In the context of instrument calibration, "traceability" refers to the ability to track the accuracy of a measurement result back through an unbroken chain of comparisons to a recognized national or international standard.

More specifically, it means that the reference instrument used to calibrate your measuring device must itself be calibrated against a higher-level standard, ultimately linked to a national or international standard. Traceability proves that such a connection exists.

ISO/IEC 17025: The Global Standard That Ensures Reliability
The international standard ISO/IEC 17025 plays a key role in managing and ensuring traceability. It certifies that calibration laboratories operate under strict procedures and quality systems, and are capable of producing accurate, repeatable measurements.

Calibration laboratories accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 are required to maintain:
・ Traceability of measurement standards
・ Proper evaluation of measurement uncertainty
・ Competent technical personnel
・ Rigorous control of calibration equipment

A calibration certificate issued by an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited lab is not just a record of results—it’s a proof of reliability backed by a recognized system of quality assurance.

Such certificates verify that the calibration was performed correctly and that the results are traceable to national or international standards—essential elements in building trust with clients and regulators.

This mechanism objectively proves the validity of the measured values and provides a basis for explaining to suppliers and customers that the measured values are reliable.

Traceability is essential to gain the trust of suppliers and customers when placing products on the market.

What Is Measurement Uncertainty?

While traceability shows how far back a measurement can be verified, measurement uncertainty tells us how much confidence we can have in the value itself.

Even highly precise measurements can vary slightly due to factors such as environment, instrument conditions, or human influence. These variations are analyzed statistically and expressed as a numerical range—this is measurement uncertainty.

For example:
100.00 mm ± 0.03 mm
This indicates that the actual value is expected to fall within this range. It is important to note that uncertainty is not an error, but a confidence interval showing the quality of the measurement.

ISO/IEC 17025 requires labs to properly assess and disclose uncertainty in every calibration certificate. Understanding this concept helps users make informed decisions based on the actual precision of the measurements.
In summary:
• Traceability = "Connection to a standard"
• Uncertainty = "Degree of confidence in the result"
Both are essential for evaluating the quality of your measurements.

Risks of Skipping Calibration

What are the risks of Skipping Calibration?

【Case studies showing the risk of missing calibration】
・ A misaligned caliper caused a small defect (0.2 mm) to be marked as “OK” → the product was shipped → customer complained.
・ An uncalibrated pressure gauge caused a safety valve to be set wrong → production stopped → financial damage occurred.

Calibration is not just an extra task—it’s a smart way to prevent bigger problems.Fixing mistakes after they happen can cost far more than regular calibration.

Calibration is not merely a cost—it’s a preventive investment

Performing calibration creates the following added value
- Prevents quality issues and production errors
- Builds trust with clients and partners
- Ensures compliance with global standards
- Minimizes quality and management risks

By measuring accurately, you’re not only maintaining product quality—you’re protecting your brand reputation and staying competitive. Calibration may be invisible to the end customer, but it is the foundation of quality assurance in manufacturing and production.

How Is Calibration Managed at Your Company?

As explained above, measuring instrument calibration directly impacts the quality of your products and services. In Vietnam, however, we still observe cases where calibration is outsourced to unreliable providers or data lacks credibility—often driven by excessively low costs.

At JQA Calibration Vietnam, we provide high-reliability calibration services at fair and transparent pricing.

If you're facing challenges with calibration in Vietnam, don’t hesitate to contact us.We’re here to help you ensure accurate measurements and protect your product quality.

▶Vol.1　 What is Instrument Calibration?