Calibration at its core is a comparision between a known value and the unknown with a simple expression of pass or fail based on the specifications of the device under test (also know as DUT) and whether the measured value falls inside or outside that specification. With that said, the calibration of inspection and test devices has evolved into a virtual user pick-your-own-adventure experiment and depending on the level of risk you can accept, the traditional pass/fail statements may not suit your needs any longer. Simply stating that your gage passed or failed a calibration does not tell the whole story. Yes, the certificate of calibration says that it passed or failed but some questions must be asked. Such as, what considerations did the calibration laboratory use for making this statement? Do you as the customer have any input what rule is chosen? What rule is right for me? Unfortunately, passing or failing calibration results can’t be boiled down to simple statements without further explanation of how the acceptance statement was arrived at or what considerations were made by the laboratory when making them.