Measurements and Reporting Support
- Guidance on Ensuring a Correct Data Submittal is Submitted to NAPT
- Making Measurements
- Reporting
- Coordinator Responsibilities
- Submitting Data
Guidance on Ensuring a Correct Data Submittal is Submitted to NAPT
The guidance in this document is meant to assist NAPT participants in understanding the requirements when reporting their data submittal / results to NAPT. Please note It is the participant’s responsibility to understand and adhere to all instructions as part of participation. Failure to properly report results may result in a participant receiving an unsatisfactory rating.
NAPT staff does not correct results when a participant submits inappropriate results.
Participant’s Reported Value: The NAPT instruction sheet makes a statement that the participant must correlate (adjust) the artifact reading to match the measurement value exactly before reporting readings. It is the participant’s responsibility to correlate data accurately. An example is given below for participant guidance.
Correlation / Correction – Example
For this example measurement, The Nominal Value is called “Readings on Participant’s Standard” and the Measured Value, in this case, is called “Readings on UUT”. The value that must be reported to NAPT is the reading from the UUT (the NAPT artifact), corrected to the nominal value on the data reporting sheet.
If a participant could not achieve a stable reading on their reference standard at the nominal value listed on the data reporting sheet ( DRS ), in this case, 20.000 ºC, then the participant must correct for any deviation from the nominal before submitting results.
Let us assume the participant could not get a stable reading at 20.000 ºC but was able to get a stable reading at 20.300 ºC. The reading on the UUT was 20.301 ºC. For NAPT to properly compare the results of this measurement, the participant must correlate the reading on their reference standard back to the value stated on the data reporting sheet and correlate the UUT reading accordingly.
Doing so would make the correct reported value 20.001 ºC. At the zero point, an ice point was used so the standard reading was 0.010 ºC and the reading of the UUT was 0.010 ºC. The correct value to be reported would not be 0.010 ºC but rather 0.000 ºC.
Uncertainty of Measurement: Reported uncertainty must represent each measurement taken, NOT a specification of the range or just the uncertainty of the reference standards incorporated in the measurement. It is the uncertainty of the measurement made and not a number or specification of a scope of accreditation.
In the first example below, the participant did not report the associated uncertainty in the same unit of measurement as the reported value. Instead, the participant reported a blanket statement rather than an actual value.
The second example, table, shows how the measurements should be reported.
Wrong Reporting
| Nominal Value (Readings on Participant’s Standard) | Measured Value(Readings on UUT) | Uncertainty of Measurement (@ k=2) |
| Set Point 1) 20.000 ºC | 20.301 ºC | ± 0.01 Deg, + 1 LSD ºC |
| Set Point 2) 0.000 ºC | 0.0100 ºC | ± 0.01 Deg, + 1 LSD ºC |
Correct Reporting
| Nominal Value (Readings on Participant Standard) | Measured Value(Readings on UUT) | Uncertainty of Measurement (@ k=2) |
| Set Point 1) 20.000 ºC | 20.001 ºC | 0.003 ºC |
| Set Point 2) 0.000 ºC | 0.000 ºC | 0.001 ºC |
Making Measurements
- Participant acquires measurements at the predefined set points for Measured Values using the organization’s standard calibration or test procedures, following the organization’s policies, and using the organization’s data recording sheet.
- Participants take readings as per calibration or test procedures. Report reading (or average of readings, where appropriate) taken and associated uncertainty (@k=2) for each measurement.
- Participant reports result in appropriate measurement units as identified on the measured value of the set point. The values reported by the lab should match the displayed resolution on the artifact on which the measurements were made or on reference equipment used.
Reporting
- When submitting Data Results, participants will use the NAPT Customer Portal unless otherwise directed by the coordinator.
- Participants can view the results and/or obtain a printable report by clicking on the “Reports” tab in the NAPT Customer Portal. All reports are issued within the NAPT Customer Portal. The final report indicates the performance and capability of a single laboratory with multiple technicians performing calibrations or tests under the direction of the coordinator/organization listed in the report. The coordinator is responsible for providing reports to participants with no access to the NAPT Customer Portal.
Coordinator Responsibilities
- Coordinator defines the name of the Kit and associates Artifacts to the Kit. Coordinator can enter up to 3 (three) Artifacts in the Kit, including Manufacturer, Model Number and Serial number.
- Coordinator defines the measured values for the kit and must have at least 1 (one) Measured Value and can have up to 15 (fifteen) Measured Values assigned to the Kit.
- The Coordinator defines who the participants are and sets the schedule for participation. There is a participation minimum of at least 3 (three) technicians, and the NAPT Intra Wizard will allow up to 10 (ten) technicians to participate.
- Coordinator determines who will enter data: the coordinator may enter all data or may elect to allow participants to enter their own data. Participants will need to have an account in the NAPT Customer Portal in order to enter their own data.
- If the organization conducting the internal ILC elects to create an intra-ILC/PT in compliance with ISO 17043, the coordinator will need to create/edit the scheme fields in the Intra Manager. The Intra ILC/PT Online Application allows you to describe the Scheme in detail to meet the requirements of ISO 17043.
- As data is submitted, the coordinator of the internal ILC needs to ensure all fields within the Data Entry page are filled out in their entirety, including technician details, performed date, and entered date.
NOTE: All measured values and uncertainty values that are submitted need to be reviewed by the coordinator for accuracy and to identify any potential errors prior to performing statistical analysis on the data submittals in the application.
Submitting Data
Submitting data is critical for both NAPT ILC-PTs and for an Intra. Use the following steps to submit data.
Steps to Complete
- Login to the Customer Portal
- Choose ILC-PT or Intra from the top menu navigation bar
- For an ILC-PT, if your ILC-PT is at a point where data can be submitted, it will be indicated by a status of On Site
Intra
- On the resulting page enter the necessary data.
- Enter the Performed Date, Entered Date
- Click in the Measured Value and Uncertainty column to enter your results. Repeat for each Set Point.
2. When complete, click the Save Changes at the bottom of the table in the Blue Bar.
3. You will then see a list of your submitted values so you can print/save them if necessary.
NAPT ILC-PT
1. On the resulting page enter the necessary data.
- Enter the Performed Date, Entered Date and Performed By.
- Click in the Measured Value and Uncertainty column to enter your results. Repeat for each Set Point.
2. When complete, click the Save Changes at the bottom of the table in the Blue Bar.
3. You will then see a list of your submitted values so you can print/save them if necessary.
