60<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the Institute for Certified Reference Materials! Russian reference materials: history in persons

Abstract

In 2023, the Institute for Reference Materials will celebrate its 60thanniversary. The main stages of the development of the Institute, the results of activities during the past years are considered. The All-Union Institute for Standard Samples and Spectral Standards (VNIISO) was established in 1963 in Sverdlovsk. Yuri L. Pliner was appointed Director of the Institute, Deputy Director for Research — Vasily V Stepin. For the first 10 years, the institute has developed 225 reference materials (RM) of raw materials and mate­rials for metallurgical production. Samples for the ferrous metals’ spectral analysis were developed espe­cially rapidly, their number increased by 2.3 times. The Institute was transformed into ISO TsNIIchermet in 1974 and included in the Central Research Institute of Ferrous Metallurgy named by I. R Bardin. The branch system of CRMs created in the years ahead ensured the reliability of quality control of raw materi­als and products of the metallurgical complex. The duties of the Head Organization of the Metrological Service of the Ministry of Ferrous Metallurgy of the USSR for measurements of the chemical composition and standard samples were assigned to the institute in 1978. The system of metrological control (MK) was created and introduced into the practice of analytical laboratories at subsequent period (1978 - 1985). Metrological requirements for CRM, measurement methods certification and normatives for operational, internal and external analysis results quality control were established by ISO TsNIIchermeta. Verification of the implementation of MC in analytical laboratories of the metallurgical industry was carried out in the process of their metrological certification, which was carried out by the leading specialists of the institute since 1982. In 1992, the Institute was transformed into a JSC “The Institute for Certified Reference Mate­rials” (ICRM). The Institute is accredited in accordance with the requirements of the International Stan­dard ISO 17034 as a RM producer, in accordance with the requirements of GOST ISO/IEC 17043 as a pro­ficiency provider. The testing analytical center of ICRM is accredited in accordance with GOST ISO/TEC 17025. The article presents the institute’s and its staff current state data.