CALIBRATION IN CROATIA

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Calibration is the process of comparing a measuring instrument with a reference standard in order to determine its accuracy. It is like a regular health check-up for measuring instruments — without calibration, scales, thermometers or pressure gauges could display incorrect values, leading us to make wrong decisions.

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In Croatia, the calibration system is built on two levels. At the top are the national measurement standards laboratories (NMLs), which maintain and improve the national (reference) standards and ensure the highest level of accuracy. Their work is transferred downward through a network of accredited calibration laboratories, which ensure that this accuracy reaches the end users of measuring instruments.

 

Accredited calibration laboratories, assessed and accredited according to the HRN EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard by the Croatian Accreditation Agency (HAA), calibrate instruments for electrical quantities, temperature, pressure, mass, length and others. Such instruments are used in factories, hospitals, service companies and — perhaps most importantly — in accredited testing laboratories that analyse food, construction materials, forensic samples and much more.

(Visual 1: Calibration of a dial indicator—instrument for measuring relative displacement—in an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory / Source: Metroteka d.o.o.)

 

Consider, for example, a thermometer in a vaccine refrigerator. If it is not correctly calibrated, there is a risk that vaccines may lose their effectiveness due to being stored at the wrong temperature. Regular calibration ensures that medical staff can trust the displayed value, and that patients can be confident they are receiving an effective vaccine. For certain medical products, not only temperature but also relative humidity is crucial, and in such cases calibrated hygrometers are used.

(Visual 2: Calibration of a hygrometer in an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory / Source: CQV Systems d.o.o.)

 

(Visual 3: Handling of weights during calibration in an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory / Source: Tehničar-servag d.o.o.)

 

NMLs and accredited calibration laboratories together form a system that guarantees trust in measurements in Croatia. They connect the measuring instruments used every day with national and international reference standards, ensuring that measurement results are reliable across all types of laboratories and industrial facilities.

 

(Visual 4: Croatian metrology pyramid / Source: Mirna Fakin)