What is Traceability?

Traceability can be defined as an unbroken record of documentation ("documentation

traceability") or an unbroken chain of measurements and associated uncertainties ("metrological
traceability"). As used here, the word "traceability" always means "metrological traceability."
The National Institute of Standards and Technology maintains the U.S. national standards for
temperature. In other countries, similar national standards laboratories perform the same
function.
To establish and maintain traceability, the readings of a thermometer can be compared to a fixedpoint temperature (e.g., ice-melting point) or a reference thermometer at a fixed temperature
this testing process is often called verification, performance validation or calibration.
Once a thermometer's accuracy is authenticated, it can serve as a reference to establish
traceability for other thermometers. This process can be continued, providing an unbroken chain
of measurements from the final thermometer all the way back to the NIST standards.
The final measurement will have traceability to NIST standards if the following conditions are
met:
1. An unbroken chain of measurements back to NIST standards is maintained.
2. Each step of the chain has known and documented uncertainties.
3. There is a quality system to ensure that the thermometers and associated measurement
equipment maintain their measurement uncertainty (accuracy).

Example
The figure below shows a common traceability path. With proper care, a thermometer can be
used through many recalibration cycles beyond what is shown in the figure.

Measurement
Assurance and Questions about
Accuracy
Certain
types of thermometers
quite fragile.
Unfortunately, there are
visible signs of damage,
determine for certain
verify its

are
often no
especially for digital thermometers! The only way to
that a thermometer's calibration results are still valid is to
performance.
For all
of
the
measurements, an
allowable
tolerance

or accuracy should be established. In

regulated applications, the tolerance of the
thermometer may be specified; the user can select a tolerance based on the required application
accuracy; or in some cases the manufacturer specification is adequate. Thermometers that give
results outside the allowed tolerance/application accuracy should be recalibrated or taken out of
service.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. I have a "certified" thermometer that claims to be traceable to NIST. What does this mean?
There is no official definition of "certified." Often, a certified thermometer has been tested
against standards traceable to NIST, but the user is given less information on the certificate than
is typical for a calibration report. To be sure that the thermometer is truly traceable to NIST, we
suggest asking the vendor if the certification followed a documented process, what was the
measurement uncertainty, and how the reference standards are traceable to NIST.

2. Who has responsibility for ensuring that a measurement is traceable?

Ultimately, the user bears the responsibility of evaluating the traceability chain. NIST does not
monitor claims of traceability. There are several factors relevant to evidence of traceability from
the thermometer manufacturer/vendor:

Calibration methods and procedures should be openly documented.

Uncertainties of calibration should be clearly stated.

Traceability records should not be claimed to be private or proprietary knowledge.

Laboratory accreditation is not a guarantee of traceability, but accreditation does provide

assurance that qualified assessors have looked at a laboratory's traceability procedures.

3. I have purchased a calibrated thermometer. How often must I have it tested to maintain
traceability?
Initial testing/validation/calibration intervals should be based on manufacturer's
recommendations or past experience with a type of thermometer (typically one year). Intervals
may be adjusted based on the historical calibration results of a particular thermometer. If
measurement history indicates significant drift, then recalibrate. If check measurements indicate
large and sudden changes, remove the thermometer from service.
4. Can I do any of the calibrations myself?
You can perform the calibrations yourself if you meet all of the requirements for maintaining
traceability and have the necessary laboratory equipment and skills. Users can perform in-house
performance checks, such as checks in an ice-melting point and steam point. To be sure that you
are performing in-house checks correctly, we recommend that users try out their performance
checks on newly calibrated instruments that are known to be accurate.
5. My thermometer is traceable to the national standards of another country. Is that equivalent
to traceability to NIST?
In some cases, legal or regulatory requirements will explicitly require traceability to NIST
standards. If there are no requirements of this type, then the standards of other countries likely
are equivalent. Many countries, including the United States, have signed an international Mutual
Recognition Arrangement acknowledging the validity of each others' calibration certificates.
NIST also compares thermometers among nations to be sure that our standards are equivalent.
Records of the recognized calibration capabilities and of comparison results can be found online.