1. 2002 NCSL International Workshop and Symposium One Small Calibration Laboratory’s Experience with an International Inter-Laboratory Comparison Georgette Macdonald Fisher Scientific Canada - GJS Mass Measurement Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Georgette_Macdonald@fishersci.ca

2. 2002 NCSL International Workshop and Symposium A Small Calibration Laboratory Scope: 1 mg to 25 kg Six (6) staff Supervisor 2 ½ Technologist 2 ½ Admin. Support 1400 sq. ft. Processed roughly 1000 orders in 2000

3. 2002 NCSL International Workshop and Symposium A Brief History Incorporated by George Mihailov in 1990 Acquired by Fisher Scientific Canada in August 1998 Accredited by SCC - CLAS in December 1998

4. 2002 NCSL International Workshop and Symposium Located in Canada’s National Capitol Region

5. 2002 NCSL International Workshop and Symposium The Inter-Comparison North American Calibration Cooperation (NACC) initiative Piloted by CENAM Secondary Mass Calibration Laboratories Three (3) from Mexico Three (3) from the U.S.A. One (1) from Canada

6. 2002 NCSL International Workshop and Symposium Absolute Mass, a concern… Scope of accreditation defined in Conventional Mass Fairness of providing proficiency testing in Absolute Mass Work only in Conventional Mass How to convert Conventional to Absolute Mass CLAS GJS

7. 2002 NCSL International Workshop and Symposium Our Goals Comply with the proficiency testing requirements of ISO Guide 25 Provide impartial evidence to our customers of our ability and competence Reflect a positive image of Canadian Calibration Industry, of the Canadian accreditation system and of our own lab

8. 2002 NCSL International Workshop and Symposium Protocols CENAM provided: Protocols for the inter-comparison Schedule Blank reports for the test results Density of the mass standards Formula for calculating air density Test Standards: 1 kg, 100 g, 100 mg

9. 2002 NCSL International Workshop and Symposium Fingerprints & Cleaning Customs tape on the shipping box Styrofoam peanuts in the weight case Large, visible thumbprint on the kilogram Doubled our work Calibrate As Received Return to NRC-INMS for cleaning Calibrate after Cleaning More travel for the standards Scheduling hassles

10. 2002 NCSL International Workshop and Symposium Converting to Absolute Mass At the Beginning Starting with the Absolute Mass value provide by NRC Calibrate/evaluate the absolute values of our standards down to 100 mg Calibrate the test standards At the End Proceed with the calibration of the test standards in conventional mass Convert the conventional values to absolute

11. 2002 NCSL International Workshop and Symposium Goals Achieved Proficiency testing requirements were meet to maintain our accreditation in good standing Results can be used in our marketing Hopefully we have also succeeded in reflecting a positive image of Canadian Laboratories, the Canadian accreditation system, as well as our own Laboratory