First Interlaboratory Comparison on Calibration of Temperature-Controlled Enclosures in Turkey

Abstract

The number of accredited laboratories in the field of calibration of temperature-controlled enclosures has been increasing in Turkey. One of the main criteria demonstrating the competence of a calibration laboratory is successful participation in interlaboratory comparisons. Therefore, TUBITAK UME Temperature Laboratory organized the first interlaboratory comparison on “Calibration of Temperature-Controlled Enclosures” in Turkey as a pilot laboratory between January and November, 2013. Forty accredited laboratories which provide routine calibration services to the industry in this field participated in the comparison. The standards used during the comparison was a climatic chamber for the measurements at $-40\, {^{\circ }}\hbox {C},\,-20\, {^{\circ }}\hbox {C}, 40\, {^{\circ }}\hbox {C}$ and $100\, {^{\circ }}\hbox {C}$ and an oven for the measurements at $200\, {^{\circ }}\hbox {C}$. The protocol of the comparison was prepared considering guide EURAMET cg-20 and BS EN/IEC standards 600068-3-5 and 600068-3-11. During the comparison measurements, each participant had the liberty to choose the most convenient calibration points in terms of their accreditation scope among the values mentioned above and carried out on-site measurements at UME. The details and the results of this comparison are given in the paper. Determination of the statistical consistency of the results with the uncertainties given by the participants can be assessed by the method of $E_{n}$ value assessment for each laboratory. $E_{n}$ values for all measurement results based on the results of pilot and participating laboratories were calculated.