CHALLENGING THE COMPETENCE OF A NATIONAL STANDARDS LABORATORY

摘要

Quality has become a major factor in the competition of the national industries on international market. This leads to a debate on industry's needs for a high quality metrological infrastructure and the national responsibilities for metrological support. The concept of quality is also addressed by the industrial customers in return to the national laboratories to ensure the adequate level and quality of the calibration services. The international quality requirements on industries working on a high technological level may raise a serious problem in a small country where the national metrological service should meet the up-to-date requirements to serve maybe only 1 or 2 companies. What is the national policy to ensure the traceable calibrations of the industrial reference standards. In Finland the solutions are established on the national know-how, research capabilities and a wide range cooperation. On the European scale outstanding work and effort has been spent to find acceptable solutions to ensure the traceability of measurements for the exporting industry across the national boarders.