Laboratories are a business, and with that comes the push to improve productivity and efficiency.  Therefore, it is important for labs to be aware not only of quality assurance but that ISO certifications of equipment maintenance are provided.

What is ISO?

The ISO standard is a non-governmental body that promotes worldwide standards that facilitate world trade and businesses improve productivity while minimizing errors and certifying conformity to standards. 

The ISO/IEC 17025 is the general requirement for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.  The general specific requirements for labs competence in testing and calibration performed using the standard, non-standard, and laboratory-developed processes to ensure quality and validity in testing.

If Equipment is Not Calibrated What Does that Mean?

When calibrations are off, it puts people at the lab at risk, inaccurate results, inappropriate testing conditions, process variance, and poor data documentation.

Validity is the extent to which an instrument measures what it is supposed to measure and perform.  While having 100 percent validity is near impossible, the measurement is in degrees.  Validity is part of the calibration process, and it assesses the accuracy of an instrument.  Without calibration, validity is also not measured.  Validation generates confidence in the data results generated by instruments.

The Benefits of Working With an ISO/IEC Accredited Lab

Calibration is like maintenance on a car, it requires checks, tests, and work to keep it in solid working order.  Instrument calibration requires a solid maintenance program.  By working with an accredited lab, it ensures that your instruments are getting reliable and accurate data.

Working with an accredited lab guarantees that you will be able to avoid expensive retesting.  You can have the confidence that the lab can handle your specific needs and understand your specific equipment.

Calibration Certificates

When working with a non-accredited lab, the calibration certificate will contain the basic information for the item’s calibration.  The certificate that gets issued will have the manufacturer, model number, serial number, dates of calibration, the due date for the next calibration if requested, environmental conditions during the calibration, and a pass/fail or intolerance out of tolerance designation.

When working with an accredited lab, the certificate will not only include the information from the non-accredited, but it must meet additional requirements.  The accreditation logo will be on the certificate.  This logo shows the accreditation body, the statutes, and the accreditation number of the lab.  Accredited calibrations contain all “as-found” and “as-left” measurement data.  The data gives the lab a history of measurement trends for each instrument.  Measurement uncertainty is also within the data so that customers have the added information when analyzing measurement accuracies.

Let SRP Help Your Lab Reach Assurance

SRP control system has been helping laboratories in a variety of industries calibrate equipment so that they can operate without costly errors or downtime.  There are never any surprises as your instruments and equipment return accurate, compliant, and with the proper documentation.