What is ISO 17025?  Why is it important?

Nowadays, many industries emphasize on the calibration of measuring instruments from service providers that must be ISO17025 certified. Today, Let’s begin by being clear about what ISO17025 or ISO/IEC17025 is and why we are paying more attention to ISO 17025.

What is ISO/IEC 17025?

For understanding easier: ISO/IEC 17025 standard or General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories is an international standard that helps to establish the testing or calibration laboratory capabilities. Nowadays, it is extremely important for the industrial business sector to use test/calibration results that are accurate and reliable as a standard for measuring and testing products to ensure quality.

Such requirements, it covers quality management requirements and technical requirements that affect the quality of calibration operations. Laboratories that meet ISO 17025 standards will also operate in accordance with ISO 9001 standards.

Benefits from using ISO 17025 certified laboratory

1. Instruments that have been calibrated It is accurate. Because it is calibrated from the standard units that are also calibrated by ISO/IEC 17025 certified laboratories. Then it is traceable.

2. Reduce production waste or scrap. Frequently, there are production waste or scrap product even though we have regular measurements and monitoring. One of the reasons that inspection errors are not caused by the operator. But it was caused by the measurement instrument that it’s not being up to standard. As a result, the measurement values are displayed incorrectly and cause damaged. Therefore, the measurement equipment must be calibrated to ensure the accuracy of reading. This is another way to reduce production loss and to ensure that the goods we have inspected is accurate and being within the specified criteria.

3. Extend the life of the measurement instrument. Even though ISO 17025 is not specified the interval period of calibration of measuring instruments, but it can be recommended to calibrate at least once a year. It also depends on the application which allow user to be able to specify by themselves.