In this episode of Metrology Today Podcast, we sit down with Ryan “The Assessor” Kelly - a Marine Corps trained metrologist, seasoned assessor, and detail-driven industry professional. Ryan shares his journey from military calibration labs to private industry and assessment work, and explains why his no-nonsense approach to auditing is both feared and respected.
We discuss: The transition from military calibration training to civilian labs
The challenges of incomplete training and rigid procedures Why some labs pass years of audits with “no findings” until someone like Ryan digs deeper Common nonconformities - from firmware documentation to risk in PT plans (per ILAC P9 updates)
The tension between customer demands, simplified certificates, and full compliance How real uncertainty budgets should be built (and why “marketing” low numbers is dangerous)
If you want to hear what it’s really like to have a tough assessor in your lab - and why that’s ultimately a good thing, this episode is for you.
