Calibration certificate

Calibration certificates

One of the most common questions is related to the validity of the certificate, which one is the right one, which one is valid? Users often receive various reports, certificates, test reports, etc. and thus confusion about what is valid.

Let’s take a look at some of the adopted rules of Slovenian Accreditation (SA), source OA02 – publicly available document. SA is a member of EA (European Accreditation), so these are common rules for the European market. The following quotations are excerpts from the above document:

…A calibration certificate issued by an accredited calibration laboratory (accredited by one of the listed accreditation organisations on the MLA list or bilateral signatories) is sufficient proof of measurement traceability. In the case of accredited calibration laboratories, calibration certificates bearing the logo of the accreditation body shall be considered as adequate…

…It should be noted in particular that calibration certificates without the accreditation body mark or other form of reference are not accepted as sufficient proof of measurement traceability, even if they are issued by an accredited calibration laboratory!…

…On calibration certificates, the calibration provider must provide the measurement uncertainty of the result for which he has a documented and validated procedure…

…The calibrator shall keep authentic records of the calibration performed, the equipment used and other factors affecting the calibration result. These records should be accessible to the subscriber and the SA…

It’s up to you to decide what applies to you. In some cases, the legislator or the buyer may prescribe it. Trust should be the basic guiding principle for validity. Ask yourself, “Which results can I trust or trust more?” In principle, we can only trust results that also have a measurement uncertainty, or, if there are several, those with a smaller measurement uncertainty.

How can I use the calibration certificate, can I copy it, can I give a copy to someone else?

As long as you always use the unaltered document in its entirety, you can reproduce it, but you are not allowed to use only a sign or excerpts.

What are the important things we want to tell you about the Calibration Certificate?

With the Calibration Certificate, laboratories summarise in a declarative manner all previously performed laboratory activities, whose compliance with the standard and their own rules is regularly verified by Slovenian Accreditation. We issue you a trustworthy document.

The value of a Calibration Certificate is not in its price and good looks, it’s in the results you can trust. Whether you confirm or disconfirm something, in either case, by evaluating the results, you will add meaning, utility, purpose to the numbers. Based on the results and your requirements or expectations, we will introduce measures, improvements, changes. Big or small, the choice is yours.

So your decision on when and why you need a Calibration Certificate should be planned and the results evaluated. The calibration certificate should not just serve as a record, but add meaning and therefore value.