Frequently Asked Questions

DCG is ISO 17025 and ISO 17034 accredited by ANAB.

ISO/IEC 17025 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories is the main ISO standard used by testing and calibration laboratories. In most countries, ISO/IEC 17025 is the standard for which most labs must hold accreditation in order to be deemed technically competent.

ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation is the single most important standard for calibration and testing laboratories around the world. ISO 17025 accredited laboratories have demonstrated technical proficiency and the ability to produce precise and accurate test and calibration data.

DCG has a full ISO 17025 accredited laboratory. From the laboratory our team is able to provide:

• Specialized Analytical Services
• Proficiency Testing Programs (PTPs)
• Interlaboratory and Intralaboratory Studies
• Advanced School of Chromatography
• Analysis of all feed stock utilized at DCG to blend reference materials
• Analysis used to validate the reference materials gravimetrically blended at DCG

ISO 17034:2016 determines requirements for production of certified reference materials. It is intended to be used as part of the general quality assurance procedures of the reference material producer. ISO 17034:2016 covers the production of all reference materials, including certified reference materials. Certified reference materials (CRMs) can only be purchased from a manufacturer that is ISO 17034 accredited.

DCG has had ISO accreditation for the manufacturing of RMs and CRMs since 2012. Our Quality and Production Teams are dedicated to the continuous improvement and quality of our reference materials and addition of reference materials to our accreditation based upon customers’ needs.

These are the International Organizations for which DCG holds accreditation:

• • ASTM: International Organization for Standardization
    • Non-governmental
    • Develop and publish international standards
  • ISO: International Organization for Standardization
    • Non-governmental
    • Develop and publish international standards
  • UOP: Universal Oil Product
    • Standards provide guidelines for oil and petroleum product testing and analysis
    • Primarily test methods for analysis of oil, gas and materials used or generated in refining
  • GPA: Gas Producers Association
    • Creates industry standards around technology and procedures for processing natural gas
    • These guidelines determine design, installation and maintenance of natural gas distribution, delivery, and measurement systems
    • GPA standards ensure you can adopt new advances, improve safety and procedures, and increase efficiency

An In-House Reference Material is one that is blended by a member of the laboratory team on site and not purchased from an outside vendor.  It is a substance with one or more property value(s) intended for internal laboratory quality control. However, In-House reference materials prove difficult for establishing traceability or uncertainty of a material. Producing In-House Reference Materials can create a potential bias, or perceived to create a bias, as records and traceability are primarily internal.

A Reference Material (RM) is material, sufficiently homogeneous and stable with respect to one or more specified properties, which has been established to be fit for its intended use in a measurement process and blended by an outside vendor.

There are several reasons for using reference materials including:

• • To mitigate risk of manufacturing “in-house” RMs (eliminate responsibility and potential bias)
  • When the accuracy of a calibration or QA/QC is extremely vital to the measured result(s) of process
  • Where the metrological traceability is required

DCG includes this list in the production of RMs:

• • Property value of interest for intended use
  • Expiry date
  • Certificate listing properties of RM
  • Accuracy and reliability in assigned property value
  • Confidence in measurements

A Certified Reference Material (CRM) is a reference material characterized by a metrologically valid procedure for one or more specified properties, accompanied by a certificate that states the value of the specified property, its associated uncertainty, and a statement of metrological traceability.

DCG’s CRMs are blended to the highest quality standards.  Our team utilizes high quality feed stock and has experienced chemists performing the blending and analysis.  All our Certified Reference Materials are generally produced at </=1% gravimetric uncertainty per component at the 95% confidence interval and are NIST Traceable by weight, with the gravimetric values validated by one or more accredited analytical techniques.

Using a Certified Reference Material ensures that our customers are able to:

• • Mitigate risk of manufacturing “In-House” RMs thus eliminating the responsibility and potential bias of blending them on their own
  • Ensure the accuracy of a calibration or QA/QC
    • Vital to the measured result(s) of process
  • Have a known certified reference material where the uncertainty and metrological traceability are required

All DCG Certified Reference Materials include:

• • Property and/or property value of interest for intended use
  • Expiry date
  • Certificate listing properties of CRM
  • Higher level of accuracy and reliability in assigned property value
  • Greater confidence in measurements
  • Expanded uncertainties of the components are listed on the Certificate of Analytes
  • Metrological traceability
  • Accreditation logo
  • Adopting the highest standards we define our CRMs to address the following sources of uncertainty :

According to EuraChem, “As regulatory standards continue to increase, additional responsibility is being placed on laboratories to ensure the quality and safety of finished products. Now more than ever, traceability is a major concern. Laboratories are required to provide evidence that the reference materials being used for method validation and process controls are fit-for-purpose, homogeneous, and stable.”

DCG partners with our customers to ensure that every effort is made to have the highest quality Reference Materials available and to work with them to meet their quality and production goals.   We provide expertise in the industries of our customers as well as consultation and technical support services on the selection of appropriate CRMs/RMs.  It is our goal to be a technical extension of your team and ensure that quality CRMs & RMs are consistently available at a reasonable price and in time to meet customers’ needs.

Property of the result of a measurement or the value of a standard whereby it can be related to stated references, usually national or international standards, through an unbroken chain of comparisons all having stated uncertainties. Can be direct (primary) or indirect (secondary)

The importance of Metrological Traceability is that it is essential to ensuring the quality of measurement results (best metrological practice). It ensures that measurement results obtained in different laboratories or at different times are comparable. It also standardizes measurements for international comparability (especially valuable in today’s global economy of importing & exporting).

