Standard Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to Determine the Precision of a Test Method

ABSTRACT
The procedure presented in this practice consists of three basic steps: planning the interlaboratory study, guiding the testing phase of the study, and analyzing the test result data. The analysis utilizes tabular, graphical, and statistical diagnostic tools for evaluating the consistency of the data so that unusual values may be detected and investigated, and also includes the calculation of the numerical measures of precision of the test method pertaining to both within-laboratory repeatability and between-laboratory reproducibility.
Tests performed on presumably identical materials in presumably identical circumstances do not, in general, yield identical results. This is attributed to unavoidable random errors inherent in every test procedure; the factors that may influence the outcome of a test cannot all be completely controlled. In the practical interpretation of test data, this inherent variability has to be taken into account. For instance, the difference between a test result and some specified value may be within that which can be expected due to unavoidable random errors, in which case a real deviation from the specified value has not been demonstrated. Similarly, the difference between test results from two batches of material will not indicate a fundamental quality difference if the difference is no more than can be attributed to inherent variability in the test procedure. Many different factors (apart from random variations between supposedly identical specimens) may contribute to the variability in application of a test method, including: a the operator, b equipment used, c calibration of the equipment, and d environment (temperature, humidity, air pollution, etc.). It is considered that changing laboratories changes each of the above factors. The variability between test results obtained by different operators or with different equipment will usually be greater than between test results obtained by a single operator using the same equipment. The variability between test results taken over a long period of time even by the same operator will usually be greater than that obtained over a short period of time because of the greater possibility of changes in each of the above factors, especially the environment.
The general term for expressing the closeness of test results to the “true” value or the accepted reference value is accuracy. To be of practical value, standard procedures are required for determining the accuracy of a test method, both in terms of its bias and in terms of its precision. This practice provides a standard procedure for determining the precision of a test method. Precision, when evaluating test methods, is expressed in terms of two measurement concepts, repeatability and reproducibility. Under repeatability conditions the factors listed above are kept or remain reasonably constant and usually contribute only minimally to the variability. Under reproducibility conditions the factors are generally different (that is, they change from laboratory to laboratory) and usually contribute appreciably to the variability of test results. Thus, repeatability and reproducibility are two practical extremes of precision.
The repeatability measure, by excluding the factors a through d as contributing variables, is not intended as a mechanism for verifying the ability of a laboratory to maintain“ in-control” conditions for routine operational factors such as operator-to-operator and equipment differences or any effects of longer time intervals between test results. Such a control study is a separate issue for each laboratory to consider for itself, and is not a recommended part of an interlaboratory study.
The reproducibility measure (including the factors a through d as sources of variability) reflects what precision might be expected when random portions of a homogeneous sample are sent to random “in-control” laboratories.
To obtain reasonable estimates of repeatability and reprod...

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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
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Designation: E691 − 14 AnAmerican National Standard
Standard Practice for
Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to Determine the
1
Precision of a Test Method
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E691; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
INTRODUCTION
Testsperformedonpresumablyidenticalmaterialsinpresumablyidenticalcircumstancesdonot,in
general, yield identical results. This is attributed to unavoidable random errors inherent in every test
procedure; the factors that may influence the outcome of a test cannot all be completely controlled. In
the practical interpretation of test data, this inherent variability has to be taken into account. For
instance, the difference between a test result and some specified value may be within that which can
beexpectedduetounavoidablerandomerrors,inwhichcasearealdeviationfromthespecifiedvalue
has not been demonstrated. Similarly, the difference between test results from two batches of material
will not indicate a fundamental quality difference if the difference is no more than can be attributed
to inherent variability in the test procedure. Many different factors (apart from random variations
between supposedly identical specimens) may contribute to the variability in application of a test
method, including: a the operator, b equipment used, c calibration of the equipment, and d
environment (temperature, humidity, air pollution, etc.). It is considered that changing laboratories
changes each of the above factors.The variability between test results obtained by different operators
or with different equipment will usually be greater than between test results obtained by a single
operator using the same equipment. The variability between test results taken over a long period of
time even by the same operator will usually be greater than that obtained over a short period of time
because of the greater possibility of changes in each of the above factors, especially the environment.
