Mercury Thermometer Separation It is common that mercury can separate as part of the shipping of an artifact. It is standard procedure to combine the mercury if it separates. Participants should slowly heat the thermometer so the mercury combines in the top chamber. Once up to mercury has collected at the top, gently tap the side of the […] Read more »
General Information: Cleaning NAPT Artifact Weights Screw-knob weights: Weights in this category are usually cleaned by wiping with a soft non-abrasive material such as high-grade cheesecloth, free from oils or other substances that would leave a residue of any kind on the surface. Occasionally, a weight will have foreign matter adhering to it that requires cleaning by using solvents, applied with […] Read more »
What is a Measured Value (MV)? The set point / nominal value that is listed on the data reporting sheet (DRS). Read more »
What are reference values? The reference value is the value against which your results are compared. In any proficiency test, the validity of the results depends on the quality and reliability of the established reference values. NAPT’s process for establishing reference values was designed in collaboration with leading statisticians in the metrology community, including technical oversight from statisticians at […] Read more »
How do you want me to calibrate your artifact? The main goal of any enrollment is to compare measurements using your processes and reference values and evaluate your results against other like organizations. Read more »
What is a normalized Error (En)? Abnormalized error (En)compares a laboratory’s measurement result and its associated uncertainty to a reference value and its uncertainty, in order to determine if there is an agreement between the two. If the absolute value of Enis greater than 1, the two measurements are considered not to be in agreement. For more information on calculating En, […] Read more »
How many of my technicians can take part in the test? For each enrollment, one set of data is standard. However, many organizations submit data for each technician qualified to perform the specific measurement. If you would like to add additional technicians to your enrollment, please contact NAPT. NAPT Members can have two additional data submittals per enrollment at no additional cost. For non-members, a small […] Read more »
Can you tell me who else participated in this proficiency test? No, we cannot. The participants are anonymous and may not be disclosed by NAPT. Please do not reach out to other labs you may know that are enrolled as that would be a violation of your enrollment. Read more »
How to repeat an Intra The NAPT Intra Wizard allows you to reuse an existing Artifact and Scheme from Intra to Intra. Typically, organizations will do this if they have designed an Intra and wish to retest individuals on a regular basis. Once you have selected your participants, click on the next button to review the Intra. Read more »
My lab is outside of the USA – why do I have to pay for the importing and exporting of a kit? Shipping kits to laboratories outside the continental United States incurs additional costs. As a result, all international participants are responsible for covering their portion of any import/export duties, taxes, and related shipping fees. NAPT makes every effort to reduce these expenses by coordinating and grouping international participates whenever possible. Read more »
