Calibration Laboratory set-up project consultancy
Calibration is an important aspect of maintaining the traceability of measurement. Calibration establishes the confidence in the use of equipment and ensure quality of products measured by calibrated equipment. Calibration needs with unbroken chain to establish the measurement traceability. It means the reference standard or master equipment used in the calibration of equipment under calibration must be calibrated from ISO/IEC 17025 accredited calibration laboratory and must be valid at the time of measurement / calibration, and this should be so on till the last equipment in the chain, which is maintained by National Physical Laboratory.
Calibration means matching the standard value of the instrument to the master (True) Instrument value. Calibration in measurement technology and metrology is the comparison of measurement values delivered by a device under test with those of a calibration standard of known accuracy.
Calibration is performed mainly in disciplines, as detailed out below:
- Mechanical disciplines cover all types of mechanical measurement such as dimensional calibration, pressure calibration, force calibration, torque calibration, hardness calibration, mass and weighing balance calibration, density, viscosity etc.,
- Electro-technical or electrical discipline covers the source and measure of electrical parameters, such as volt, current, resistance, frequency, impendence, inductance, capacitance including electrical simulation for the temperature etc.
- Thermal (Called as specific heat and humidity) discipline covers the temperature and humidity.
- Fluid flow discipline covers the flow calibration of liquid and gases.
The main reasons for calibration are to ensure the reliability of the instrument, that it can be trusted. To determine the accuracy of the instrument and to ensure the readings are consistent with other measurements. We provide full guidance to the present lab as well as potential lab for establishment of calibration lab set-up as per the steps given below;
Punyam.com – Global Manager Group, consultancy company is having vast experience in the Calibration Lab Setup in any of the calibration disciplines. In this case, the customer is contacting us and then giving us contract for the setup of calibration laboratory. The stages followed as are as under:
1 .Defining the scope of work in terms of facility to be developed for the calibration of which disciplines as well as type of equipment. In this stage, the detail discussion is done with the customer and list of equipment to be calibrated is prepared with the details of name, range, resolution / least count etc.
2. Identification of reference standards (master equipment for the calibration of equipment as per the list prepared in stage 1) with the details of specifications, range and resolution, if applicable with the name of manufacturer and submitting the list to customer for inviting quotation for the identified reference standard.
3. Identifying the list of personnel required with the details of their qualification, experience and other skill and submitting the same to customer to start the recruitment of the required personnel.
4. Preparation of lay-out for the calibration standard room based on available area and facility for the calibration to be developed. Submission of lab lay-out to customer for startup of establishing the facility,
5. Calculating the area of each of the laboratory sections as well as environment condition requirements during the calibration and based on that identification of capacity of air conditioners and their location inside the laboratory section.
6. Monitoring of facility developed by customer periodically and suggesting for changes, if any during the development stage.
7. Receipt of reference standards, verification of condition of reference standards, review of calibration certificates of reference standard with customer representative to make them familiar about the activities.
8. Set up of reference standard at the identification location in the calibration standard room and make them ready to use.
9. Preparation and submission of calibration methods, formats, templates for the work sheets to be used for recording of data during the calibration, templates for calibration certificates etc. to customer for their day to day implementation.
10. Providing training on calibration of each type of equipment as per the list by theoretical explanation followed by practical demonstration of calibration. Provide training either in our NABL accredited calibration laboratory or through our E learning course.
11. Witnessing the calibration performed by customer’s employees and concluding that the calibration personnel have achieved required competence in the calibration.
12. Final meeting with customer for their doubts related to practical calibration as well as recording the calibration data etc. providing tips for marketing and day to day operation of calibration laboratory. Also providing tips for the re-calibration of reference standard etc.
13. Clarifying the doubts raised by customer.
Followings are the major benefits;
1 .Source of earning money,
2. Establishing the traceability of measurement,
3. Market image as qualitative company.
4. Calibration also ensures that product or batch quality remains high and consistent over time. Quality systems such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 as well as all management system require systematic, well-documented calibrations with respect to accuracy, repeatability, uncertainty and confidence levels.
ISO 9001: 2015 certification is a quality management system certification. It demands an organization to be customer focused and customer committed. Some of the key points that must be addressed for successful implementation of a quality management system and ISO 9001:2015 certification are as below:
- Determining the boundaries and scope of quality management system
- Determining needs and expectations of interested parties
- Establishing quality policy and corresponding objectives
- Employee competence review and their periodic trainings and record keeping.
- Ensuring appropriate and adequate resources are available
- Risk assessment and actions to address risk and opportunities
- Monitoring, measurement and internal audits
- Creating/updating and controlling ISO 9001 documented information, such as Quality manual, quality procedures, quality plan, quality policy, quality objectives preparations.
- Production/service planning
- Product/ service inspection-verification-testing from incoming, in process and final stage.
- Preventive and breakdown maintenance of equipment
- Vendor selection and their revaluation. System of coordinating complete purchasing information to supplier.
- Product storage to preserve their quality
- Reviewing customer inquiries/orders
- Customer complaints and customer feedback handling mechanisms.