The general term for expressing the closeness of test results to the “true” value or the accepted
referencevalueisaccuracy.Tobeofpracticalvalue,standardproceduresarerequiredfordetermining
the accuracy of a test method, both in terms of its bias and in terms of its precision. This practice
provides a standard procedure for determining the precision of a test method. Precision, when
evaluating test methods, is expressed in terms of two measurement concepts, repeatability and
reproducibility. Under repeatability conditions the factors listed above are kept or remain reasonably
constantandusuallycontributeonlyminimallytothevariability.Underreproducibilityconditionsthe
factors are generally different (that is, they change from laboratory to laboratory) and usually
contribute appreciably to the variability of test results.Thus, repeatability and reproducibility are two
practical extremes of precision.
The repeatability measure, by excluding the factors a through d as contributing variables, is not
intended as a mechanism for verifying the ability of a laboratory to maintain“ in-control” conditions
for routine operational factors such as operator-to-operator and equipment differences or any effects
of longer time intervals between test results. Such a control study is a separate issue for each
laboratory to consider for itself, and is not a recommended part of an interlaboratory study.
The reproducibility measure (including the factors a through d as sources of variability) reflects
whatprecisionmightbeexpectedwhenrandomportionsofahomogeneoussamplearesenttorandom
“in-control” laboratories.
To obtain reasonable estimates of repeatability and reproducibility precision, it is necessary in an
interlaboratory study to guard against excessively sanitized data in the sense that only the uniquely
best operators are involved or that a laboratory takes unusual steps to get “good” results. It is also
importanttorecognizeandconsiderhowtotreat“poor”resultsthatmayhaveunacceptableassignable
causes (for example, departures from the prescribed procedure). The inclusion of such results in the
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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E691 − 14
final precision estimates might be questioned.
Anessentialaspectofcollectingusefulconsistentdataiscarefulplanningandconductofthestudy.
Questionsconcerningthenumberoflaboratoriesrequiredforasuccessfulstudyaswellasthenumber
of test results per labo
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: E691 − 13 E691 − 14 An American National Standard
Standard Practice for
Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to Determine the
1
Precision of a Test Method
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E691; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
INTRODUCTION
Tests performed on presumably identical materials in presumably identical circumstances do not, in
general, yield identical results. This is attributed to unavoidable random errors inherent in every test
procedure; the factors that may influence the outcome of a test cannot all be completely controlled. In
the practical interpretation of test data, this inherent variability has to be taken into account. For
instance, the difference between a test result and some specified value may be within that which can
be expected due to unavoidable random errors, in which case a real deviation from the specified value
has not been demonstrated. Similarly, the difference between test results from two batches of material
will not indicate a fundamental quality difference if the difference is no more than can be attributed
to inherent variability in the test procedure. Many different factors (apart from random variations
between supposedly identical specimens) may contribute to the variability in application of a test
method, including: a the operator, b equipment used, c calibration of the equipment, and d
environment (temperature, humidity, air pollution, etc.). It is considered that changing laboratories
changes each of the above factors. The variability between test results obtained by different operators
or with different equipment will usually be greater than between test results obtained by a single
operator using the same equipment. The variability between test results taken over a long period of
time even by the same operator will usually be greater than that obtained over a short period of time
because of the greater possibility of changes in each of the above factors, especially the environment.
The general term for expressing the closeness of test results to the “true” value or the accepted
reference value is accuracy. To be of practical value, standard procedures are required for determining
the accuracy of a test method, both in terms of its bias and in terms of its precision. This practice
provides a standard procedure for determining the precision of a test method. Precision, when
evaluating test methods, is expressed in terms of two measurement concepts, repeatability and
reproducibility. Under repeatability conditions the factors listed above are kept or remain reasonably
constant and usually contribute only minimally to the variability. Under reproducibility conditions the
factors are generally different (that is, they change from laboratory to laboratory) and usually
contribute appreciably to the variability of test results. Thus, repeatability and reproducibility are two
practical extremes of precision.
The repeatability measure, by excluding the factors a through d as contributing variables, is not
intended as a mechanism for verifying the ability of a laboratory to maintain“ in-control” conditions
for routine operational factors such as operator-to-operator and equipment differences or any effects
of longer time intervals between test results. Such a control study is a separate issue for each
laboratory to consider for itself, and is not a recommended part of an interlaboratory study.
The reproducibility measure (including the factors a through d as sources of variability) reflects
what precision might be expected when random portions of a homogeneous sample are sent to random
“in-control” laboratories.
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E11 on Quality and Statistics and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E11.20 on Test Method
Evaluation and Quality Control.
Current edition approved May 1, 2013April 1, 2014. Published May 2013May 2014. Originally approved in 1979. Last previous edition approved in 20122013 as
E691 – 12.E691 – 13. DOI: 10.1520/E0691-13.10.1520/E0691-14.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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