Traceability of measurement

Traceability of measurement and calibration

This category includes semantic resources which can be used (1) to capture and present the information linking data with associated calibration information and (2) provide traceability to the SI, where applicable. The calibration and traceabily information includes:

Information about the measurement instruments and their properties. 'Instruments' also include data processing or simulation software and its settings.
Characteristics of measurements and measuring systems such as accuracy, precision, uncertainty, traceability.

This information should be reported using widely accepted definitions of the terms above.

kcdb_image — Regional metrology organisations contributing to the KCDB.

KCDB and CMCs

Key comparison data and related resources

The Key Comparison Database (KCDB) is hosted by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (Bureau International des Poids et Mesures or BIPM). The data collected in KCDB support the Mutual Recognition Arrangement by International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM).

KCDB provides the measurement and administrative data that underpin the internationally recognised Calibration and Measurement Capabilities (CMSs) of the participating measurement institutes.

Each CMC has a unique database identifier (called KCDB CMC ID) structured after this model:

<Regional Metrology Organisation>-<Metrology Area>-<NMI>-<ID>

For example, 'APMP-EM-KR-000006OF-2' represents a measurement of electromagnetic fields, conducted by the Korean metrology institute (KRISS) belonging to APMP. The key comparison datasets are also provided with an identifier structured in a similar manner.

In addition to comparison results and CMC listings, the KCDB website provides important news, updates and statistics.

VIM: Ontology for Units of Measurement

Paper: "vim: Research on OWL-Based Vocabulary Ontology Construction Method for Units of Measurement"

Resource: https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.8312872

Example case study that uses this ontology: tbc

Description: an OWL ontology that captures concepts from the International Vocabulary of Metrology—Basic and general concepts (VIM) and its Chinese counterpart

Why we like it: It has been developed using a systematic methodology and covers core metrology terms.

Digital Calibration Certificate XSD schema

Paper: https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.3696566

Resource: https://dccwiki.ptb.de/en/home

Example case study that uses the schema: https://doi.org/10.3390/metrology2010003

Description: an XML schema to capture, store and exchange calibration certificates.

Why we like it: comprehensive online documentation, easy access, growing adoption in the metrology community, demonstrators and good practice guides available.