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Calibration and measurement capabilities of metrological institutes: Features

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Article  in  Measurement Techniques · October 2010

DOI: 10.1007/s11018-010-9567-x

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Measurement Techniques, Vol. 53, No. 6, 2010

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION

CALIBRATION AND MEASUREMENT CAPABILITIES

OF METROLOGICAL INSTITUTES: FEATURES OF
PREPARATION, EXAMINATION, AND PUBLICATION

O. N. Velichko UDC 681.2.082

Features of mutual recognition of national standards, calibration and measurement capabilities (CMC),
basic versions and their examination stages are considered. A generalized algorithm is developed for
international examination of national metrological institute CMC.
Key words: calibration and measurement capabilities, national metrological institute, database, examination.

The role of national metrology institutes (NMI) in providing mutual recognition of measurement results is increas-
ing significantly under contemporary conditions of world economic globalization. In view of this, there is a particularly acute
problem of comparing national standards within the framework of multilateral agreements on the mutual recognition of mea-
surement results according to established international and regional procedures of standard comparison for the support of
their equivalence and provision of metrological traceability at the national level [1].
An agreement on mutual recognition of national standards, calibration and measurement certificates issued by NMI
(subsequently the CIPM MRA Agreement) [2] was initiated by the International Committee of Weights and Measures (CIPM).
It is aimed at providing national governments and other state organisations with a reliable technical basis for implementing
multilateral agreements in the field of scientific and technological cooperation, international trade and commercial activity.
Features of Mutual Recognition of National Standards and Calibration and Measurement Capabilities.
Within the framework of the CIPM MRA Agreement, a whole set of work is accomplished for examination and publication
of information about calibration and measurement capabilities (CMC) of NMI of different countries. In order to publish this
information, a special database has been created for key comparisons, i.e., KCDB BIPM (the BIPM key comparison database)
that is supported by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) and is generally accessible on the Internet site [3].
This base includes four appendices: 1) NMI that have signed the CIPM MRA Agreement (Appendix A); 2) key and supple-
mentary comparisons of national standards (Appendix B); 3) calibration and measurement capabilities (CMC) (Appendix C);
4) a list of key comparisons of national standards (Appendix D).
In order to implement the aspects of the CIPM MRA Agreement, a special BIPM Joint Committee for Regional
Metrological Organizations (RMO) has been created, i.e., JCRB CIPM (Joint Committee of the Regional Organizations and
the BIPM). This committee has responsibility for analyzing and placing information in the KCDB BIPM database. Its mem-
bers are RMO representatives, a JCRB CIPM executive secretary, and a KCDB BIPM coordinator, and meetings of the
Committee proceed under a BIPM presiding director.
The main functions of the Committee include: coordination of RMO activity for mutual recognition of NMI cali-
bration and measurement certificates in accordance with the proposals of the CIPM MRA Agreement; analysis of data added

All-Ukraine State Scientific and Production Center for Standardization, Metrology, Certification, and Consumer
Protection (Ukrmetrteststandart), Kiev, Ukraine; e-mail: velychko@ukrcsm.kiev.ua. Translated from Izmeritel’naya Tekhnika,
No. 6, pp. 69–3rd page of cover, June, 2010. Original article submitted November 17, 2009.

0543-1972/10/5306-0721 ©2010 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 721

TABLE 1. General Guidelines for Preparation of NMI CMC Table

Information about
NMI information for CMC table Guidelines for filling CMC table
publication
1 2 3 4

Enter measured quantity. For field of length measurement enter

Quantity (class)
“Class” and type of measurement facility (MF) for calibration
Calibration or
Measurement facility
measurement SI presented by the user for calibration
or artefact
service
This column is used for indicating a specific type of SI for
Facility type and method
calibration or calibration method
Minimum value Range of measurement indicated explicitly or implicitly, but with-
Measurement out references to another service. For completeness information
Maximum value
level or range should be provided about measurement range within indicated lim-
Information Units its in the appropriate column for CMC uncertainty
published in
BIPM KCDB Measurement Parameter
database conditions Indicate parameters and technical specifications, measurement or
(independent calibration conditions. Its own line is used for each parameter
variables) Technical specifications

