Quality & Accreditations
Terms such as “ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation” and “ISO 9001” can often be heard floating around the calibration and test instrumentation industry, but do they actually hold any substance in this dynamic, ever-evolving field?
At AML Instruments, our quality standards and accreditations are much more than just badges of honour. They’re testament to our team’s competence and dedication to deliver the highest standards of detail and quality in our internal frameworks, testing and calibration processes, and customer care from initial contact to post-calibration support.
You may have spotted some of our quality and accreditation symbols at the bottom of this page or on a calibration certificate we’ve issued to you in the past. Let’s look at what they mean and how they can benefit you in ensuring accuracy, compliance, quality, reliability, and traceability in your measurements.
What is a Quality Management System (QMS)?
A QMS is a structured set of businesses processes and procedures designed to help them operate efficiently. It focuses heavily on meeting customer satisfaction and meeting their expectations.
A robust QMS includes systematic documentation, record-keeping, and resource management, providing companies like ours with the foundation to consistently maintain high standards and deliver high-quality test equipment calibration, repair, and supply services.
What is accreditation in a laboratory?
Before we run you through some of our main accreditations, we first need to define what an accreditation is and what it means in a calibration laboratory setting.
Accreditation ensures a set of standards are being met in a laboratory and certifies the ‘technical expertise’ of its engineers.
While the technical work of engineers takes centre stage, administrative and operative staff still have a role to play supporting the quality management system, such as implementing robust frameworks and correctly archiving calibration certificates.
Accreditations are strong indicators of the quality and competence of a supplier’s calibration services — none more so than ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation…
UKAS accreditation ISO/IEC 17025
ISO/IEC 17025 certifies that AML Instruments is a UKAS accredited laboratory, capable of conducting calibrations to a set of internationally recognised standards.Aside from the technical elements, UKAS also place high importance on your QMS, with clause eight of the UKAS standard covering a company’s management system (either Option A or B).
Most UK calibration labs already operating under ISO 9001 (like us) elect for option B, whereas option A refers to a specific, standalone path for meeting their management system requirements.
What does UKAS accreditation mean for a laboratory?
UKAS calibration is the highest level of calibration a laboratory can offer on testing and measuring equipment. They must go through extensive processes annually to demonstrate their technical competence, impartiality, and evidence of a watertight QMS. These intense assessments examine everything from test methods and instruments to internal audits, management reviews, staff training, and technical capabilities.
This helps us make data-led decisions, with the team working towards numerous KPIs that are measured and reviewed monthly.
Why is UKAS accreditation important for AML Instruments?
UKAS accreditation is widely seen as the gold standard for companies and laboratories involved in testing and calibration activities. AML are UKAS-accredited for temperature calibrations (onsite and offsite) and weighing scales and balances calibrations (onsite only), meaning we can deliver the highest standards of measurement accuracy and traceability. Check out our UKAS scope for full details.
Clause eight of the UKAS standard covers a company’s management system (either Option A or B). Most UK calibration labs already operating under ISO 9001 (like us) elect for option B.
How does using a UKAS accredited laboratory benefit you?
As these measurements meet the most rigorous demands for accuracy, they are vital for highly regulated industries like aerospace, defence, and food safety. Without UKAS accredited testing, compliance and confidence in the reliability of your results may be compromised. Other advantages of using a UKAS accredited lab include:
- Enhanced market credibility and customer satisfaction.
- Helping avoid product defects and costly recalls.
- International recognition – UKAS calibration certificates are accepted worldwide.
- Providing a competitive advantage.
- Reduced compliance risks and operational delays.
Important: While non-accredited calibration services (known as standard, traceable calibrations) may not meet the same level of quality and competence as ISO/IEC 17025 accredited calibration services, they are still more than adequate for many applications. If your testing equipment is being used in non-critical operations or is not bound to industry requirements, you still need to ensure you use a calibration specialist that’s certified to ISO 9001.
ISO 9001 accreditation
ISO 9001:2015 is a global benchmark that defines the requirements for a QMS. While it’s not a legal requirement, it’s fantastic recognition for any organisation (regardless of its size and sector) committed to optimising efficiency, minimising downtime, and providing quality products and services.
Why is ISO 9001 important for AML Instruments?
ISO 9001 in calibration offers assurance to our customers that we have a robust quality management system in place. Reviews are carried out annually, helping us work towards the continual improvement of our services at all levels with the company, ensuring our processes are customer-focused, documented, and repeatable.
Just as important, it means we have exhaustive list of documented procedures for calibrating all measuring devices within our capabilities. This outlines how often calibration is to be done, who will do it, and what records need to be kept, so our customers are receiving the best possible service.
What are the benefits of ISO 9001 for our customers?
When you partner with AML, you have the peace of mind that anything we calibrate is done so in compliance with world-leading quality standards and exact precision to your specific requirements.
We continuously monitor our processes and regularly audit to improve communication between departments, increase efficiency, and maintain a robust quality control system to give you complete assurance reliability.
ILAC MRA accreditation
“Accredited once, accepted everywhere.”
What is ILAC MRA?
The International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation Mutual Recognition Arrangement (ILAC MRA) logo represents a worldwide mutual recognition arrangement among accreditation bodies. It’s used in conjunction with our UKAS accreditation symbol as a single combined mark, removing the need for extra testing or calibration when measuring tools and data cross international borders.
How does using a ILAC MRA accredited laboratory benefit you?
If you sell your products overseas, the ILAC MRA logo helps speed up international trade and give buyers confidence in the accuracy and safety of your products.
Important: This arrangement only covers UKAS-accredited results.
Other accreditations
While we’ve covered our three main accreditations, AML are also:
Cyber Essentials: This shows we’ve implemented robust cyber security measures and a culture of cyber and GDPR awareness to protect sensitive information and thwart common online threats.
SafeContractor-Approved: This recognises extremely rigorous standards in health and safety management amongst contractors.
UK Weighing Federation Members: This demonstrates our commitment to upholding the highest standards in the weighing industry.
Accredited, Accurate, Adaptable
Worked with an accredited calibration provider like AML Instruments will empower your business by giving you the highest levels of compliance, quality, safety, and measurement traceability you require.
Decisions based on measurement data from companies who have watertight quality management systems and strict protocol for achieving precision measurements is especially important for high-stakes industries.
If you’d like more information about our different accreditation or the comprehensive ISO certified and/or ISO/IEC 17025 calibration services we provide, please contact our helpful team today.