PTC Metrology^® is accredited by A2LA to ISO/IEC 17025, ANSI/NCSL Z540-1. Our certificate number 1896.01 from A2LA covers calibration of durometers , thermometers, hygrometers, pressure gauges, data loggers, and infrared surface thermometers. In keeping with the worldwide demand for accredited calibrations, PTC Metrology has chosen A2LA as our accrediting body. Click on the link to view our scope of our accreditation . The ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) arrangement provides a technical basis to international trade by promoting global member and customer confidence and acceptance of accredited laboratory data.

Effective January 1st 2006, A2LA accepts traceability via the use of calibration laboratories accredited by an AB that is signatory to the APLAC, EA, IAAC or ILAC MRA . Currently in the United States, only A2LA, International Accreditation Services (IAS) and the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) meet the A2LA Traceability Policy. ( see http://www.a2la.org/policies/Traceability_Policy.pdf.)

What is Accreditation ?

Accreditation is the unbiased assessment by a third party of the laboratory's quality program and technical capabilities. The third party assesses the laboratory against a recognized standard. In December 1999, the new standard, ISO/IEC 17025, "General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories” was adopted and has now replaced ISO Guide 25 as the accepted standard for accredited test and measurement laboratories.

Accreditation indicates that a laboratory has demonstrated that it functions within the parameters of the standard. While accreditation is not a guarantee of a laboratory's performance, it does provide a means for determining the laboratory's competence to perform particular types of tests or calibrations. The technical evaluation during an accreditation includes a review (by experts in the relevant discipline) of calibration procedures, calibration standards, traceability, uncertainty analysis, actual results, and statistical process control.

Laboratory accreditation has been a requirement in many countries for years. Nationally recognized accreditation bodies have provided customers with confidence in calibration certificates and reports by employing generally established standards set by the European (CEN) or international (ISO) standardization bodies. Accreditation in the United States is voluntary. Nevertheless, as more companies become ISO 9000 certified, accreditation is becoming a more common practice in the United States.

What is the Scope of PTC Metrology Accreditation?

The scope of PTC’s accreditation is intended to satisfy the traceability and other requirements for ongoing company operations, research requirements, and customer support for durometer calibration to most if not all durometer standards worldwide. In the United States, A2LA and NVLAP have only accredited a handful of laboratories with a complete scope to calibrate all the required aspects of durometer calibration ( see for example ASTM D2240 ). PTC Metrology is however, accredited for all durometer parameters.

What's in it for You?

First, since accreditation involves a third party assessment of a laboratory's QA program and technical capabilities, it provides an impartial viewpoint of the competency of the laboratory. It also provides an unbiased assessment of the laboratory's standards, procedures, personnel qualifications and traceability to an appropriate national laboratory. In the United States, this means traceability of all standards to NIST. By showing traceability to NIST, it shows traceability that is accepted worldwide. In short, accreditation offers the lab's customers a high level of confidence in its quality and technical abilities.

Second, because ISO 9000 includes calibration requirements, many companies include accreditation for calibration suppliers as a mandatory part of their QA system. Often, accredited suppliers need only remit a copy of their accreditation scope in order to become an approved vendor. This eliminates the need for time-consuming, expensive audits and other supplier evaluation methods. Further, in cases where customers' audits are still necessary, the audits run smoother when accredited suppliers are used.

In regard to temperature, PTC Metrology has received accreditation from A2LA. PTC's temperature laboratory is equipped with primary and secondary standards, precision readouts, standard resistors, and other related test equipment. For a complete list of our laboratory equipment, please click on the link below.

What is ILAC International Laboratory Accredited Cooperation?

Many countries around the world have one or more organization responsible for the accreditation of their nations laboratories. Most of these accreditation bodies have now adopted an international standard, called ISO/IEC 17025, as the basis for the accreditation of their countries testing and calibration laboratories.

Adoption of this international standard has helped countries adopt a uniform approach to determining laboratory competence. This uniform approach allows countries with similar accreditation systems to establish agreements between themselves, based on mutual evaluation and acceptance of each others accreditation systems.

Such international agreements, usually called mutual recognition arrangements (mra), are crucial in enabling test data to be accepted between these countries. In effect, each partner in such an arrangement recognizes the other partners accredited laboratories as if they themselves had undertaken the accreditation of the other partners laboratories.

The aim of the ILAC Arrangement is to develop a global network of accredited testing and calibration laboratories that can be relied on to provide accurate results. Over 22,000 laboratories are now accredited world-wide.

This developing system of mutual recognition between accreditation bodies has enabled accredited laboratories to achieve a form of international recognition, and allowed test data accompanying exported goods to be more readily accepted on overseas markets. This effectively reduces costs for both the manufacturer and the importers, as it reduces or eliminates the need for products to be retested in another country.

Countries without viable accreditation systems can also seek to have their laboratories accredited by established accreditation systems, so that their test data and associated goods can be accepted on foreign markets. These countries can also endeavour to develop their own accreditation system based on the structure and experience of these systems in other countries.

About PTC Metrology

PTC Metrology is the calibration laboratory of PTC Instruments, the world’s leading manufacturer of durometers and bimetal surface thermometers. PTC has been performing calibrations for more than 50 years. John Marcus, Ph.D. is the Technical Director. He brings his training in experimental physics and thermodynamics to bear directly on PTC Metrology, keeping it technically competent and up to date. Greg Ikuta is the Quality Manager having been directly involved in QA and calibration since 1988.

Durometer Calibration

In durometer calibration this includes optical comparison for checking indenter geometry, load cells and duro calibrators for measuring the force curve, and gage blocks to check indenter extension and gage linearity. This includes all attributes listed in ASTM D2240 and other international standards. PTC Metrology was A2LA accredited in March, 2002 (Cert # 1896.01)

Thermodynamics

In temperature calibration, PTC has chosen primarily products from Hart Scientific, which supplies most national and international standards labs with calibration equipment. The Hart Scientific Super Thermometer is center stage along with its SPRT featuring calibration traceable to the fixed points of the ITS-90 temperature scale. A water triple point cell (0.01°C ±0.0001) is used to correct any drift that the SPRT may experience on an ongoing basis.

At the low temperatures a liquid nitrogen comparator is used at -196°C, followed by various stirred baths and topped at the high end by a large 1200°C black body source. Thermocouples are handled by a Hart Scientific Black Stack and TC Furnace while thermistors can be measured with the Hart Scientific Super Thermometer. LIG can be accurately measured in stirred baths with level adapters designed for LIG. Surface temperature is measured using a Hart Scientific model 3125 calibrator with a microprocessor based controller for accuracy and stability.

Pressure Certification

Our lab offers pressure calibration from 6 to12140 psig with an uncertainty of 50 parts in 10⁶ with a Ruska 2400 HL Deadweight Tester. Our laboratory has the capabilities to calibrate general purpose gauges, utility, industrial and process gauges, test gauges, pressure recorders and data loggers

Laboratory Test Equipment