How to Evaluate the Outgoing Quality Level of a Calibration Laboratory?

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syedzafarahmad

I am interested in contemporary practices in the metrology community on evaluating the outgoing quality level of a calibration laboratory. This is an important metric but don't see much in the context of a cal lab. Will anybody shed some light on this?
 
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Ted Schmitt

I am interested in contemporary practices in the metrology community on evaluating the outgoing quality level of a calibration laboratory. This is an important metric but don't see much in the context of a cal lab. Will anybody shed some light on this?

Hi Syedzafarahmad and Welcome to the Cove !

Why exactly do you want to measure this outcome? Is it a requirement of your Quality System or just "curiosity"

Are you referring to a calibration lab in-house or an external lab?
 

Hershal

Metrologist-Auditor
Trusted Information Resource
Moved to the laboratory board to get more exposure to the question.
 
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sarasheed

Clause No: 5.9 of ISO 17025 reads as follows:

5.9 Assuring the quality of test and calibration results

5.9.1 The laboratory shall have quality control procedures for monitoring the validity of tests and calibrations undertaken. The resulting data shall be recorded in such a way that trends are detectable and, where
practicable, statistical techniques shall be applied to the reviewing of the results. This monitoring shall be planned and reviewed and may include, but not be limited to, the following:
a) regular use of certified reference materials and/or internal quality control using secondary reference
materials;
b) participation in interlaboratory comparison or proficiency-testing programmes;
c) replicate tests or calibrations using the same or different methods;
d) retesting or recalibration of retained items;
e) correlation of results for different characteristics of an item.
NOTE :The selected methods should be appropriate for the type and volume of the work undertaken.


Ours is a ISO 17025 approved Lab.for dimensional Measurements.In order to comply with the above clause,we have written in our manual that we should participate in interlaboratory Comparison regularly and for which records are maimtained.Recently,the Auditor has written a NC telling that it is not adequate.Hence we have revised our mannal indicating that random sample of calibrated items shall retested once in a month by
(a) Same Inspector on different Machine.
(b) Different Inspector on the same machine.

The observations shall be recorded for taking corrective action if required.

sa rasheed
 
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