The traceability chain, regarding measurement tools, is the foundation of quality assurance for many industries, such as food, chemical, and pharmaceutical, where extremely precise measurements are essential.
Among the many measurements these industries must perform, the most important is measuring the surface porosity of a material, also known as “roughness.”
To measure a material’s roughness, the tool used must be very precise, expressing measurements in micrometers (thousandths of a millimeter). This means it must also be well-calibrated; otherwise, the measurement may not be reliable. Therefore, it is an instrument of undisputed importance, quality, and precision, but also continuously subjected to many verifications to ensure functionality.
But what exactly is it? And what are the roughness measurement tools that truly make a difference?
To answer these questions, it is essential to know two of the most precise tools for measuring roughness: the roughness meter and the reference plate.
Measurement Tools: The Roughness Meter
The first tool useful for measuring roughness is the roughness meter: a device that operates on a material’s surface via a “probe“, which is an extremely sensitive needle.
Using the probe, it is possible to read the material’s surface profile, which typically presents a series of peaks and valleys. This instrument moves perpendicularly over the surface to be measured, detecting different heights.
Despite being absolutely precise and high-performing, the roughness meter requires an annual reliability verification, also known as calibration.
To be fully reliable, given the extreme importance of the measurements taken (roughness specifications are particularly requested in food, chemical, and pharmaceutical sectors), a roughness meter must always be verified and calibrated to ensure measurement reliability. Many see calibration as a simple process: the instrument is sent to the reference LAT Center, which performs the calibration and verifies the instrument’s reliability, then issues a certificate confirming the calibration. This typically occurs once a year, supplemented by occasional pre-measurement verification using reference samples.
This is an extremely simplified process, which presents numerous gaps and risks for those performing measurements to ensure work quality. If the instrument “loses” calibration, it could emit false and completely unreliable measurements, thus risking both the supplier (who might see their work invalidated by an independent verification) and the customer (whose process could be compromised).
BAMA, however, follows a different path, driven by the need to provide a consistently reliable and safe service to its clients and the desire to adhere as closely as possible to the guidelines set out by ISO 9001 standards.
The Reference Plate: Verifying the Quality of Roughness Meters
To guarantee a consistently reliable and safe service, and compliance with ISO 9001 guidelines, the quality of roughness meters is verified weekly by performing measurements directly on a certified reference plate.
This tool is used to validate the measured roughness and, to ensure absolute adherence to factory parameters, requires verification by the reference LAT Center at regular intervals, even biennially.
The reference plate has no mechanical or electronic moving parts that could be subject to failure, giving it greater reliability compared to a roughness meter.
Using the reference plate falls within the best practices that every company should adopt to improve quality assurance approaches.
For greater assurance, it is also important to maintain an up-to-date register of the calibrations detected. Additionally, requesting Accredia Certification of the reference plate and conducting weekly calibration checks are advisable.
The Measurement System that Makes a Difference
Added to all this is a third element to ensure material quality: the traceability chain.
The traceability chain allows for tracking the movements of the product through its various processes up to production. It is also defined in the ISO 9001 standard by the International Organization for Standardization.
The chain traceability system enables both suppliers and customers to monitor quality and verify that the instruments used adhere to the quality standards required by the market and their Quality Management System (QMS).
The traceability chain ensures that throughout the shift from one phase to another, for both instruments and the products or services produced, the quality standards present in a functioning QMS are always respected. This means keeping the checks carried out under control, validating them according to strict procedures to guarantee quality. This way, the client is exponentially protected compared to situations where everything is left to cost-effectiveness without real process control.
More and more industries are adopting this system because it reduces risks and ensures better quality control management.
In conclusion, the system that truly makes a difference consists of precise and high-quality instruments, constant monitoring of equipment, and a traceability chain that operates with complete transparency.
