Where Are Calibrations Performed?

Calibrations are commonly performed at National Metrology Institutes, primary calibration labs, secondary calibration labs, and in the field at places like a manufacturer’s plant floor. Note that primary and secondary calibration labs can be owned and operated by an independent calibration service provider.

When Are Calibrations Performed?

There is no one-size-fits-all calibration schedule. Depending on how frequently you use your equipment and the accuracy required, you may need to calibrate as frequently as every month to as infrequently as every year or longer. Generally, the more critical measurements being performed, the more frequently you will calibrate. If you accidentally dropped or otherwise damaged an instrument, you will likely want to calibrate it as soon as possible.

In terms of test and measurement equipment, all electronic components and mechanical devices exhibit drift over time. To ensure your equipment always operates to a published specification, you must have it recalibrated regularly. Manufacturers of test and measurement equipment.

But what if equipment drifts between calibrations? If so, everything measured between the calibration periods is now suspect. To solve this problem, a common practice is to perform intermediate checks per ISO 17025, also known as equipment verification.

Who Performs Calibrations?

People who perform calibration in laboratories include:

• Metrologists

• Lab managers

• Calibration engineers

• Calibration technicians

People who perform calibration work in the field include:

• Manufacturing engineers

• Instrument technicians