12/27/2020 Understanding ISO 6789 – Calibration Laboratories - Blog

20 Understanding ISO 6789 – Calibration Laboratories

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The 2017 edition of the standard is considerably modified from the 2003 edition. The five Norbar articles
are designed to explain the key differences and how the new standard is intended to be used. They are an
overview, not a replacement for studying the standard. If you have questions we will be happy to try and
help. Please use the email link at the end of each article.
This third article of five has been written with calibration laboratories in mind. Further articles for, automotive
end users and general industrial users will follow. It will help to first read article one on the general reason
for change.
CALIBRATION LABORATORIES
The new edition has the greatest impact on calibration laboratories (simply called laboratories for the
remainder of this article). This is because Part 2 is specifically written to provide consistent requirements for
laboratories and these requirements will make it easier for accreditation bodies to perform audits that are
comparable throughout the ILAC cooperation www.ilac.org
Other organisations such as in-house quality control departments or hand torque tool service centres may
wish to use this standard to provide traceable certification of hand torque tools. To reconfirm the statement
from previous articles, the only way to produce a calibration certificate in accordance with ISO 6789 will be
to follow Part 2. Part 1 only allows a declaration of conformance to be issued. The measurement method is
the same, but other requirements are different.
Range of torque tools:
One of the key changes (Part 1 clause 5.1.3) is that the torque range now starts at the lowest marked value
and calibration must start at this value. This applies to both indicating tools of Type I Classes A, B & D and
setting tools of Type II classes A, D & G. Tools of both Types in other Classes have a range specified by the
manufacturer. Customers who have previously had a 10-100 N·m tool calibrated at 20 N·m will now find that
the laboratory needs to calibrate it at 10 N·m.
Calibration system requirements:
In general, the requirements from the 2003 edition are carried into the new Part 1 and are then referenced in
Part 2. There are however, several changes that affect laboratories.
The suitability of the calibration system is defined differently in Part 2 (clause 4.3) from the measurement
system in Part 1 (clause 6.1). In Part 1 the maximum measurement error of the torque measurement device
shall not exceed ¼ of the claimed maximum permissible relative deviation of the torque tool at each target
value. In Part 2 the relative measurement uncertainty interval W ’md of the measurement device shall not
exceed ¼ of the expected maximum relative uncertainty interval of the torque tool W ’. The measurement
device must have a valid calibration certificate issued by a laboratory meeting the requirements of ISO/IEC
17025, or the national standards laboratory. This ensures that the certificate is internationally traceable with
a suitable evaluation of measurement uncertainty.
The application of load is more clearly defined in the new edition (Part 1 clause 6.2.1) and it is emphasised
that the calibration device must allow the tool to move to prevent “parasitic” loads or moments. The new
patented Norbar counterbalance system achieves this, but older loaders may exert side or end loads on the
tool.
Also, the time to attain the last 20% of the torque application during testing has been more tightly defined
(Part 1 clause 6.2.4) according to the size of the torque tool. it does make sense that small torque tools
need less time to complete the last 20% of their target torque. That does however make it harder to
measure whether the load application is within specification. The new Norbar Torque Wrench Calibrator
(TWC) learns about the characteristics of the tool mechanism and adjusts the motor speed throughout the
calibration to optimise the loading cycle. Torque screwdrivers have a minimum and maximum time
requirement because they are often speed dependent. Achieving a duration of between 0.5 and 1.0 seconds
for the last 20% of the applied torque is challenging.
Measurement error in place of deviation
The second article explained that in Part 1, the method of calculating the relative deviation observed at any
given target torque has been returned to the formula used in the 1992 edition.
In Part 2 the ISO defined term of relative standard error is used to provide consistency within calibration
laboratories. This is calculated using the same formula as the 2003 edition.

