Normative requirements external to the company
Use of reference materials

All conformity assessment standards based on decisions made on the basis of numerical results have requirements concerning the control of measurement processes, and consequently traceability to a coherent system of units. Similarly, when it comes to product conformity, the same requirements apply.

The most general are taken from paragraph 7.6 of ISO 9001: "Where measurement results are required to demonstrate product conformity, measurement equipment should be calibrated and/or verified, where necessary to ensure valid results". These general requirements for the management of measurement processes are further detailed in ISO 10012, a standard designed to help manufacturers bring their measurement processes under control. In these requirements, reference materials are only mentioned to emphasize that they can be assimilated to standards.

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