Who is required to hold ISO 17025 accreditation?

[Daniel M. Miller]

My question is where do I find written clarification on who is and who is not required to hold the ISO/IEC Guide 25 / 17025 accreditation?

My company is a design and build manfacturer of variable gaging systems. We build anything from stand alone bench gages to fully automated PLC type in-line machines for dimensional measurement. We integrate technologies such as LVDT. capacitiance, eddy-current, laser, temperature sensors, weigh scales, force gages, etc. We do not manufacture gaging such as ring gages, plug gages, flush-pin gages, or dog-house style gages. We have been removed from the gage suppliers bid-list of one major automotive plant because we are not ISO/IEC Guide 25 / 17025 accreditated.

I have written the buyer and a quality engineer at this plant a letter stating that I will only use an accreditated laboratory for the calibration and certification of any gage setting master used to set gaging systems they purchase from us. They are unwilling to change their decision at this point.

I do not beleive that the intent of the QS 9000 Calibration Services 4.11.2.b.1 was written for an organization such as mine.

I could use any help on how to get this buyer and engineer to agree to restore us to the gage supplier bid-list.

 

[Al Dyer]

Daniel,

I agree with you, it sounds as if you are getting the "bums rush" from someone who has either their head up their ass or just got out of "college". Keep working your way up the chain of command! Hopefully you have the backing of top management who could and should be involved. If not, you might start thinking about working for a company that has management buy-in, approval, and common sense.

If you care to reply:

What level of upper management involvement is in place?

Assuming big 3 (2 and a half), which one? (DC)

The state of affairs is so in flux these days that we have to stand up and assert our voices and beliefs to the highest points possible!!!!

ASD.....

 

[David McGan]

Is it possible that the reason they insist on you being 17025/Guide 25 certified is that they would need a certified calibration lab to provide periodic recalibration of the equipment you manufacture. Since most people interpret QS to require the use of certified calibration labs, then if you are not certified, they would have to go searching for such a qualified lab.

Just because you are the OEM doesn't mean they can use you for calibration, unless they have determined there is no other certified calibration service available.

So.... maybe there is a "rest of the story."