Z540.3 Compliance, and the general topic of Accreditation, Whats an accredited cal?

Bob Stern (707) 577-2886 SSU - Americas Agilent NCSLI member delegate Voting member, 174 Stds Writing Committee Member, 171 Z540.3 Handbook Committee Member, Agilent Cal Cert Working Group (CCWG)

NCSLI Tutorial
Implementing ANSI/NCSL Z540.3

Mark your calendar for the Wed 24 Mar 2010 tutorial at Measurement Science Conference in Pasadena July 2009 @ NCSLI

New Z540.3 Web Portal

http://www.agilent.com/find/Z540.3

Handy links to standards documents, key papers, compliance methods, articles, etc. List of models with Z540.3 calibration compliance from Agilent Technologies

Did you Know?

Guidelines on Assessment and Reporting of Compliance with Specification ILAC-G8:1996 Document can be downloaded free: http://www.ilac.org/

ILAC-G8 Conformance

Fail ?? ?? ?? Measured value 95% expanded uncertainty Pass ?? Pass

Upper specified tolerance Upper acceptance limit

Nominal

Lower specified tolerance

Guidelines on Assessment and Reporting of Compliance with Specification ILAC-G8:1996 Document can be downloaded free: http://www.ilac.org/

ILAC-G8

Pass #, Indeterminate

ILAC G8, Appendix A, page 10, drives Euro-ABs (like UKAS) to require Guard bands for K=2 (95% confidence interval)
Source: Guidelines on Assessment and Reporting of Compliance with Specification ILAC-G8:1996

Z540.3 Handbook Compliance Method #5

Fail Fail 95 % expanded uncertainty guard band Measured value 95% expanded uncertainty Pass Pass Fail Upper specified tolerance Fail Fail Upper acceptance limit

Adjust if over Acceptance limit

Nominal

95 % expanded uncertainty guard band

Lower acceptance limit Lower specified tolerance

Guidelines on Assessment and Reporting of Compliance with Specification ILAC-G8:1996 Document can be downloaded free: http://www.ilac.org/

Pragmatic Method for Pass/Fail Conformance Reporting

95% expanded uncertainty 95 % expanded uncertainty guard band Measured value Pass Pass Fail1 Fail Fail1 Fail1 Fail1 Upper specified tolerance Upper acceptance limit

Adjust if over Acceptance limit

Nominal

95 % expanded uncertainty guard band

Lower acceptance limit Lower specified tolerance

NCSLI Measure Magazine, March issue

Z540.3 Requirements for outside calibration suppliers

Accreditation?

Source: Z540.3, paragraph 5.5 Outside Suppliers

A2LA now accredits to Z540.3

Source: http://www.a2la.org/documents/searchdocuments.cfm

Excerpt: A2LA C207 audit checklist for Z540.3

Source: http://www.a2la.org/documents/searchdocuments.cfm

Confused about Accreditation??

1. What exactly is accreditation? 2. How can I use it to compare Calibration Lab A to Lab B? 3. What do I get if I order an Accredited Cal? 4. How is an accredited cal different (or better) from a standard calibration? 5. Is Accredited cal better than ISO 17025? 6. Can I expect to see Z540.3 accredited calibration service?

How to compare cal lab quality Accreditation, right?

check for

ABC

XYZ

A2LA Cert No. 1395.05

A2LA Cert No. 2546.01

Is this all you need to know?

Source : http://www.a2la.org/dirsearchnew/newsearch.cfm

Scope of Accreditation
How it works: 1. The calibration lab tells the A2LA auditor which parameters it seeks accreditation. 2. For each requested parameter the A2LA auditor then:
i. ii. iii. Spends time with the technicians assessing their competency/measurement technique to measure this particular parameter. Audit the measurement uncertainty documentation. Audit traceability path to a NMI such as NIST or NPL

All Americas calibrations are performed by a lab with the scope-of-accreditation for the relevant parameters. In rare cases, instruments are transhipped to Roseville, CA if needed.

