MIL-STD-45662 was one of Document Center’s all time best selling standards, bar none. It was the quality standard for calibration until Mil Spec reform took over in the mid-90’s. So what ever happened to the standard and what should you be using now?
MIL-STD-45662A was cancelled by Cancellation Notice 2 on Feb 27, 1995. The cancellation notice provided superseding information for the standard, so there are 2 documents which can be used instead of the now obsolete MIL-STD-45662.
First is ISO-10012, “Measurement management systems — Requirements for measurement processes and measuring equipment.” In 1995, the document was divided into 2 parts, ISO-10012-1 and ISO-10012-2. The ISO-10012-1 was the first replacement for MIL-STD-45662, but is now obsolete due to the cancellation of this document in 2003 with the release of the replacement ISO-10012.
The story is much the same for the second replacement document, ANSI-Z540.1,” Calibration Laboratories and Measuring and Test Equipment – General Requirements.” The document was revamped in 2006 as ANSI-Z540.3, “Requirements for the Calibration of Measuring and Test Equipment”, and officially superseded by the new standard in 2008. So you’ll need to use ANSI-Z540.3 now.
One of the sad results of Mil Spec reform is the fact that expensive industry standards, like the two documents above, have replaced the inexpensive (or free) military documents that companies around the U.S. used to reference extensively. Because of the high cost of industry standards, many of our customers have reduced or eliminated standards from their business practices. We’re a big supporter of standards and the standards process, so if you have some suggestions on how to get these companies back into standards, please send me a comment!
The obsolete standards referenced above, and the current quality standards for calibration, can be purchased from Document Center Inc. at our website www.document-center.com. Please note: you’ll have to get a quote first for all obsolete documents so that we can confirm that you really want a cancelled item before the order is processed.
Feel free to contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com) as well for ordering or any questions you might have about this posting. We appreciate your feedback.
For most of our calibrations we request our vendors calibration to ANSI Z540.1, I understood we can refer to this standard eventhough is superseded, but a colleague corrected me and said it was not superseded, it has been enhanced, that is the reason we still have calibration to it. Could you comment on this please?
Hi Laura:
And thanks for asking!
Actually the ANSI Z540.1 was replaced by the ANSI Z540.3 some time ago (2006). Currently, the 2 most frequently referenced calibration standards are the Z540.3 and the ISO 10012. I have blogged about the differences between the two here: http://standardsforum.document-center.com/iso-10012-and-ansi-z540-3/
I know many people do refer to obsolete documents. However, I would urge you to take a look at the ANSI Z540.3 to see if it can meet your needs. If so, you should probably leave the Z540.1 behind and move to the current standard.
Meantime, I’ll see if I can’t generate a blog for you on the differences between the Z540.1 and the Z540.3. It may take me a couple/three weeks…
Hope this is helpful.