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12/27/2020 Understanding ISO 6789 – Calibration Laboratories - Blog

There is the possibility of confusion here. For example, an observed reading of 104 N·m at a target value of
100 N·m is defined as being +4% in Part 1, but -3.85% in Part 2!
To most torque tool users, if the tool is delivering 104 N·m at a set or indicated value of 100, it is intuitive to
say that the tool is over-torqueing by 4%. However, the ISO standard regulations require that we use
standard error in calibrations and so, using the appropriate formula, when we observe 104 N·m at a target of
100 N·m it means that the target is 3.85% low. Sorry, but that is the way it is.
This makes it very difficult to compare Part 1 and Part 2 results. Again, the logic is that a simple torque
measurement is used create a declaration of conformance with Part 1, while the more demanding
requirements of uncertainty budgets in Part 2 are needed to create a calibration certificate.
Evaluation of uncertainties:
The biggest change from the 2003 edition has to be the calculation of specific elements of uncertainty.
These elements have been evaluated and selected by the drafting committee and are already used by many
laboratories. They do add significant time to the calibration of a torque tool, but they are a key element in
claiming a traceable calibration has been performed. From our experience it takes approximately one hour
to perform a calibration including the evaluation of uncertainties. It is therefore clear that the prices charged
by some laboratories will need to increase in order to cover the cost of performing a calibration according to
ISO 6789-2:2017.
The requirements for resolution are clearly defined and should not take significant time to evaluate.
Reproducibility evaluation time has been minimised by using results for the lowest specified torque value
only, rather than requiring results at the 60% and 100% of maximum torque values. This slightly
compromises the accuracy of the uncertainty budget at the two higher torque values, but does reduce the
time taken to generate the budget.
Ratchets and removable square or hexagon drives can influence the result, depending on their tolerances
from new and on wear that has occurred during use. The evaluation is therefore an essential element for
both new and old tools.
One of the largest causes of uncertainty comes from inappropriate adaptors between the torque tool and the
measurement device. Using commercial square driver converters, for example from 3/8” female to ½” male,
will significantly increase the uncertainty of calibration.
Some torque wrenches are more “length sensitive” than others. The evaluation of uncertainty due to the
force loading point is therefore important. Perhaps it is not obvious that the observed torque from the
measurement device decreases as the force loading point moves towards the end of the handle. Hold many
torque wrenches right on the end of the handle and the applied torque will be significantly lower than
expected.
All of the above evaluations need to made prior to actually taking the readings that will appear on the
calibration certificate. They are the Type B uncertainties due to the torque tool. There are two ways of
avoiding this process every time.
Where a laboratory calibrates a significant volume of a specific model of torque tool, the standard allows the
results of ten or more examples of that model number to be statistically combined and inserted in the
uncertainty budget of future tools of that model. There still needs to be periodic complete evaluations of the
uncertainty budget in case the performance of that model changes over time. It is also clear that the
performance of new torque tools will perform differently from older used tools and therefore the data for old
and new should not be combined. Laboratories therefore need to keep extensive records of the conditions
and performance of all torque tools evaluated.
The manufacturer of a torque tool or a third party may provide the data, but care must be taken to ensure
that the data can be replicated, by periodically performing the uncertainty evaluation and checking that the
values being used are comparable to experimental data.
The repeatability, which is the only type A uncertainty considered due to the torque tool, is calculated from
the calibration readings.
Finally, the calibration certificate for the measurement device will reveal the necessary information for
inclusion in the calculation of both relative standard measurement uncertainty and the relative uncertainty
interval.
Relative uncertainty interval
This may be a new concept to some laboratories. It defines the interval within which a reading could fall. It
adds together the mean value of measurement error plus the relative expanded uncertainty plus the
maximum error of the measuring device. The resulting numbers can be rather large and it is not unusual to
see a torque tool with claimed maximum permissible error of 4% (under the Part 1 definition) having a
relative uncertainty interval of 6%.

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12/27/2020 Understanding ISO 6789 – Calibration Laboratories - Blog

Calibration certificates
The documentation requirements of ISO 6789-2:2017 are also expanded from ISO 6789:2003. Where the
laboratory is already working to ISO 17025 there will be some additional information items to add to the
certificate.
For laboratories that do not work to ISO 17025, the certificate content is quite different to the simple
certificate often in use now. There is a requirement to detail the items used, including interchangeable end
fittings. Laboratories not working to ISO17025 must also detail the measurement device traceability. Finally
the relative expanded uncertainty and the relative measurement uncertainty interval must be stated for each
calibration point.
In summary, there is a lot in the new standard and if you calibrate hand torque tools, you need to purchase
both parts and study them. If you have questions we are happy to help where we can. Please
email ISO6789@norbar.com
Neill Brodey
Member of ISO working group on ISO6789

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