Application of systems thinking to the establishment of metrological traceability chains

Abstract

International agreements in the field of metrology and accreditation of calibration laboratories are the basis for establishing global metrological traceability. Important elements of metrological traceability are calibration of measurement standards and measuring instruments, assessment of measurement uncertainty. The International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation has a specific policy regarding on traceability of measurement results and estimation of measurement uncertainty in calibration. The partial concept diagram around metrological traceability in accordance with the International Vocabulary of Metrology is proposed. This diagram contains a total of nine metrological concepts, which have most of the associative relations. There are associative relations between the concept of metrological traceability chain and concepts of metrological traceability, measurement standard, calibration and calibration hierarchy, and through the concept of measurement standard with the concept of measurement uncertainty. Systems thinking to the analysis of state of proposed terminological system around metrological traceability was applied. For construction of generalized metrological traceability chain, all the established properties of the system elements around the terminology system of metrological traceability were taken into account. Generalized metrological traceability chain for different levels of the calibration hierarchy was proposed. The proposed chain can be used to develop appropriate chains for specific areas of measurement. To achieve this, it is necessary to determine the specific measured value, the required measurement uncertainty for different levels of the calibration hierarchy and select the necessary measurement standards. Such schemes should be used in national metrology institutes and calibration laboratories.