EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, CA-The Edwards Precision Measurement Equipment Lab. passed a recent evaluation that ensures the lab performs measurements that are safe, accurate reliable and traceable.

The Air Force metrology and calibration center performed the biannual evaluation Jan. 18 through Jan. 27.

"Overall we did outstanding," said Daniel Tibayan, precision measurement equipment laboratory (PMEL) PMEL flight chief. "There are six areas inspected and we passed in every one of them." "Each PMEL has to be recertified every two years," Tibayan says. "A team comes and they spend two weeks here assessing our calibration lab and they found no discrepancies, certifying us to perform calibrations for another two years."

Tibayan said that calibration is an integral part of Edwards because it validates the specific measurement techniques of equipment across the base.

"Calibrations are very important to flight test because we ensure that the equipment they are using makes valid measurements. So when a test is performed they know the platform they're testing on is correct," he said.

"We calibrate everything from micrometers, to torque wrenches and airplane scales. And it's not just limited to flight test. We also calibrate the radar guns used by the 95th Security Forces Squadron and equipment used at the base hospital along with just about everything else that has some type of physical property," Tabiyan added.

The assessment was conducted on a pass or fail basis in the primary functional areas of: management system, measurement capability, quality program, facility, environmental control system and proficiency testing/measurement assurance program.