Mitutoyo America Corporation offers “Calibrated Products” that include an ISO/IEC 17025 Accredited Certificate of Calibration packaged with new Mitutoyo products. The Certificate of Calibration is fully endorsed and includes the accreditation symbol, A2LA certificate 0750.01, from the Mitutoyo America Calibration Laboratory in Aurora, Illinois. The accredited certificate represents the best practice in calibration and is a requirement in many industries.
A unique highlight of the accredited calibration certificates issued with our Calibrated Products is the inclusion of an open DATE PUT INTO SERVICE which is left for the customer to fill-in once they begin use of the measuring equipment. This field can be used to begin the calibration interval thereby avoiding the lost time the item was in inventory, shipping, or waiting on the customer shelf to be put into service. Following this practice, these calibration certificates also do not include calibration due dates. By allowing the customer to enter the date put into service and determining their own calibration interval, this calibration certificate provides long shelf-life for the distributor, enhanced value to the customer, and incorporates modern calibration concepts being implemented by leading organizations.
For more information, please contact calibration@mitutoyo.com or call 888-648-8869.
Is the “Date Put Into Service” really permitted?
This calibration concept is called “Delayed Dating” and is described in detail in NCSLI LM-19 Implementation of a Delayed Dating Approach to Calibration (www.ncsli.org). It is used effectively by many leading organizations to control calibration costs.
Can I use a “Date Put Into Service” for all my measuring equipment?
Delayed dating can only be used in certain circumstances based on either manufacturer recommendations or on historical results observed by an organization. Delayed dating works for Mitutoyo products due to the high quality of the products.
Is there a limit on the time between the date of calibration and the date put into service?
In theory, most Mitutoyo products can be stored with a valid calibration for 10 years or more prior to being put into service; however, the following limits are recommended:
- 5 years for small measuring tools (e.g. micrometers, calipers, and indicators)
- 3 years for major measuring instruments (e.g. laser scan micrometers and linear height gages)
- 3 years for gage blocks and other reference standards
- 1 year for Grade 00 gage blocks
Do Calibrated Products require special storage?
To use the Date Put Into Service, the Mitutoyo products must remain in their original packaging and be stored in an environment between 15°F and 140°F.
Does the calibration certificate include the date of calibration?
Accredited calibration certificates always include the date the item was calibrated. The Date Put Into Service is in addition to the calibration date.
What is the recommended calibration interval for my Mitutoyo products?
In accordance with all modern quality systems, the calibration interval must be determined by the end user based on the historical performance of the measuring equipment; however, the initial calibration interval can be based on manufacturer recommendations. Many Mitutoyo customers find that a 1-year interval is sufficient. Under heavy use, or in certain industries, calibration intervals may need to be reduced to 6-months or 3-months. Under light use, or when carefully maintained, the calibration interval could potentially be extended to 18 or 24 months or longer. Industrial specific quality requirements may dictate calibration intervals.
What is the value of an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited calibration certificate?
There is a reason many industrial supply chains require accredited calibrations. Accreditation requires independent technical audits of all aspects of the management and quality system of a calibration lab. Accreditation is also the best method to ensure traceability of your measurements. Some manufacturers of measuring equipment state their products are certified or include certificates of traceability to NIST or they just include a manufacturer certificate. None of those certificates have the same level of authority and respect as an accredited calibration certificate.
Can I request a Calibration Due Date be included on the Calibration Certificate?
When ordering a new Mitutoyo product with an accredited calibration, customers can provide additional information for inclusion on the calibration certificate, including a requested calibration interval.
