Inspection, measuring and test equipment

On a process plant construction site there were 19 principal construction contractors. Each contract had been awarded on a competitive tendering basis from a short pre-selected list of bidders. On the whole, the contracts ran smoothly, any claims for 

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Calibrating inspection, measuring, and test equipment (clause 4.11.2)... 

Procedures are required for the control and maintenance of inspection, measuring, and test equipment and to cover test software, not only for calibration. This section of the standard is often referred to as the calibration requirement but it goes far beyond mere calibration. In assessing compliance with section 4.11, there are at least 30 requirements to check (see the questionnaire at the end of this chapter) and calibration is only one of them. Figure 11.2 shows the processes needed to control, calibrate, and maintain inspection, measuring, and test equipment. The shaded boxes indicate interfaces with other processes. 

The standard requires the supplier to calibrate and adjust all inspection, measuring, and test equipment including measurement devices at prescribed intervals, or prior to use, against certified equipment having a known valid relationship to nationally recognized standards. 

The standard requires the supplier to define the process employed for the calibration of inspection, measuring, and test equipment, including details of equipment type, unique identification, location, frequency of checks, check method, acceptance criteria, and the action to be taken when results are unsatisfactory. 

This requirement hides an important provision. It not only applies to inspection, measuring, and test equipment but to the measurements that are performed with that equipment. Anywhere you intend performing product verification or monitoring processes you need to ensure that the environmental conditions are suitable. By environmental conditions is meant the temperature, pressure, humidity, vibration, lighting, cleanliness, dust, acoustic noise, etc. of the area in which such measurements are carried out. To avoid having to specify the conditions each time, you need to establish the ambient conditions and write this into your procedures. If anything other than ambient conditions prevail, you may need to assess whether the measuring devices will perform adequately in these conditions. If you need to discriminate between types of equipment, the ones most suitable should be specified in the verification procedures. 

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