I need some help in selecting an accredited lab that is low in cost. The Quality Manager is trying to cut certification cost. I have been using the same lab for about 10 years to certify our cylindrical ring gages. The cost is $16.00 for each ring that is .040-2.0". I have contacted this lab and if we send 10 or more rings at one time they will give us a 10% discount. Is this reasonable or should I keep checking?

I would like to check these ring gages in-house to save cost but I need the equipment that will check them. Any suggestions?

Thanks
Kat.k.

I need some help in selecting an accredited lab that is low in cost. The Quality Manager is trying to cut certification cost. I have been using the same lab for about 10 years to certify our cylindrical ring gages. The cost is $16.00 for each ring that is .040-2.0". I have contacted this lab and if we send 10 or more rings at one time they will give us a 10% discount. Is this reasonable or should I keep checking?

I would like to check these ring gages in-house to save cost but I need the equipment that will check them. Any suggestions?

Thanks
Kat.k.

Kat:
Great questions! It's good to have people post this kind of daily issue.

Firstly, I'd look at the frequency that your doing this calibration. The lab won't normally tell you, but if you look at the 'as found' conditions, you may be able to detect that the wear is not significant and that you can push out the recall/recal for some time. It's not always necessary to calibrate every year, nor is an accredited lab supposed to suggest a recall timeframe.

Your best savings come from using the data from calibrations and making informed decisions. Of course, if they need more frequent cals, then there's your justification for doing it in-house, perhaps!

AndyN is correct.....evaluate the results of the "as found" readings, and adjust out or in accordingly.....if you areusing a lab accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 they should be able to recommend an adjustment, but are not allowed to determine the cycle.....

If you need to seek a new lab, then run a competitive bid.....February and May 2005 issues of Quality Digest, and the 1st quarter issue of Cal Lab Magazine have tips on how to do that and get hopefully good results.....

Hope this helps......

Kat:
Great questions! It's good to have people post this kind of daily issue.

Firstly, I'd look at the frequency that your doing this calibration. The lab won't normally tell you, but if you look at the 'as found' conditions, you may be able to detect that the wear is not significant and that you can push out the recall/recal for some time. It's not always necessary to calibrate every year, nor is an accredited lab supposed to suggest a recall timeframe.

Your best savings come from using the data from calibrations and making informed decisions. Of course, if they need more frequent cals, then there's your justification for doing it in-house, perhaps!


We are looking into the frequency of calibrations now to determine if we can extend intervals. Do you know if it says somewhere there is a minimum for calibration intervals?

Thanks for your help
Kat

AndyN is correct.....evaluate the results of the "as found" readings, and adjust out or in accordingly.....if you areusing a lab accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 they should be able to recommend an adjustment, but are not allowed to determine the cycle.....

If you need to seek a new lab, then run a competitive bid.....February and May 2005 issues of Quality Digest, and the 1st quarter issue of Cal Lab Magazine have tips on how to do that and get hopefully good results.....

Hope this helps......

How do I get a copy of these magazines?

Thanks for your help
Kat

We are looking into the frequency of calibrations now to determine if we can extend intervals. Do you know if it says somewhere there is a minimum for calibration intervals?

Thanks for your help
Kat

The manufacturer might offer a suggestion - probably 1 year. I'd suggest that you should look at your existing past data and interrogate that. All frequencies are going to be empirical, since only you know how often your gauging cycles on parts are, how many gauges of a specific size you have, to 'swap out', the materials you are gauging. In a previous job, we found that some thread plug gauges wore very fast on the first two threads because we only had two of that size gauge, and they were being used to do almost 100% of all parts, two threads on each, in stainless steel. So they went out in 6 months.....

How do I get a copy of these magazines?

Thanks for your help
Kat

Cal Lab Magazine (http://www.callabmag.com/)

Quality Digest (http://www.qualitydigest.com/)

The cost is $16.00 for each ring that is .040-2.0". I have contacted this lab and if we send 10 or more rings at one time they will give us a 10% discount. Is this reasonable or should I keep checking?



Provided that they are an accredited lab and you're getting at least 6 readings [top to bottom, then same at 90 deg.], that's quite reasonable.

You don't want to go too low on the price... you'll get what you pay for!

In my past life, I used to use Micro Precision. I used to be able to get good deals from them. I thought they did a pretty good job. I used to be able to be able to get them agreed to 1 price to calibrate everything on-site instead of price by piece. Also, they do it on-site, which I found great. Their website is http://www.microprecision.com/