What does NIST traceability mean?

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is the legally established National Standards Laboratory in the United States. As such, NIST has the responsibility “to develop, maintain and retain custody of the national standards of measurement, and to provide the means and methods for making measurements consistent with those standards; to assure the compatibility of United States national measurement standards with those standards; and to assure the compatibility of United States national measurement standards with those of other nations” [15 U.S.C. 271]. NIST ensures the U.S. national standards are accurate realizations of the seven base units of the SI.

Fundamental to a NIST traceable calibration, is thorough documentation of the measurement process used to establish the series of calibrations that successively link to the specified reference standard. NIST is responsible only for documenting traceability for its reference standards and the instruments it directly measures. Documenting NIST traceable calibrations in the commercial environment is the sole responsibility of the lab performing the calibration work.

Except for standards that are calibrated internationally, Tektronix calibrations completed in the United States are NIST traceable. Calibrations completed outside of the united states are traceable to the appropriate national metrology institute.

Read more about the NIST Policy on Traceability