Global accreditation

Internationally recognised accreditation helps process manufacturers ensure product integrity and improves acceptance of exported goods

Emerson expands ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation of global Micro Motion flow production calibration facilities

Emerson Process Management has completed a global network of ISO/IEC 17025 accredited calibration services. This network makes available ISO/IEC 17025 accredited calibrations from the Coriolis production calibration facilities at Emerson’s Micro Motion® U.S. headquarters in Boulder, (CO US), at the Emerson European Flow Centre at Ede (NL), and at Emerson’s Asia Flow Technology Center in Nanjing (CN). These accreditations encompass the patented Micro Motion TSM (Transfer Standard Method) process, which has utilised a network of ISO/IEC 17025 accredited reference meters as its basis for over 7 years.

Throughout the world today, process manufacturers who use flow and density measurement devices are seeking ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for the added assurance that the products they purchase and produce will meet expectations. The confidence in the technical competency of a calibration laboratory with ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation improves acceptance of goods exported internationally and can avoid expensive retesting when products reach their final destination.

Accreditation of Emerson’s Micro Motion calibration facilities and procedures are recognition of proven compliance to ISO/IEC 17025:2005, titled “General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.” Emerson’s Micro Motion US facility has received ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation from multiple accrediting bodies, namely: the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP), and the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), all independently confirming Emerson’s ability to perform accredited calibration of flowmeters. Similarly, Emerson´s European Flow Centre at Ede, the Netherlands, has ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation from the internationally recognised Dutch Accreditation Council RvA. The Asia Flow Technology Centre at Nanjing, China accreditation is from the Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC-SINGLAS).

“Micro Motion has long demonstrated its commitment to global metrology, working with various national standards institutes in support of their international laboratory testing efforts,” said Andrew G. Kolbeck, vice president of quality, Emerson Process Management. “Expanding our ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation more broadly in the production environment is a natural evolution of our commitment to excellence and determination in providing the world’s best Coriolis measurement technology.”
 
ISO/IEC 17025:2005 specifies the general requirements for the competence to carry out tests and/or calibrations, including sampling. It covers testing and calibration performed using standard methods, non-standard methods, and laboratory-developed methods.

ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation documentation affirms the measurement uncertainty of the calibration facility according to the latest revision of the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM). Calibration uncertainty values at the Micro Motion U.S. facility, with its unique TSM process and primary gravimetric systems, have been established for many years, offering best measurement uncertainties to 0.014%(k=2). This newest ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation includes additional Coriolis product calibration processes with confirmed best measurement uncertainties to 0.014% (Gravimetric) and 0.03% (TSM) for mass flow and 0.08 kg/m3 for density. Best measurement uncertainties in the Netherlands and Nanjing facilities are 0.017% for mass flow and 0.07 kg/m3 for density. All the ISO/IEC 17025 accredited facilities in Boulder, Ede and Nanjing, are also certified to ISO9001:2008 for quality management systems.

Emerson’s global flow calibration facilities are used to calibrate high precision Micro Motion ELITE® Coriolis meters. These meters are frequently used for critical applications and as master meters to calibrate other meters in the field. These facilities employ sophisticated automated calibration systems for precise, reproducible, and efficient results. Flow ranges from 0.01 kg/min up to 27000 kg/min allow accredited calibration of the full range of Micro Motion Coriolis flowmeters, fitting up to line sizes of a nominal diameter of 300 mm (12”).