The Importance of Calibration Services

For any type of equipment from testing and monitoring to your home electricity and natural gas meters, regular calibration services are extremely important in order to gauge the accuracy of the instrumentation in use. Most large industrial companies make a point of engaging regular calibration service groups to insure that all of their equipment and instrumentation is working accurately, according to manufacturer's specifications. In industry, this accuracy is crucial to maintaining regular process operations and to avoid running afoul of local, regional and federal compliance laws. Instrumentation of any type that calculates usage should be regularly checked by professional calibration services.

Instrumentation

Instrumentation is generally very delicately balanced to meet specification and use standards. As an example, air and pressure meters are types of instrumentation that help maintain certain handling systems. If this instrumentation is not regularly calibrated, the system may begin to register inaccurate volumes at inputs and outputs. In the case of liquid flow meters, inaccurate calibration data may cause too high or too low a level of flow of liquid into a system which further damages the equipment and causes costly repairs and inefficient overall process operations. This is also true of pressure and release valves that are metered. Monitoring equipment and instrumentation calibrations over long periods of time can also help determine flaws in a system or in the compatibility of the instrumentation with the particular type of industrial equipment in use. Most large industrial companies see the cost-effectiveness in maintaining records of all calibrations performed. If equipment or instrumentation requires an
unusual number of calibrations, this can be an indication of problems with the metering devices or changes made to a process.

Calibration - How It's Done

Calibration is a relatively simple service, depending on the nature of the equipment, process and instrumentation involved. Professional calibration services rely on their own calibration instrumentation and knowledge of calculations as approved by a certifying, licensed compliance bureau which insures the accuracy of all equipment and instrumentation. Professional instrumentation used by calibration services is also checked for accuracy under regulated conditions so that it meets with compliance bureau guidelines. Postage meters are an example of equipment that fall under the US Postal laws and require all businesses using these meters to be calibrated once a year. Professional calibration services inspect equipment or instrumentation, insuring it is in operable condition and then proceed with testing that results in compliant ranges of operation. A basic report, depending on the complexity of the instrumentation or equipment involved, is issued for owner's review. If there are any problems, these profession
als will discuss issues or potential for future inaccuracies.

Professional Calibration Services For The Home

Although most homeowners overlook the importance of their own metering systems, this can be very costly in the long run. Water, electricity and natural gas meters should be inspected and calibrated at least once every two to three years. One reason is the volume of meter use. Another reason is overbilling if these meters prove inaccurate.