Quantities Indicate fixed value, range of uncertainty values or provide equa-

Units tion for calculating uncertainty

Expanded Inclusion factor Normal values of 2 and 0.95, correspondingly, but other values may
uncertainty be indicated for specific measurement fields
Confidence level
Expanded uncertainty is
Indicate “yes” or “no”
relative?
Indicate standard, by means of which calibration or measurement is
Standard
performed
Target standards,
that are used in Indicate NMI name or abbreviation, within which primary stan-
Information for
calibration dards are held, traced to SI units. Additionally indicate name of
experts (not Tracking source
intermediary laboratory, if direct tracing to the primary standard
published)
is not provided.
List of comparisons for support of measuring Indicate comparison types and codes, within which NMI
(calibration) service participated (use BIPM KCDB Appendix B)
Present information about CMC publications (for example, date of
Commentaries that are printed in BIPM site
publication in BIPM KCDB or other guides)
Each laboratory selects number of its service (choice of digits
NMI service number
Information or words)
published in
Administrative NMI Indicate official NMI abbreviation, representing CMC
BIPM KCDB
zone Review status Use RMO with review
Use for commentaries or communications of experts, carrying
Commentary for review
out review

by each RMO to Appendix C of the KCDB BIPM database and reporting results of this analysis in front of the CIPM; com-
position of annular records about the activity of NMI who have signed the CIPM MRA Agreement.
NMI calibration and measurement capabilities are the highest level of calibration and measurements, guaranteed by
an institute to customers of its metrological services, in the form of the value of expanded uncertainty of measurement results

722
 CMC tables NMI Quality system

Information
TC president and contact person President of Forum or TC
for each measurement field for RMO quality
Discussion for reaching agreement,
RMO visits if necessary

CIPM JCRB executive secretary

BIPM and RMO–CIPM JCRB BIPM KCDB

BIPM Joint Committee database

Fig. 1. Block diagram of NMI, RMO, and BIPM interaction in provision of NMI CMC
examination tables.

performed by them with a confidence level of 95%. They specify the quality of metrological services made available by an
NMI to customers at a constant level.
Information about calibration and measurement capabilities is prepared by an NMI in accordance with the specifica-
tions of CIPM JCDB documents [4–7]. General instructions for preparation of NMI CMC tables are summarized in Table 1.
Information about publication or not of information provided in the CMC in the KCDB BIPM database is given in column 1
of Table 1 and information contained in columns 2 and 3 is prepared by an NMI in accordance with general instructions pro-
vided in column 4.
The following classifications of CMC is used for publication in Appendix C of the KCDB BIPM database: AUV is
acoustics, ultrasound, and vibration; EM is electricity and magnetism; L is length; M is mass and connected values; PR is
photometry and radiometry; RI is ionized radiation; T is thermometry; QM is the amount of a substance; TF is time and fre-
quency. For some fields of measurement additional specifications are laid down for CMC formulation. The form of Table 1
may differ somewhat from that provided in Appendix C in relation to a field of measurement, where there are additional spec-
ifications for formulating these NMI tables (for example for QM).
Main Versions and Stages of Calibration and Measurement Capabilities Examination. The procedure for car-
rying out and internal examination of NMI CMC in a regional organization and inter-regional examination of other RMO is
established in accordance with the CIPM JCRB, and also recommendations and guides for regional organizations, in partic-
ular, the Recommendations [8] and the Guide [9].
Internal examination of RMO CMC is NMI CMC examination of the member countries of this regional organization,
carried out by the efforts of RMO NMI, that ceases with publication of the CMC on the web-site of this regional organization,
and if the NMI has signed the CIPM MRA Agreement, direction of them for inter-regional examination. Inter-regional exam-
ination of RMO CMC is examination of a NMI CMC by members of other regional organizations, carried out by efforts of an
NMI of a specific RMO.
A block diagram of the interaction of NMI, RMO, and BIPM in performing inter-regional examination of NMI CMC
tables and their publication in the KCDB BIPM database is given in Fig. 1. Currently inter-regional CMC examination is car-
ried out exclusively through a special JCRB CMC site in accordance with the specifications of CIPM MRA-D-04 [6].
Examination of CMC is organized by a RMO technical committee (TC) drawing on official experts for quality man-
agement systems (QMS), recognized by the Forum or TC for the quality of the corresponding regional organizations.
Examination of CMC is carried out in expert sub-committees, authorized by TC, under control of the TC President. It is
accomplished by electronic mail, and the language of all official documents, relating to CMC tables, is English. In the case

