Glossary · Automation fundamentals, platforms and components
Reproducibility
Also known as: Measurement reproducibility
German: Reproduzierbarkeit
In metrology, reproducibility is the closeness of agreement between measurement results obtained on the same or similar objects under reproducibility conditions, that is, with different locations, operators, measuring systems or times. More broadly in engineering, it means that a result or process can be repeated by others with the same outcome.
- Automation components
- Standards
In one sentence
Reproducibility is the agreement of results obtained under changed conditions, such as different operators, sites or instruments (VIM).
Example
Two plants measure the same reference part on their own coordinate measuring machines and get results within 5 µm of each other.
How it applies
- Quality: Gauge studies (for example gauge R&R) separate repeatability from reproducibility to find out whether measurement variation comes from the instrument or from operators and setups.
- Software: Reproducible builds and versioned configurations mean that a released controller program can be rebuilt identically; see Version management.
- Documentation: Work instructions must be precise enough that another operator reaches the same result. Record instrument, method and conditions with every measurement that serves as evidence. State the conditions under which reproducibility was demonstrated.
Reproducibility vs. repeatability
Repeatability is agreement under the same conditions: same operator, instrument, place and short time interval. Reproducibility allows those conditions to change. A measurement can be highly repeatable at one site and still poorly reproducible across sites.