3rd Party Certifications for new gage masters

[highsir]

A couple of weeks back, my BOSS informed me that I was to no longer forward any new gage masters or gaging to our certified lab for certification prior to release to the production floor. The BOSS claimed that our procedure had been changed from "all new gages are to be sent to the Metrology Lab" to "gages received with a 3rd Party Certification" are to be logged in and issued to the appropriate area. I really don't have an issue with this, but the BOSS claims that the vendor or maker of the equipment is suitable as a source of inspection as long as they have an accreditated lab. It is my understanding that the supplier is not a 3rd Party Certification source. Who's right here?

 

[D.Scott]

First, welcome to the Cove.

It is my experience that most gages and all masters are purchased with a certificate of calibration. When we get a new gage we enter it into our system and verify the calibration which is then recorded in the calibration data base. We do not "re-calibrate" the equipment. The certificate of calibration received with the gage is sufficient. Some gages are purchased without a certificate and are recorded in and verified against our standards which are traceable to NIST.

Dave

 

[highsir]

Thanks for the Welcome!

You are right on when you say you enter it into your system and verify calibration. That is what we currently do. Gages come in with certs., they are entered into the database, and our Metrology Lab verifies calibration. What my BOSS says we will do in the future is bypass the verification process and rely on the supplier results. The problem I have with this is that no one from the company audits our suppliers, and our commodity mgr. in charge of gaging has a trackable poor history of providing gaging to blueprint specs. The company I work for has over 5,000 individual gage devices, ranging from adjustable snap gages, thread gages, auto in-line gage sytems, balancers, lasers, leak testers, etc. etc. etc. Would you say that the verification process stop due to certs. being received with the gages, or should the verification process continue.
Is common sense all to uncommon here!!!

 

[gaugefixer]

gauge receiving inspection

I have always relied on the certification from a gauge maker. If they are a reputable company they must be able to measure their work and many now are in compliance with or ISO 17025 certified. You will probably find auditors who won't agree with a certification stating "in compliance with ISO 17025".
At the same time I have been suspicious of some gauge makers "labs" actual gauging results; (this has to do with a Master Ring shrinking after having it calibrated at an ISO 17025 lab a year after purchasing it)
As for your commodity mgr not providing (buying?) the proper gauging to print specs thats a problem with your job quoting and review.
I calibrate and do the selection and purchasing of the gauges for every new job that comes in. The buyer/and/or purchasing manager does not have the knowledge of whats needed.
I perform receiving inspection (calibration and entering them into the system) on all new gauges and inspect any certs for completeness. Receiving inspection can be as simple as zeroing a mic at both ends to ensure there is nothing loose to actual measurement of plug gauges.

Bottom Line: Do your receiving inspection on everything. In the case of a Ring gauge or a thread gauge; this can be inspecting the cert for the proper specs as ordered and inspecting the gauge for the right item ordered.
Hope this helps!
gaugefixer

 

[highsir]

Thanx

Just need some reinforcement on what I think to be true. It only makes common sense if the resources are there USE THEM!!

 

[Hershal]

The other piece of this is the gage manufacturer's lab.....

If that lab is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 - AND - the cert comes in with the accrediting body's logo and measurement uncertainty, then you can take the approach that the boss suggests.

The caveat there of course is that the accrediting body is a recognized acrediting body, that is, a signatory to a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

Anything less than that should require a trip to your accredited Metrology lab.

Hope this helps.

Hershal

 

[highsir]

I'll Verify This

Thanks For Some Helpful Info