723
 1. Direction of NMI CMC RMO TC
to CIPM JCRB after completing
RMO internal examination

2. Confirmation of receipt by CIPM JCRB from NMI CMC

RMO TC (generated automatically by JCRB site)

3. Confirmation of TC of another RMO of receipt of NMI CMC

and establishment on completion of their review time

4. More than No 5. CIPM JCRB

one RMO accomplished president in contact
CMC review? with RMO

Yes
6. Presentation by RMO TC of first comments for CMC and
establishment of contact with NMI (through JCRB site)

No 8. CIPM JCRB
7. All comments
president in con-
incorporated?
tact with RMO
Yes
9. RMO TC, supplying CMC, considers them
for final approval and sends to CIPM JCRB

10. CMC No 11. CMC returned

endorsed by all RMO for performing
second examination
Yes

13. CIPM JCRB executive secretary

12. CMC requires confirmation of conformity
endorsed by approved for RMO representative, obtains
QMS confirmation of QMS CMC endorsement
Yes
14. CIPM JCRB executive secretary informs
BIPM KCDB coordinator about CMC endorsement

15. KCDB BIMP coordinator publishes endorsed

CMCs in BIPM KCDB Appendix C

Fig. 2. Generalized algorithm for NMI CMC inter-regional examination.

of marked difficulties in CMC examination for a specific NMI or occurrence of conflict situations the RMO TC Chairman
presents this question for consideration to a regularly scheduled meeting of the TC with notification of the RMO Chairman
in the CIPM JCRB. For information about the current state of CMC examination in the RMO TC there should be reference
to the RMO site.
A national metrological institute in submitting a CMC in a specific field of measurement for examination sends the
following documents by electronic mail through a member of the TC of its own country to the Chairman of the correspond-

