Where to list chain of traceability?

[greif]

I have been listing my standard and its calibration traceability, then any intermediates used to the final measuring instrument, then the final instrument used to measure customer parts.

Marketing says that this is too much and want to see the cal cert simplified with just the final measuring equipment listed. Which seems to be what most do on their certs.

Question: Where is the best place to indicate the traceability chain for each piece of equipment? Where do most 17025 firms keep it?

 

[AndyN]

What's it got to do with "Marketing"? Marketing do marketing. Do you tell them how to do their job? Has the customer complained about this level of detail?

 

[greif]

No customer complaints. In fact the information is there because some customers have requested it (before I put it on the cert). But marketing is the President here, so if is is not a required item, I can be flexible.

 

[AndyN]

Ooooo Kaaaayyyy.

 

[DietCokeofEvil]

I'd tell them to leave it. Pencil pushers have no clue.

 

[John Broomfield]

I have been listing my standard and its calibration traceability, then any intermediates used to the final measuring instrument, then the final instrument used to measure customer parts.

Marketing says that this is too much and want to see the cal cert simplified with just the final measuring equipment listed. Which seems to be what most do on their certs.

Question: Where is the best place to indicate the traceability chain for each piece of equipment? Where do most 17025 firms keep it?

Google: scope of certification A2LA

You’ll see that it’s still fairly cluttered and in dire need of graphic design for lay customers to understand it.

Marketing may just want to know what info is absolutely necessary to answer most of the commonest questions.

 

[dwperron]

When you are audited for 17025 accreditation you will need to demonstrate traceability to a national laboratory to the assessor. That is how you demonstrate traceability to your customers - you have the accreditation certificate, and logo is on the certificates of calibration that you supply.

17025 Annex A covers this:
" A.3.1 Laboratories are responsible for establishing metrological traceability in accordance with this
document. Calibration results from laboratories conforming to this document provide metrological traceability."

17025 requires that you place:
"c) a statement identifying how the measurements are metrologically traceable"
on your certificates. That is why you find a "Measurements traceable to NIST" or something like that on certificates.

If you are not using accredited labs for your calibrations then you will need to be able to document traceability per 17025 annex A all the was back to NIST. It's possible, but a daunting task.

There is no practical way to show the unbroken chain of measurements, with uncertainties, back to a national lab in a short form on your calibration certificates. The logo on your cert demonstrates traceability for your customers.