What Is Calibration - RS Calibration Services
What Is Calibration - RS Calibration Services
What Is Calibration - RS Calibration Services
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Costs associated with labor and time can rack up quickly, so you need to limit the number of calibration
points accordingly.
The relation between number of calibration points and the resulting performance might not be linear.
Practically speaking, you’ll need to make tradeo s between the e ort and cost of calibrations, and the
desired performance levels.
Instruments tend to perform best when they’ve been calibrated according to the
recommendations of the manufacturer. The performance speci cations include intermediate
points, which are used for calibrations. The process speci ed is designed to ‘zero-out’, i.e. basically
eliminate, the inherent errors in the instrument at those points.
For extremely sensitive instruments, you may need to take them to a calibration laboratory or
other calibration service provider, where they can be calibrated under controlled conditions.
There are a number of factors that can a ect calibration results otherwise, both during the
calibration procedure and afterwards.
These include:
Using the Wrong Values
The instructions for calibration need to be followed very closely. The calibrator mentioned in the instructions
is the one that the instrument will ‘learn’ from. Disregarding the documentation and choosing a di erent one
or the wrong values changes the way the test instrument behaves. This can produce signi cant errors within
some parts or the entire operating range of the instrument.Some of the newer instruments have a built-in
software diagnostic system that can alert operators when the order in which calibrators are tested is wrong
(Calibrator-B used before Calibrator-A). However, they may not be able to distinguish between calibrators
that use the wrong values.
Calibrator Formulation Tolerance
Just like your equipment, the quality of the calibrator you use can a ect the results of the calibration. Using
calibrators manufactured by reputable and trustworthy manufacturers or calibration labs, which are built to
precise speci cations and tolerances, is essential for obtaining repeatable performance and dependable
results. There is another tolerance that is associated with the design and formulation of a control or
calibrator. This is due to normal inaccuracies and variations in quality control processes and the instrument
itself.For example, if you’re using calibrators whose nominal values are 50 and 800 mOsm/kg (H2O), and if
they’re both manufactured to perform at the lower end of the required range, the net e ect of calibration
may be to lower the accuracy or precision. This would result in additional errors in the range of several
mOsm/kg, over the entire range the calibration was performed on.
Here’s why:
The calibration process will ‘teach’ the instrument to read 800 incorrectly as 796, so the actual results curve
will be higher than if the instrument was calibrated as per the correct value of 796, or if the calibrator was at
the actual required formulation of 800 mOsm/kg.
If it is assumed that one calibrator is at its nominal value (800 mOsm/kg), but the true value is o by just a
tiny bit, say at about 796 mOsm/kg, the resulting curve is well o the assumed result.
Ideally, the resultant calibration curve should be linear, but even small errors can have a drastic e ect.
If the instrument is calibrated in this situation, any measurements made with it will be inaccurate, until it has
been recalibrated with the correct values.
Sample Preparation TechniqueAs with normal testing, you should always use good techniques for sample
preparation. This is essential for optimizing the resultant performance through calibration. A similar situation
to the one discussed above can result if the sample itself has not been prepared properly for the calibration.
Good sample preparation techniques can help eliminate a number of sources of possible
inaccuracies and contamination in the sample; some of which include:
All of these situations can cause more variations in the results obtained from the equipment
calibration process. The increase in number and scale of the variations can cause the mean values
obtained through calibration to vary signi cantly. The result would be that the calibration curve
would erroneously shift and the errors in all the results would increase.
You can create a history for di erent instruments by tracking the changes in measurements of a
known value and by comparing the “as-found” and “as-left” results of each calibration.
Of all the things you should consider, the most weightage will probably be given to just how much of an
e ect the instrument in question has on the overall quality.
A close second would be the manufacturer’s recommendations and the instrument’s tendency to ‘drift’ out of
calibration.
Recalibration may be warranted after any events that could throw the precision or accuracy. Such as an
electrical fault, a fall, or other impacts.
Another time when you may need to perform an unscheduled calibration is just before a particularly
important measurement is made.
Calibrating an instrument each time you plan to use it, just to check its performance isn’t always practical and
it can get very expensive, very quickly.
Control solutions with known values can be tested every day or periodically, which can provide an indication
of the performance and establish a history.
If the results from the control data do not indicate any issues or inaccuracies in the instrument’s
performance, then you can continue using it till the next scheduled calibration.
Slight variations between measurements are to be expected, and will occur despite your best
precautions. As long as they fall within the limits of the acceptable range for errors, there’s no
reason to perform an unscheduled re-calibration.
However, if it looks like the measurements are close to the limits of, or beyond the acceptable
performance criteria, it might be a good idea to calibrate it. This is also true of signi cant short-
term shifts (like while operating the instrument in di erent environmental conditions).
When you’re designing a calibration routine, it’s extremely important to take into account any
regulations governing your eld of operations. Check the requirements of quality compliance
organizations, as well as speci c standard operating procedures for laboratories and government
regulatory authorities.
These may require instruments to be re-calibrated even if there’s no evidence that it is needed.
The requirements should be followed nonetheless and should always be given precedence over
all else. Any issued guidelines can be used at times, especially if you’re unsure about whether an
instrument needs to be calibrated to improve accuracy.
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