Strong evidence in potential legal disputes. It is part of the requirement in ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Section 5.6 – and is defined as “Traceability via unbroken chain of calibrations or comparisons.”

DCG ensures that customers have measurement traceability, by providing a Certificate of Analytes that bears the accreditation body symbol of our laboratory from ANAB for ISO 17034, contains the measurement results, expanded uncertainty, and has a description of the reference materials being sent to the customer.

Certified reference materials are evaluated for homogeneity and stability.  All reference materials are provided with an expiry date.

Metrological traceability is established through an unbroken chain of calibrations to NIST references.

We follow DOT/IATA guidelines and regulations for the proper packaging and shipping of manufactured reference materials.

Many types of reference materials/chemicals are sensitive to temperature or time. If they exceed the recommended temperature for an excessive amount of time, then the integrity of the reference material may be compromised. This principle also applies to the shipment of said reference materials, be it domestic or international.

The Key Performance indicators (KPIs) that we utilize are our Statistical Quality Control (SQC) charts for the variety of analytical, chromatographic, elemental, physical methods we perform in our Analytical laboratory, and participation in Industry PTPs. Our Team can assist you with developing a plan for your laboratory, your team, and your quality plan.

Absolutely.  DCG participates in several industry PTP studies and is often involved in both the preparation and analysis of materials for various ILSs.

Yes, DCG will assist with the shipping of empty of cylinders back to its facility.

• • Please call 281-648-1894, option 1 or email: customerservice@dcgpartnership.com. To better assist you when you call or email, please provide the cylinder serial number(s) of what you are needing to ship to DCG.

• • Option A: We fill customer owned cylinders that are DOT approved and in test date. Should a cylinder be out of test date requirements, DCG will send the cylinder to re-qualification.
  • Option B: Cylinders are available for outright purchase
  • Option C: Cylinders can be rented on a monthly basis.

Cylinder rental is paid monthly. If the cylinder ships by the last day of the month, cylinder rental is charged for the month. The rental is billed one month in arrears. Cylinders should be returned with the cylinder cap and plugs that were provided at time of shipment. As per DOT, the cylinder valves must be protected when shipping.

Please contact DCG customer service to obtain a copy of your COA or SDS.  We will need the cylinder serial number or lot number when calling or emailing.

You do have the option to rush an order.  Contact customerservice@dcgpartnership.com to inquire if it is possible to rush your item.  There will be a 30% fee for Rush Orders.

DCG does accept Visa, MasterCard or American Express.  Should you wish to set up a Net 30 account, please complete the form available, click below.

DCG offers Regulators, Gas Handling Equipment, and Accessories these include:

• Brass Regulators
  • Single stage & Double stage with brass bar stock body and 316L stainless steel diaphragm
  • Single stage & Double stage with chrome‐plated brass forged body with 316L stainless steel diaphragm
  • In‐line regulator with brass bar stock body and 316L stainless steel diaphragm
  • Lecture bottle regulators
  • Regulators for one liter steel cylinders
• Stainless Steel Regulators
  • Single stage & Double stage with 1316L stainless steel bar stock body and 316L stainless steel diaphragm
  • In‐line regulator with stainless steel bar stock body and 316L stainless steel diaphragm
  • Lecture bottle regulators
  • Regulators for one liter aluminum cylinders
  • Vaporizing regulator, single stage stainless steel
• Automatic Switchover Manifold Systems Brass and 316L Stainless Steel Components
  • Automatic Switchover System with pressure switches and brass components with or without remote alarm
  • Automatic Switchover System with pressure switches and 316L stainless steel components with or without remote alarm
  • Automatic Switchover System with pressure transducers with brass and 316L stainless steel components with or without remote alarm
  • Protocol Switchover Station
  • Automatic Switchover System, liquid primary with high pressure reserve and brass components
  • Automatic Switchover System, liquid primary with high pressure reserve and 316L stainless steel components
  • Automatic Switchover System with brass components with or without tee purge valves
  • Automatic Switchover System with 316L stainless steel components with or without tee purge valves
• Accessories
  • Braided stainless steel pigtails
  • Stainless steel tubing
  • CGA connections & fittings
  • Cylinder bench brackets and floor stands
  • Flowmeters

DCG offers a full range of heated products that are customized to meet our customers’ requirements including:

• • Cylinder heat blankets
  • Heat trace tubing
  • 1/8” stainless steel seamless tubing @ 8 watts per foot (other sizes available)
  • Kits
  • Thermostats
  • Accessories
  • Instruction manuals necessary for heat trace tubing installation

DCG offers some “on the shelf” products such as:

• • Refinery Gas Reference Materials
    • 1 Liter Cylinders with multiple concentrations available
  • Natural Gas Reference Materials
    • 1 Liter Cylinders with multiple concentrations available
  • ASTM D5453
  • ASTM D4629
  • ASTM D5623
  • DEHA (Detailed Extended Hydrocarbons)
    • PIANO
    • PONA
  • ASTM D4629
  • ASTM D5808
  • ASTM D3606

Yes, we have the capability to stock routinely ordered Natural Gas Blends.  Call or email Customer Service for more information.  customerservice@dcgpartnership.com, 281-648-1894, option 1.

Storage conditions will be generally noted on the certificate of analytes, along with utilization temperature.

You may place an order by calling or emailing DCG Customer Service and/or Sales Team Members to request a quote.  Once the quote has been sent to you, you may call or email with your acceptance and give a PO to get the blend started.

Customer Service

• • Customerservice@dcgpartnership.com
  • 281.648.1894

We can address customer service, quality, and technical issues with Spanish speaking customers since we have a fully bilingual team that can speak and write Spanish with native proficiency.