1. Rationale
To standardize definitions of calibration/verification terminology used within the E28 subcommittees and their standards.
Historically, ASTM E28 and the US testing community have used the term ôcalibrationö in a way that includes activity done to adjust the accuracy, performance or output of the item and that generally implies that spec conformance is established through the calibration activity. These aspects of the historical US definition contradict the definition established by ISO (via the ôVIMö standard that defines metrological terminology). For this reason, the previously balloted ôcalibrationö definition, which specifically included changes made during the work, received negative votes that were found persuasive.
The subcommittee is well aware of the fact that adopting this definition will significantly alter the way the term is used. For example, it will no longer be appropriate to say that a device is ôout of calibrationö to signify that the item does not conform to spec.
This new definition puts more responsibility on the user of the item being calibrated to specify to the calibration lab exactly what is required. If certification of conformance to a particular spec is necessary, that must be detailed as part of the purchase or contractual documentation.
Keywords
abbreviations; bearing; bend; compression; creep; ductility; foil; hardness; mechanical; pin; relaxation; shear; specifications; stress; symbols; tension; terms; testing; torsion
Citing ASTM Standards
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