Taylor Hobson issues its 50,000th UKAS Certificate

The laboratory was initially accredited under the British Calibration Service (BCS) which then merged with NATLAS, the National Testing Laboratories, in 1985 to form NAMAS, the National Measurement Accreditation Service. The Accreditation Body now yields to the internationally recognised title of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). In February 2002 the Taylor Hobson UKAS Laboratory gained accreditation to ISO 17025, and testing laboratory accreditation in January 2004. September 2007 saw the laboratories re-established into a purpose built ISO graded cleanroom facilities. Head of laboratory Jon Leeman commented: "UKAS calibration is still a very significant part of the laboratories current role, improvements over recent years mean the laboratory, and it's personnel, have also been heavily involved in offering customer support, training and contract measurement services. "Our world renowned calibration laboratory is also authorised to perform test measurements to UKAS standards. Customers may send in prototypes, manufactured components, first articles and so on for measurements that are fully supported by UKAS Traceable Certification." Taylor Hobson's £1.3 million clean room and UKAS Lab is equipped with the latest metrology instrumentation for inspection, testing and calibration services and can provide measurement of geometry, dimension and surface roughness using the same instruments and people that are used to certify calibration standards and artefacts. Confidence in UKAS accredited calibrations is authenticated by a concept called "Traceability of Measurement". This hierarchical system has direct links to the national measurement standards which are maintained in the UK by the NPL (National Physical Laboratory) based in Teddington, Middlesex.