Learn calibration & metrology
Concepts, methods and the day-to-day work of running a calibration program, explained in plain language from primary sources.
- Start hereWhat is calibration? Definition, examples and why it mattersCalibration explained in plain words: the official definition in two steps, calibration vs adjustment, verification and validation, traceability up to the SI, real FDA cases, and how often and by whom.Start here →
- Topic overviewHow to set up a calibration program, step by stepWhat a calibration program is and how to build or fix one: scope, master list, risk, intervals, procedures, labs, certificate review, out-of-tolerance, records and software, with what each standard requires.Start here →
- Topic overviewMeasurement uncertainty explained, from Type A and B to the coverage factor kWhat measurement uncertainty is, how Type A and Type B evaluations, budgets and k = 2 work, how to read it on a certificate, and how it drives pass/fail decisions.Start here →
How to set up a calibration program, step by step
What a calibration program is and how to build or fix one: scope, master list, risk, intervals, procedures, labs, certificate review, out-of-tolerance, records and software, with what each standard requires.
- Calibration intervals: how often to calibrateNo standard says 12 months. How to set an initial calibration interval, adjust it with the five ILAC G24 methods and a reliability target (EOPR), and defend it to an auditor.
- How to write a calibration procedure (with an example and template)What a calibration procedure must contain, section by section: scope, reference standards, test points, acceptance criteria, as-found and as-left, environment, uncertainty and ISO/IEC 17025 method validation. With an annotated example and a printable checklist.
- How to read and review a calibration certificateA field-by-field guide to calibration certificates, with an annotated example, how to judge uncertainty and pass/fail statements, red flags, and a printable review checklist.
- Out of tolerance: what to do when a calibration failsA step-by-step out-of-tolerance impact assessment: confirm the result, set the look-back window, correct past readings, decide on product, with an example report and template.
- Calibration records: what to keep, how long, and a free templateWhat a calibration record must contain, how it differs from a certificate and a master list, how long to keep it under each standard, with an annotated example and a printable template.
Measurement uncertainty explained, from Type A and B to the coverage factor k
What measurement uncertainty is, how Type A and Type B evaluations, budgets and k = 2 work, how to read it on a certificate, and how it drives pass/fail decisions.
- Guard banding: methods, formulas and ISO/IEC 17025 decision rulesWhat guard banding is, the five common guard band methods with formulas and a worked example, how they trade false accepts for false rejects, and how to state a decision rule under ISO/IEC 17025.