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While
NICS is presently working to obtain SAC-SIGNALS Accreditation for their
Centre for Calibration, non SAC-SIGNALS Calibration Services will be
available to customers. |
What
is Accreditation?
Accreditation
is the unbiased assessment by a third
party of a Calibration Laboratory's
/ Centre's quality program and technical
capabilities. The third party assesses
the laboratory against a recognized
standard
Accreditation
indicates that a laboratory has demonstrated
that it functions within the parameters
of the standard. While accreditation
is not a guarantee of a laboratory's
performance, it does provide a means
for determining the laboratory's competence
to perform particular types of tests
or calibrations. The technical evaluation
during an accreditation includes a
review (by experts in the relevant
discipline) of calibration procedures,
calibration standards, traceability,
uncertainty analysis, actual results,
and statistical process control).
In India, NABL (National Accreditation
Board for Testing & Calibration
Laboratories) is entrusted with the
task of assessing & accrediting
Calibration Laboratories / Centres.
What
is in it for you?
Since
accreditation involves a third party assessment of a laboratory's QA
program and technical capabilities, it provides an impartial viewpoint
of the competency of the laboratory. It also provides an unbiased
assessment of the laboratory's standards, procedures, personnel
qualifications, and traceability to an appropriate national laboratory.
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In
short, accreditation offers a lab's customers a high level of
confidence in its quality and technical abilities.
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Because
ISO 9000 includes calibration requirements, many companies include
accreditation for calibration suppliers as a mandatory part of their QA
system. Often, accredited suppliers need only remit a copy of their
accreditation scope in order to become an approved vendor. This
eliminates the need for time-consuming, expensive audits and other
supplier evaluation methods
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Accreditation
has benefits for international customers as well. All recognized
accreditation bodies have adopted ISO / IEC 17025:2005 as the basis for accreditation of calibration and testing laboratories.
Because these accreditations are based on the same standards, countries
may enter into Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) whereby
an accreditation body in one country recognizes the accreditations done
by a fellow MRA signatory in another country. |
Measurements
Traceability :
To
be established through unbroken chain
of calibrations or comparisons linking
them to relevant primary standards
of the SI units of measurement. |
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Reference Standards
: |
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To
have procedure and program for reference
standards calibration and their handling,
storage, transportation. |
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Calibration
is to be done by only accredited lab |
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The
reference standard is to be used only
for calibration to ensure the validity
of performance. |
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ReferenceMaterials must
be : |
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Characterized
(certified value), stable, homogeneous |
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Certified,
traceable materials purchased from reputable
sources |
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Reference
materials and items used for no other
purpose than calibration. |
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Check intermediate
materials and items regularly against
reference standards |
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Store reference
items and materials carefullyReferenceMaterials must
be : |
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