Mistakes to avoid
Equipment management

Metrology is a subject that involves too much for a company to be dealt with solely from the point of view of certification or accreditation. Measurements are at the heart of many of the company's technical decisions, and it is from this angle that the metrologist's mission must be considered. ISO 9000 has given rise to a number of highly questionable practices in terms of measurement quality. The company must therefore reflect on what it really needs before "apeing" practices, even if they are commonplace.

In the context of certification or accreditation, the metrologist must carefully analyze the requirements of his or her standard(s) and respond in a way that is relevant to his or her own context. It's not a...