty. Pretty simple right?
All you need to know is what tolerance has been specified, so that you can establish your hard limits. Once you have that information, your calibration house can give you the rest. All UKAS accredited calibration schemes MUST specify an uncertainty factor. Then all you need is the measurement they have taken, so that you can make an informed decision on the suitability of the equipment.
That's really all there is to it. If you would like one of us to review your current calibration systems and certifications, please get in touch.