The objective of the inter laboratory test campaigns organised by the CTIF is to enable laboratories to see where they are situated in a population of results. The laboratories must operate under their normal working conditions (as during routine tests).
According to the ISO/CEI 43 Guide these campaigns can be considered as aptitude tests for the participating laboratories as they allow the laboratories to evaluate their ability to provide reliable results. The CTIF does not sanction laboratories which supply statistically aberrant results, it is up to the laboratory concerned to decide weather or not to carry out a corrective measure.
The inter laboratory tests are performed by wet chemistry analysis and/or by analysis on solid samples. They concern the following alloys :
aluminium alloys
copper alloys
low alloyed and cast irons.
For each type of alloy there are 3 inter laboratory test campaigns per year.
