NIST Certification
NIST stands for the National Institute of Standards and Technology. A NIST certification means that a particular precision measurement tool matches the specified criteria as established by NIST. NIST aims to promote innovation and competitiveness within the industry of measurement. Standard reference materials are maintained by NIST and when a device is compared to these materials and calibrated to meet the requirements then it will be granted NIST certification. The NIST certification is typically issued by the manufacturer, who will also usually conduct the comparison procedure. Devices that are unable to be adjusted to match the standards, but which already do so can also get an official NIST certification. The NIST certification is an important element in the metrology because it ensures that measurement devices and tools are kept up to a high standard.