724
ing TC: data about the CMC in the format of Appendix C to the CIPM MRA Agreement; information specifying the NMI
MQS according the questionnaire established in the RMO. The RMO TC Chairman over two weeks should determine the
date for the end of the examination in its TC and communicate it to the NMI presenting the CMC. The examination period
should not exceed three months fro the time of preparing the CMC.
In the case of inter-regional examination of a NMI CMC, all the information indicated above is entered from the
RMO representative into the BIPM JCRB, and subsequent examination is carried out in accordance with the following stages.
The RMO TC Chairman during two weeks should determine the date for the end of the examination within its TC and com-
municate it to the Chairman of the RMO in the BIPM JCRB. The examination time should also not exceed three months from
the time of receiving the CMC. If for any reason the RMO TC considers it undesirable to carry out examination of an admit-
ted NMI CMC by another RMO, then the TC Chairman during two weeks should inform the RMO Vice-President.
The TC representative (or those responsible for carrying out the examination) sends its experts the sent CMC Excel-
files, and information relating to the NMI MQS, i.e., a technical expert selected by it from the quality Forum database or TC
for RMO quality. The experts complete the column of the CMC table according to the established form and fill in their own
comments for the MQS or commentaries. Technical experts for the MQS present conclusions in arbitrary form.
Files with comments and the conclusion for the MQS are sent to the RMO TC Chairman, who from the results of
the examination prepares a record with obligatory indication of the quality as a percentage for the CMC considered, and also
the names and places of work of the experts. Appendices to the record are CMC files with comments. The RMO TC Chairman
sends the record with appendices (expert comments) to the NMI presenting the data. In the case of inter-regional examina-
tion, the record and comments are sent to the RMO Chairman in the CIPM JCRB for direction to the BIPM and not sent to
the NMI presenting the CMC.
If the authors of the CMC raise any objections or questions concerning the expert comments, they send them to the RMO
TC Chairman who organizes discussion and agreement of CMC data and preparation of an examination record. On agreement
with the RMO TC Chairman direct correspondence between experts and the CMC authors is possible with mandatory copies to
the Chairman. The discussion should not exceed four months. In the case of inter-regional examination the RMO TC Chairman
should agree the discussion process with the Chairman of the corresponding RMO TC, whence it proceeds to CMC examination.
As a result of discussion, the authors correct the CMC or remove some lines. If the experts agree with the changes
made, they communicate this to the RMO TC Chairman, who after obtaining communications from all of the experts about
the end of CMC discussions sends a record the results of the examination, which should contain a conclusion about the pos-
sibility of publishing the CMC on the RMO and BIPM (BIPM KCDB) web-sites. In the case of inter-regional examination,
the record is sent to the RMO Chairman in the CIPM JCRB and not communicated to the NMI presenting the CMC.
The national metrological institute, presenting the CMC in a specific measurement field for examination, sends the
following documents by electronic mail through a member of the RMO TC of its own country to the RMO TC Chairman:
the final version of the CMC; the final version of the documents with concerning the QMS; an explanatory report within which
changes introduced into the CMC from the examination results. The RMO TC Chairman sends the record and data for the CMC
and QMS to the CIPM JCRB for organizing the next stages of inter-regional examination and for publication on the RMO site.
A general algorithm for performing inter-regional examination of an NMI CMC in accordance with specifications
of the document CIPM MRA-D-04 [6], consisting of fifteen main stages, is provided in Fig. 2. After CMC approval, they are
published in Appendix C of the BIPM KCDB database. After publication of a CMC in the BIPM KCDB database, the insti-
tute may carry the CIPM MRA logo on its calibration certificates taking account of the specifications of CIPM MRA-D-02,
that are issued in accordance with the published NMI CMC within the framework of the CIPM MRA Agreement.
Conclusions. Calibration and measurement capabilities of national metrological institutes play an important role in
providing mutual recognition of measurement results under contemporary conditions of world economic globalization in order
to reach multilateral agreements in the fields of international trade and scientific and technological cooperation, and also in
order to provide metrological traceability.
Examination of calibration and measurement capabilities of national metrological institutes is organized by technical
committees for regional metrological organizations with the involvement of official experts for quality management systems
based on the specifications of special BIPM documents, recommendations and guides for regional metrological organizations.

725
REFERENCES

1. O. N. Velichko, “Traceability of measurement results at different levels of metrological work,” Measur. Techn., 52,
No. 11, 1242 (2009).
2. Mutual Recognition of National Measurement Standards and of Calibration and of Measurement Certificated Issued
by National Metrology Institutes, BIPM, Paris (1999).
3. http://www.kcdb.bipm.org/.
4. CIPM MRA-G-02:2008, JCRB Guidelines for Monitoring and Reporting of the Operation of Quality Systems by RMOs.
5. CIPM MRA-G-03:2008, Guidelines for the Review of CMCs and the Monitoring and Reporting of the Operation of
Quality Systems by International Intergovernmental Organizations Who Are Signatories of the CIPM MRA.
6. CIPM MRA-D-04:2008, Calibration and Measurement Capabilities in the Context of the CIPM MRA.
7. CIPM/2007-25:2008, Recommendations for On-Site Visits by Peers and Selection Criteria for On-Site Visit Peer
Reviewers.
8. COOMET R/GM/7:2006, COOMET Recommendations. Procedure for Performing Internal Examination of Measuring
and Calibration Capabilities of COOMET National Metrological Institutes and Inter-Regional Examination of Other
Institutes.
9. EUROMET Guide 8, Review Criteria and Procedure for EUROMET CMCs.

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