Overview - IEC 60746-1:2003 (Expression of performance of electrochemical analyzers - Part 1: General)
IEC 60746-1:2003 defines how to express and verify the performance of electrochemical analyzers. It establishes uniform terminology, definitions and general test procedures for analyzers used in the continuous determination of properties of (generally aqueous) solutions - for example pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, ion concentration and redox potential. This second edition (2003) replaced the 1982 edition and is intended to support consistent specification, testing and quality assurance across manufacturers and users.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Terminology & definitions: Standardized terms for analyzers, sensors, electronic units, calibration/test solutions, conventional true value, influence quantities, rated values, ranges and span.
- Specification principles: Rules for stating rated values, ranges and uncertainty limits; how to present performance characteristics so users can compare analyzers objectively.
- General test procedures: Methods to determine and verify performance characteristics, referencing tests such as intrinsic uncertainty, linearity uncertainty, repeatability, output fluctuation, drift, warm-up time, response times (T10, T90) and variations under changing influence quantities.
- Reference & influence conditions: Definition of reference conditions, reference ranges and specified operating/measuring ranges; how influence quantities (e.g., temperature, pressure, ionic strength) are treated in performance statements.
- Scope of application: Applies to complete analyzers, individual sensor units or electronic units (including flow-through and immersible sensors). Excludes non-integral accessories (chart recorders, data acquisition) and safety requirements (see IEC 61010).
- Quality assurance linkage: Provides base documents to support ISO 9001 / ISO 9002 / ISO 9003 quality-system applications.
Practical applications and users
Who should use IEC 60746-1:
- Instrument manufacturers - for writing clear, comparable performance specifications and data sheets.
- Test laboratories & calibration labs - to design verification procedures and report uncertainties.
- Procurement & QA teams - to evaluate bids, specify acceptance criteria and ensure traceability to conventional true values.
- Process engineers and environmental analysts - when selecting analyzers for water treatment, chemical processing, environmental monitoring and industrial process control.
- Regulatory bodies and contract test houses - to harmonize test reports and contractual requirements.
Related standards
Relevant cross-references include: IEC 60359, IEC 60770-1, IEC 61298, IEC 60068-1, IEC 60654-1, IEC 61187, IEC 60381-1, IEC 60382, and quality-system standards ISO 9001 / ISO 9002 / ISO 9003. For safety see IEC 61010.
Use IEC 60746-1 when you need consistent, auditable statements of analyzer performance and verified test procedures for electrochemical measurement equipment.
