Calibration standards for analytical instruments are used to ensure the reliability of their results. Many industries, like gas and oil and biotechnology, rely on these measurements to ensure that their products are safe to use and customers are protected.
To create a precise calibration standard, the standard must be compared to either a primary standard or an already certified standard that has been compared to a primary standard. These comparisons of different standards create a “chain of traceability” back to the International System of Units (SI).
Calibration standards are the main focus of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Created in 1901, NIST is a National Metrology Institute (NMI). Its purpose is to create measurement frameworks and architectures that can be relied upon for their accuracy. Instruments calibrated using these frameworks can enhance their dependability and traceability back to the SI.
Already, NIST has helped to create calibration standards for post-quantum cryptography and controlling the risks of artificial intelligence. Its standards act as guidelines that can be applied to different experiments. By regulating measuring instruments through NIST’s calibration standards, confidence can be gained in the results of research.
Now, if you have a custom calibration standard, you may be wondering if it can be traced to NIST and the SI. The traceability of a measurement, for NIST specifically, means that it can be compared to a consistent group of standards. These include standards from NIST (or other NMIs) or standards from private manufacturers that trace back to NIST.
Ultimately, these standards must have metrological traceability. If the results of your measuring instrument are in line with the calibrations generated by NIST or NIST traceable standards, then they are likely to be correct.
With that said, let’s look more closely at custom calibration standards. The more you understand about these types of calibration standards, the easier it will be to see if they are traceable to NIST.
Understanding Traceability
Traceability is defined as the property of a measurement result where the result can be related to a reference through a documented unbroken chain of calibrations. Each of these calibrations contribute to the measurement uncertainty. For calibration standards, traceability to NIST means that the measurement values provided by these standards can be directly related to the values realized by NIST standards or references.
The Significance of NIST Traceability
NIST traceability is crucial for several reasons:
- Quality Assurance: It ensures that measurements are consistent with those made by other laboratories worldwide, facilitating the comparability and compatibility of results.
- Regulatory Compliance: Many industries are regulated by standards that require NIST traceable calibrations.
- Confidence in Measurements: Traceability provides confidence in the accuracy and reliability of measurements. This is vital for scientific research, manufacturing, and quality control processes.
Custom Calibration Standards and NIST Traceability
Custom calibration standards are tailored to meet specific needs that off-the-shelf standards cannot satisfy. This includes unique concentration ranges or matrices. The traceability of these custom calibration standards to NIST involves several key aspects:
- Documentation: A vital component of traceability is the documentation of the calibration process. It includes the reference standards used, the calibration method, and the calculation of the measurement uncertainty.
- Uncertainty Propagation: The calibration chain must accurately propagate measurement uncertainty. It should ensure that the final uncertainty of the custom calibration standards are well-defined. They should also encompass all sources of uncertainty in the calibration process.
- Comparability: For a custom calibration standard to be considered traceably linked to NIST, it must be comparable to NIST standards. This means that the measurements derived from the custom calibration standards can be related to the values from NIST. These must be within the stated uncertainties.
Challenges and Solutions
Ensuring NIST traceability for custom calibration standards poses challenges, primarily related to the calibration chain's documentation and uncertainty management. Laboratories must have the expertise to accurately calculate uncertainties and document the calibration process comprehensively.
Accreditation bodies, such as the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), provide guidelines that laboratories can follow. These can ensure their calibration processes meet the required traceability and quality standards. This includes ISO/IEC 17025.
ISO 17025
As an international standard, ISO 17025 calibration is used within calibration laboratories to ensure the accuracy of any produced results. Laboratories can receive ISO 17025 accreditation to show that their research follows all standards and is, therefore, accurate.
ISO 17025 is utilized for the continual improvement of results, including in:
- Asbestos examinations
- Forensics
- Assembling food.
Outside ISO 17205, there are other ways to learn about the quality of research and products. This includes quality management systems that can be used to enhance the trust of customers in your work. These systems incorporate ISO 9001.
Inorganic Ventures Is Here To Support your Custom Calibration Standards
Overall, NIST traceability is possible for custom calibration standards. However, to achieve this type of calibration status, strict calibration procedures must be implemented and controlled. Your calibration must be in line with a group of calibrations that have had their uncertainties accounted for. Alongside this, the procedure behind your custom calibration standards must be well documented.
Being able to link your calibration standards traceability back to NIST can come with a variety of benefits. Not only can they enhance the reliability of your results, but they lower the possibility of mistakes. This means that if you are looking to produce an item or product that is going to be used by the public, you can feel confident about its quality and that it will be in line with governance and regulations.
Here at Inorganic Ventures, we are ready to help you make your custom calibration standards the best they can be. With our calibration experience, and library that has 57,000 available blends, we can ensure that your product adheres to an accurate calibration standard.
Visit our website to learn more about our custom standards. If you need any more information on calibration standards, calibration equipment or custom standard solutions, our experts would be happy to answer all of your questions.