Traceability
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Definition
An unbroken, documented chain of calibrations linking a measurement result to a national or international measurement standard, each with stated uncertainties.
Explanation
A factory floor caliper is calibrated against a reference gauge block, which was calibrated against a master gauge block, which was calibrated at a national metrology institute (such as NIST in the US) against the SI meter definition. Each step in this chain has a calibration certificate with quantified uncertainty. Without traceability, measurements from different facilities cannot be reliably compared.
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