CONSIDERATION OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF EN ISO/IEC 17025 REGARDING THE CALIBRATION LABORATORY IN THE QUESTIONS OF THE PROCESS A OF THE VALIDATION OF PROCEDURES FOR THE CALIBRATION OF MEASURING EQUIPMENT

Abstract

During the military aggression of the Russian Federation, samples of foreign-made weapons and military equipment began to arrive in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In the future, these samples will require technical maintenance, including metrological maintenance. As metrological service is handled by personnel who use them and undergo training, difficulties may arise with the metrological support of these samples. Some questions will be very acute. Preliminary TAIEX assessment missions of the European Commission have begun work in Ukraine as part of Ukraine's preparation for obtaining "industrial visa free." One of the issues that is subject to assessment of metrological activity is the organization of the process of calibration of measuring equipment, starting with the accreditation of the calibration laboratory. The article considers a variant of the solution to one of the requirements of EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017, around which there is ambiguity in the understanding between experts and calibration laboratories, which is the validation of calibration methods for measuring equipment. The article provides justifications for the chosen approach and features of validation of calibration methods in comparison with test methods. A block diagram of the process of validation of the method of calibration of measuring equipment is proposed, as well as, within the framework of the process, the procedure for evaluating the characteristics: metrological traceability, range and uncertainty of measurement and processing of experimental data for the purpose of assessing the shift of the calibration method is considered. Reasons are given that the validation of the method of calibration of measuring equipment is carried out as part of the development (modification) of this method and these processes are interrelated. The use of this validation option developed (modified) by the calibration laboratory for the method of calibration of measuring equipment will give an opportunity regarding this issue: to implement the requirements of EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for the calibration laboratory; to provide a sufficient and adequate evidence base for the purposes of calibration; to make the validation process clearer, more transparent and less time-consuming. The article considers one of the variants of calibration method validation of measuring instruments by a calibration laboratory, justifications of the chosen approach are given. The procedure of evaluation of metrological traceability, measurement range and uncertainty, as well as processing of the experimental data obtained in order to evaluate the calibration method shift are considered. All this will further contribute to the formation of a common approach and understanding of these processes.