Scope of Accreditation: Agilent Service locations

Site: Scope Number and link to scope on A2LA website: On-Site Capability: Scope Expiration Date: Parameter (click on each below for Best Uncertainty) I. Electrical DC/Low Frequency DC Voltage - Generate DC Voltage Measure DC Current Generate DC Current Measure Resistance Generate Fixed Points Resistance Measure AC Current Generate AC Current Measure AC Voltage Generate AC Voltage Measure AC Voltage Flatness Generate AC Voltage Flatness Measure Roseville 1920.01 Y 2/28/2010 Arlington Heights 2497.01 Y 12/31/2010 Bethlehem 2547.01 Y 2/28/2011 Sao Paolo Brazil 2464.01 Y 11/30/2010 Chelmsford 1994.01 Y 11/30/2010 Irvine 2456.01 Y 3/31/2011 On Scope minus Fluke 732A On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope Minus Fluke 742On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope - 16074A On Scope On Scope N/A On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Desired On Scope On Scope 8753 only On Scope 8753 only N/A On Scope On Scope N/A N/A N/A On Scope - is Fluke 5700A minus Fluke On Scope On Scope - is On Scope On Scope Fluke 5700A On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope - is Minus Fluke 742-1,10 Minus Fluke 742- Fluke 5700A On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope - is On Scope minus Fluke 732A On Scope On Scope minus Fluke 732A On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope - 16074A On Scope On Scope N/A On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A On Scope On Scope 8753 only On Scope 8753 only N/A On Scope On Scope N/A N/A N/A On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope 16074A On Scope On Scope N/A On Scope On Scope N/A On Scope On Scope On Scope N/A N/A On Scope On Scope N/A Desired On Scope On Scope 8753 On Scope 8753 On Scope On Scope On Scope N/A N/A N/A Fluke 5700A On Scope On Scope - is Fluke 5700A On Scope On Scope - is Fluke 5700A On Scope On Scope 16074A On Scope On Scope N/A On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Desired On Scope On Scope 8753 On Scope 8753 N/A On Scope On Scope N/A N/A N/A

On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope 16074A On Scope On Scope On Scope

On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope Minus Fluke 742-1,10 On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope On Scope - 16074A On Scope On Scope N/A On Scope On Scope N/A On Scope On Scope On Scope N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Desired On Scope N/A N/A N/A On Scope On Scope N/A N/A N/A

Resistance Generate Resistance - Generate - Shunts portion Capacitance Generate Electrical Calibraiton of Thermocouple Indicators, Type J II. Electrical RF/Microwave Amplitude Modulation Measure7 On Scope Frequency Modulation Measure8 On Scope Digital Modulation Measure On Scope RF Absolute Power Measure5 On Scope Tuned RF Power, On Scope RF Absolute Power Generate On Scope Power Sensor Calibration Factor9 On Scope Thermal Noise Figure System Measure9 On Scope Thermal Noise Measure On Scope Pulse - Generate On Scope Pulse Measure On Scope CISPR Pulse Response Desired Attenuation Generate On Scope Reflection S11/ S22 Measure On Scope Transmission S12/ S21 Measure On Scope III. Time and Frequency Time Interval Measure On Scope Frequency - Generate On Scope Frequency Measure On Scope VI. Electrical RF/Microwave 9 RF Power Sensor On Scope Noise Measuring Equipment Calibration of Noise Sources and Noise Figure Meters against Reference Noise Sources, (5 On Scope Attenuation Measure On Scope

http://www.a2la.org/dirsearchnew/newsearch.cfm or http://metrologyforum.tm.agilent.com/a2la_schedule.shtml
Source : Scott Arrants

Authorized Use of A2LA Symbol general guidance

A2LA can only act when their symbol appears on a calibration certificate
Source: P101 Reference to A2LA Accredited Status A2LA Advertising Policy

Allowed Use of A2LA Symbol on Cal Certificates

943 models

Next year

Coming Soon

What is the benefit to you If your supplier includes their Accreditation body symbol on the Cal cert for your instrument?

. . . it means they welcome close auditor scrutiny of that particular procedure.

Scope of Accreditation The Backbone

Parameter/Equipment Range Best Uncertainty ()
7.5 V/V + 0.4 V 5 V/V + 0.7 V 3.5 V/V + 2.5 V 3.5 V/V + 4 V 5 V/V + 40 V 6.5 V/V + 400 V

Comments
Fluke 5720A/5725A

DC Voltage Generate Up to 0.22 V

Up to 2.2 V Up to 11 V Up to 22 V Up to 220 V Up to 1100 V

AC Current Measure Resistance Measure Capacitance Generate RF Absolute Power Measure Attenuation Generate Digital Modulation Measure Etc, Etc, Etc

The customers focus: What are you capable of measuring, in what ranges, and how accurate are you?

The scope of accreditation is a listing of all of the parameters that a lab is capable of making accredited measurements in. The lab decides which parameters it wants to represent, but the accrediting body assesses the capability.
Source : Scott Arrants
Group/Presentation Title Agilent Restricted Month ##, 200X

Your measurement uncertainty may vary . . .

The fine print at the end of any lab accreditation certificate . . .

Z540.3 Compliance its both the Scope and the individual procedure

Meas. Uncertainty Part of BMC

3458A

Josephson Junction at Agilents Loveland Primary Stds. Lab

1. Meas. Uncertainty of ABC system? 2. Compliance method for 5 digit DMM cal procedure??

ABC voltmeter cal system

User 5 digit DMM to be calibrated

Accreditation Evaluation Summary Points

1. Look past the front page! 2. Make sure the scope covers all the parameters of your instrument. 3. Make sure the calibration measurement capability (aka. best uncertainty) can measure your instrument. 4. Check what lab standards are used for your instrument in the trace info on a sample cal certificate. 5. Z540.3 Accreditation ask for it A2LA is open for business 6. Look for the accreditation symbol on the Cal certificate.