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Calibration Glossary

Browse our glossary of calibration-related terminology.

Beamex / Dictionary

Ac­cred­it­a­tion (of a laboratory)

Formal recognition by an ac­cred­it­a­tion body that a calibration or testing laboratory is able to competently perform the cal­ib­ra­tions or tests listed in the ac­cred­it­a­tion scope document

Ac­cred­it­a­tion body

An or­gan­iz­a­tion that conducts laboratory ac­cred­it­a­tion evaluations in conformance to ISO Guide 58

Ac­cred­it­a­tion certificate

Document issued by an ac­cred­it­a­tion body to a laboratory that has met the conditions and criteria for ac­cred­it­a­tion

Ac­cred­it­a­tion criteria

Set of re­quire­ments used by an accrediting body that a laboratory must meet in order to be accredited

Accuracy (of a measurement)

Accuracy is a qualitative indication of how closely the result of a measurement agrees with the true value of the parameter being measured.

Accuracy (of a measuring instrument)

Accuracy is a qualitative indication of the ability of a measuring instrument to give responses close to the true value of the parameter being measured.

Application

Software installed on a defined platform/hardware providing specific func­tion­al­ity.

Assessment

Examination typically performed on-site of a testing or calibration laboratory to evaluate its conformance to conditions and criteria for ac­cred­it­a­tion.

Bespoke/Customized com­pu­ter­ised system

A com­pu­ter­ised system in­di­vidu­ally designed to suit a specific business process.

Best measurement capability

The best measurement capability for a particular quantity is the smallest uncertainty of measurement a laboratory can achieve within its scope of ac­cred­it­a­tion

Bias

Bias is the known systematic error of a measuring instrument.

Calibration

It is the process of verifying the capability and performance of an item of measuring and test equipment by comparison to traceable measurement standards.

Calibration activity or provider

A laboratory or facility – including personnel – that perform cal­ib­ra­tions in an established location or at customer location(s).

Calibration certificate

A calibration certificate is generally a document that states that a specific item was calibrated by an or­gan­iz­a­tion.

Calibration curve

A calibration curve is a graphical il­lus­tra­tion that represents the re­la­tion­ship between a known, accurate input and the measured output of an instrument, thereby visually depicting calibration results. Calibration curves are typically constructed by measuring a known value of a process variable, then plotting the measured value against the true value. The resultant curve can

Calibration procedure

A calibration procedure is a controlled document that provides a validated method for evaluating and verifying the essential performance char­ac­ter­ist­ics, spe­cific­a­tions, or tolerances for a model of measuring or testing equipment.

Calibration program

A calibration program is a process of the quality management system that includes management of the use and control of calibrated inspection, and test and measuring equipment (IM&TE), and the process of calibrating IM&TE used to determine conformance to re­quire­ments or used in supporting activities.

Calibration report

A calibration report is a document that provides details of the calibration of an item.

Calibration seal

A calibration seal is a device, placard, or label that, when removed or tampered with, and by virtue of its design and material, clearly indicates tampering.

Calibration standard

A calibration standard is an IM&TE item, artifact, standard reference material, or measurement transfer standard that is designated as being used only to perform cal­ib­ra­tions of other IM&TE items.