Some folks have been fooled into believing that you couldn’t calibrate a temperature sensor if you wanted to, because a sensor cannot be physically adjusted. The truth is: yes you can. There are two ways to do it. You can calibrate the sensors as part of a system, or you can calibrate the sensors individually. When calibrated as part of a system, the sensor is physically heated or cooled to a known temperature and corrections are made directly to the electronics connected to the temperature sensor. In the second method the temperature sensors are calibrated separate from the electronics and receive a calibration report with corrections that are later entered into the electronics connected temperature sensor for an accurate temperature reading.

Other well meaning individuals fall into the trap of forgetting to calibrate the temperature sensor, because they have already calibrated the temperature electronics. It’s an easy trap to fall into but a costly one! Most of the error resides in the sensor itself because the sensor is the part exposed to periods of extreme temperatures and frequent thermal cycling. To calibrate the sensor you need a temperature source that physically heats or cools and you need an accurate value for the temperature.