Amongst the scores of Quality System consultants of the "General Practioner" category who are eager, keen, and fiercely competitive to give consultancy and guidance to manufacturing industry, very few have additional expertise and reasonable confidence in the metrology confirmation domain. Since metrology confirmation is vitally important in virtually every area of quality assurance and adequate emphasis is laid on it, explicitly and implicitly, in the ISO 9000 family of standards, one can ill-afford to ignore it or put it on the back burner. The need for additional and specialized guidance is therefore both acute and urgent. The knowledge, experience and expertise, both technical and managerial to meet this challenge can be considerable. The effectiveness of the guide largely depends upon tailor-made approaches taking into account the existing metrological situation of the particular industry, his/her technical grasp and knowledge of the competence and accreditation status of various calibration facilities within country/region, his/her communication and assessment skills. This paper, based on the author's experience in various Indian industries in conducting tailor-made on-site seminars and on-the-field interactions in the metrology confirmation area, highlights the strategies and methods that are required. It also underscores the measures that need to be taken to ensure that the problems of Metrology Confirmation do not become the legendary Achilles Heel of the quality management system, and re-emphasizes the message that no matter where (metrologically) a company is, there always is a scope for continuous improvement, in the pursuit of excellence.
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