Many of the industries that CoMech provide UKAS calibration services to require accuracy and compliance to regulations and standards. What we sometimes see, on many scales, are organisations who overlook the importance of effective asset management. Poor asset management can lead to costly errors, compliance risks, and operational inefficiencies to name a few areas that can crop up when asset management is missing. In this blog, we’ll explore how poor asset management for UKAS calibration can be detrimental to your business and why strong asset management practices are essential for traceability and calibration certificate integrity.
The cost of poor asset management
Compliance failures and Legal risks
Regulatory bodies require businesses to adhere to strict calibration standards. Without proper asset management, maintaining calibration records and ensuring equipment is calibrated on schedule can become chaotic. Missing calibration dates or losing track of certificates could lead to compliance violations, penalties, fines or even shutdowns.
Operational downtime
Equipment that isn’t calibrated on time may produce inaccurate measurements, resulting in poor product quality or rework. This can lead to wasted resources, delayed production schedules, and damaged customer trust. In some industries such as the rail sector having tooling and equipment that must have a current UKAS calibration certificate can lead to trains not being able to run or track closed.
Increased costs
Poor asset management can result in redundant UKAS calibrations or missed calibrations altogether. Unnecessary recalibrations add costs, while overlooked calibrations may result in compromised equipment accuracy that leads to product recalls or customer dissatisfaction. This is especially the case in manufacturing organisations such as food and drink where ingredients make or break product quality.
Lost UKAS calibration certificates
Maintaining calibration certificates is crucial for audits and traceability. Misplaced or incomplete records may prevent businesses from proving compliance, exposing them to legal repercussions or non-compliance issues.
Inefficient resource allocation
Without clear asset management processes, businesses may spend excessive time manually tracking equipment, scheduling calibrations, or retrieving documentation.
Why good Asset Management is essential for UKAS Calibration traceability
A robust asset management system enables businesses to track equipment, calibration schedules, and records effectively. Here’s why it’s essential:
Improved traceability
Accurate tracking systems ensure every piece of equipment is documented, from purchase through its lifecycle. This creates a clear chain of traceability for audits, proving UKAS calibration compliance.
Automated scheduling and reminders
Asset management systems automate reminders for calibration due dates, reducing the risk of missed calibrations and enhancing compliance.
Centralised record keeping
Digital asset management solutions allow UKAS calibration certificates and documentation to be securely stored and easily accessible. This eliminates the risk of losing important paperwork.
Enhanced accountability
With clear asset ownership records, businesses can assign responsibility for calibration compliance to specific individuals, ensuring accountability and minimising oversight. We see depot managers, MROs and quality managers really embracing our asset management system when they begin to work with CoMech for their UKAS calibration and they are so impressed with the efficiencies our online system provides them.
Data-Driven insights
Modern asset management tools provide insights into equipment performance, calibration trends, and potential risks, helping businesses make informed decisions.
Best practices for effective Asset Management
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Implement a Digital Asset Management System: Spreadsheets and manual logs are prone to errors; embracing and implementing a reliable digital system will improve accuracy and efficiency of UKAS calibrations for your organisation.
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Standardise UKAS Calibration procedures: Establish consistent protocols for tracking, scheduling, and documenting UKAS calibration processes.
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Train employees: Ensure all relevant personnel are trained on asset management procedures and understand their roles in maintaining compliance. Specifically make sure the people nominated to use asset management systems have full training in order to use them properly.
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Conduct regular audits: Periodic audits ensure your UKAs calibration schedules are followed, documentation is completed, and traceability is maintained.
TrackRecordPro from CoMech
CoMech provide all customers with access to our online asset management system that has been well used (and loved) for many years.
Designed and developed by the CoMech team, TrackRecordPro is one of the most advanced asset management systems available that takes the stress out of asset management. CoMech listen to our customers and follow the digital improvements available to make our system even better.
Our online system is very powerful, but also easy to use. It’s designed to be capable of working across any sector and business size to track, record and manage assets proactively. TrackRecordPro helps organisations to keep track of their assets and equipment at every part of the journey. And is perfect for reminding you of when you calibrations are due, holding your certificates and documenting any calibration failures. In short it gives you that full traceability in one place for your UKAS calibrations.
Effective asset management is essential for ensuring UKAS calibration compliance, maintaining accurate records, and preventing costly operational disruptions. By implementing a robust asset management system and adhering to best practices, businesses can improve traceability, enhance productivity, and safeguard their reputation in competitive industries.
For a TrackRecordPro demo please email sales@comech.co.uk
