Traceability in Testing & Inspection

What this topic covers

Connect material, specimen, instrument, method, operator and result.

Core testing ideas

Traceability lets a result be linked to the item or batch that was actually evaluated.

Instrument and calibration records should remain associated with the measurement history.

Good traceability also records revisions to methods, specifications and data.

Measurement and method limits

A result is only meaningful when the characteristic, units, method and acceptance requirement are clear.

Evidence and traceability

Traceability and documentation let later reviewers understand what was tested and with which equipment and method.

Using the result

Inspection plans should focus effort on meaningful characteristics instead of collecting data without a decision path.