The "ISO17025" Standard for Calibration Labs

What is it and Why is it Important?

ISO/IEC 17025 is a recently introduced standard from the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission. "ISO17025", as it has become known, replaces a number of older standards and guides including ISO/IEC Guide 25, EN45001 and ANSI/NCSL-Z540.

It is a global standard for the technical competence of calibration and testing laboratories. In addition to establishing quality system, documentation and personnel requirements, it directs calibration labs to:

• analyze the uncertainty of each measurement
• incorporate the uncertainty into the test procedure and/or test limits
• provide the uncertainties with the calibration certificate and results

Reporting the uncertainty qualifies the accuracy of the measurement and aids understanding when results from different labs are compared. The ratio of specification-to-calibration uncertainty is one way that equipment users gauge their confidence in a product's performance.

ISO17025 is the single most important metrology standard for test and measurement products. Nearly all national standards bodies and accreditation agencies around the world have adopted it. A growing number of companies require it and some industries have even incorporated it into sector-specific standards (for example, the automobile manufacturers' QS9000).

Agilent Technologies is committed to meeting this international standard and is currently upgrading processes and expanding capabilities. Over 20 manufacturing sites and field service centers have accreditation from external bodies such as Britain's UKAS and United States' A2LA against ISO17025 criteria. Other facilities have passed internal ISO17025-based audits and a worldwide program is underway to extend the number of compliant sites.

Details of the Agilent service centers that have been independently accredited are available at:

• Worldwide Accredited Facilities