You may be asking, why do we need to calibrate the test equipment? If it is functioning,
do we still need to calibrate?
In simple terms, calibration is the verification of a test equipment against a standard.
But how is the performance of your test equipment measured against the standard?
Calibration has always been critical and is more essential nowadays when there are
more functionalities on the test equipment, and they are getting more complicated.
Regular annual calibration maintains the measurement accuracy of the test equipment
and increases the confidence in its performance.
When you purchase a new test equipment, it is always calibrated at the time when it
is shipped. Over a period, all test equipment is subject to a certain level of degradation
depending on how it is being used and the aging of the test equipment. Proper
calibration needs to be performed to ensure that the test equipment is performing
based on published specifications.
For this, it is always necessary to perform an annual calibration based on
manufacturer’s specifications. By doing this, it prevents measurement drift and
degraded performance. A good rule of thumb is to follow the manufacturer’s
recommended calibration interval.
It is always preferred to return the equipment back to the manufacturer or their service
centres for the calibration. They are the ones who manufactured the equipment, and
they know the equipment best. Engineers are specially trained to perform the
calibrations.
Third party organisation may be able to perform the calibration but most of the time,
they are not as thorough as those performed by the manufacturer. Most instances,
they only performed basic verifications. As a result, users should determine the correct
type of calibration based on their usage and not based on cost. A cheap calibration
may not necessarily be the right health check and get the best performance from your
test equipment.
It is worthwhile to spend on calibrating your test equipment as compared to time lost
from unnecessary rework on shipped products or shipping poor performing products
due mainly from not calibrating your test equipment. The company’s credibility is also
at risk with their poor performing or out of specifications products. You should look at
calibration as an investment in product confidence!
Download the PDF here.
For more information please contact:
Jabtronics Solutions (JSI), Inc.
Jun Velasco – jun.velasco@jabtronics.com
Biboy Velasco – jsi_sales@jabtronics.com