I received an email from NCSL about the new change to Z540 a few weeks ago. I ordered the document and noticed it's compleletly different than the old version of Z540. Looks like they took some of the items in 17025 and applied it to this standard.

I was just curious to see how many of you will be using this new procedure this coming year, and if there are any issues with the new standard?
Charlie

The new document presents some interesting discussion with respect to how ABs operating in the U.S. will address the new document.....as you point out, some of 17025 has made its way into the new document.....

There is an article in the current issue of Measure that describes Z540.3

Hershal

I moved the thread because, while it does in fact deal with a Standard, the Standard actually is for calibration laboratories, and so more responses may reasonably be expected in this forum. The full title of the document is:

ANSI/NCSL Z540.3-2006 Requirements for the Calibration of Measuring and Test Equipment

Hershal

LOL - You know Hershal, I was going to place it in here, but the discription of the fourm did not mention this standard; therefore, being too logical based on the discription, I placed it in the other forum.

I've had some more time to digest this new standard, and one issue that will impact us is the calibration label - on section 5.2.1 (b), it states that we have to show "date of calibration". We have always used the date calibrated on our calibration label that we manually fill out, but we are in the process of moving to using a bar coded label that will have only the date due, not the date calibrated. This is being done to elimiate errors by production personal when recording dates and other information on the equipment or instrument. We call it a electronic eLHR label. The date calibrated will still be retained on our calibration certificates, but not visual to users.

We have found that production people get confused on dates, or mistake a date as being due instead of calibrated. We created a electronic calibration label that has the bar code, and only shows the date the instrument or equipment was calibrated. Since this is still in development, we are going to have to modify our bar code label to include the date calibrated.

The was another in section 4.1: "The reporting and accountability requirements shall be such that potential conflicts of interests do not adversely influence compliance with the requirements of this National Standard". My department of calibration recently changed from reporting to Quality to Operations. This should be interesting...

As Found Calibration: In section 5.2.3.1, it says, "notified of the nonconformity in a timely manner". LOL - what is a timely manner? One minute, one day, one week, etc. We have some that can take 30 days to complete.

You know Charles.....you do have one advantage with the new standard.....it is a VOLUNTARY standard, just as Z540-1 currently is.....

That is a good thing, because I now have a copy and after reading it, I believe all the U.S.-based ABs will have some challenges with the requirements and a bit of pain in the interpretive elements.....

As for your cal lab's change of reporting, if you are accredited then you should tell your AB.....

Hershal

BTW, will you be at MSC this year in Long Beach?

BTW, will you be at MSC this year in Long Beach?Not this year :(
I'm currently involved in a major company project to move our database to Maximo, and that is consuming all my time. We are combining 3 departments to use this software: Maintenance, Facilities, and Calibration. I'm heading up the calibration end, which involves getting input from our other sites: Santa Clara, Puerto Rico, and Ireland.