When finding the right calibration provider that meets your requirement, it's important to understand the differences between traceable and accredited calibrations, and how these affect the equipment you're using.
Traceable calibration is performed with accurate and reliable equipment, which is recorded to allow for the calibration chain to be traced if necessary. The calibration procedure does not necessarily follow a recognised standard for calibration but will test the accuracy of the tool against the equipment that is calibrating it.
Traceable calibrations tend to be lower cost than accredited calibrations as the laboratory is not audited by an accreditation authority.
Simply put, accredited calibrations are more reputable than traceable calibrations. They are performed to an accredited calibration procedure which meets an internationally recognised standard, by a laboratory that has been assessed by an accreditation authority to ensure competency and compliance of the laboratory, staff and equipment used. In order to guarantee continued accuracy and reliability of operations, the laboratories are audited yearly to ensure compliance to the accreditation provider's high and ever developing standards.
Due to the increased costs involved in becoming an accredited calibration facility, you will typically have to pay a higher price to get accredited calibration for your tool.
In some industries such as aerospace, transport or healthcare, accredited calibrations are mandatory.
In some industries such as aviation, accredited calibrations are a necessity due to the extra level of safety security they provide.
Accredited laboratories must follow internationally recognised standards to pass the approvals process, meaning all necessary uncertainties and errors are being recorded accurately.
Following accredited standards can be critical for dealing products internationally. International standards such as ISO/IEC 17025 are globally recognised, facilitating cross-border trade without the need for repeated calibrations to local standards.
Accredited calibration laboratories are audited at least yearly, ensuring that equipment and operations are always giving reliable calibrations. This also promotes ongoing quality improvements and means that the laboratory will already be keeping up with any industry changes that affect the calibration procedure.
The International Laboratory Accredited Cooperation (ILAC) was founded in 1977 to establish acceptance of accreditation systems worldwide. Calibrations performed by laboratories who are accredited by authorities covered under the ILAC agreement will be widely recognised by the other nations who have also signed the agreement. 90 accreditation bodies have signed the ILAC arrangement, including UKAS, A2LA and DAkkS. A full list of all 90 members can be seen here: https://ilac.org/signatory-search/
You'd be nervous to step onto a plane if you heard the bolts were done up with torque tools that are not calibrated to the highest quality possible. But then again, does every person who uses a torque wrench for personal use require this level of calibration?
That's why the debate between traceable and accredited calibration remains relevant today, there is no universal right or wrong answer for what calibration type everyone should be looking for. Simply put, it should depend on the regulations of your industry and consequences that potential tool inaccuracy may cause.
We can provide traceable, non-UKAS torque transducer and torque measuring device calibrations up to 300kNm at a competitive price. Alternatively, if you're looking to bring your calibration process in-house, we supply torque calibration equipment which allows you to perform quick and easy accredited and traceable calibrations. Send your details to our experts today for a bespoke quotation.
