Insights
Laboratory Discovery
Finding, reading and comparing accredited laboratory scopes.
How to choose a calibration laboratory
Check the accreditation scope for the exact quantity, range and uncertainty you need; then evaluate turnaround, certificate quality and how they handle out-of-tolerance findings.
How to read a scope of accreditation
A scope lists, per quantity, the range, the calibration and measurement capability (CMC) and the method. Reading it tells you whether the laboratory can certify what you need — and at what uncertainty.
Accreditation bodies and the ILAC MRA
National accreditation bodies assess laboratories to ISO/IEC 17025; the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement makes their accredited certificates equivalent across borders.
On-site vs laboratory calibration: choosing the right one
On-site calibration avoids removing equipment and captures the installed system; laboratory calibration offers better sources, lower uncertainty and controlled conditions.
Questions to ask before sending equipment for calibration
Points, tolerance, decision rule, as-found reporting, adjustment policy, turnaround and packaging — settle them in the purchase order and the certificate will be usable.
Certified reference materials and ISO 17034
Certified reference materials carry a certified value with uncertainty and traceability from a competent producer. ISO 17034 accreditation is the mark of that competence.
Proficiency testing and interlaboratory comparisons
Laboratories demonstrate that their results are consistent with others by measuring the same artefact. The En number tells whether a result agrees within its uncertainty.
Outsourcing a temperature mapping study: what to specify
A mapping contractor needs your acceptance criteria, layout, operating conditions and reporting expectations. Without them you get a generic study that may not answer your question.
Calibration certificate red flags
No uncertainty, no k, no traceability statement, 'pass' without a decision rule, a range you did not ask for, or an accreditation symbol missing where one was promised — each is a reason to query.
Building a calibration management system for measuring equipment
An inventory, a status for every item, intervals with rationale, certificates linked to items, out-of-tolerance handling, and a review loop. Software helps; the discipline is what matters.