Calibration is the comparison of a measurement device (an unknown) against an equal or better standard. Calibration is all about confidence in the measurement results you're getting and assures you that your measurements are accurate within the specification limits that led you to select the instrument in the first place.

A "typical" commercial calibration references a manufacturer's calibration procedure and is performed with a reference standard at least four times more accurate than the instrument under test. The risks of not calibrating include false passes or false failures in production resulting in costly reworks or discarding products. Traceable calibrations also ensure adherence to the international standards that our commerce relies on.

Even though today's digital instruments are inherently are more stable than their analog predecessors, their tolerances are much narrower than in the past. And even the latest digitizing instruments have analog circuitry—preamplifiers, buffers, etc.—whose performance can change over time. A regular schedule of calibrations will keep your instruments in optimal condition to support your design, troubleshooting, and manufacturing work.

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Calibration ensures measurement accuracy. Routine calibrations are your prescription for the continued health and performance of your instrument. There are also costs and risks associated with not calibrating equipment regularly.

Calibration should be part of your engineering process. It validates your measurements over a period of time and reduces the risk of rework, recalls, returns and repairs. With proper calibration you can be more efficient with your time to market and reduce your total cost of test. In the engineering lab, inaccurate measurements can distort your findings about the behavior of an emerging design. You don't want to go through unnecessary design rework because your instrument was inaccurate during design validation.

There also may be regulatory requirements stipulating a regular calibration schedule. Penalties for non-compliance from an audit may be fines, loss of business, plant shut down or worse.

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Sometimes sending in an instrument to get calibrated isn't an option. From onsite service to local service centers, there are different delivery options available to meet your needs.

Local service centers – Local service centers offer free pick-up and delivery within the locality of the center, and a broad scope of accreditation which helps minimize third-party costs.Tektronix has 27 North American and 18 International locationss. Find a service center nearest you.

 Periodic onsite service – With this option, customers can plan ahead and avoid having to take equipment out of service to minimize impact on your design and production schedules. This is also the best option to calibrate sensitive or large equipment that can’t be moved.

“Virtual onsite service” – With the concerns surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve also introduced a new “virtual onsite” service where we dedicate the resources and standards that would have been used for onsite service but perform the service in our service center. Virtual onsites, combined with pickup and delivery service, allow for appropriate social distancing where required and offers the same fast turnaround times you would experience with a normal onsite service event.

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A calibration certificate is an essential and official document that serves as a record for the calibration of instruments, offering a critical aspect of traceability to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The integrity and accuracy of this certificate are indicative of the credibility and validity of the organization conducting the calibration. A Calibration Certificate accompanies the instrument when it's returned to its owner, documenting crucial information about the instrument's condition, including out-of-tolerance conditions and special measurement circumstances.

Calibration certificates may vary in format due to geographical and regulatory differences, but they typically include details such as calibration dates, environmental conditions, in-tolerance or out-of-tolerance conditions, traceability statements, and information about the calibration procedure and intervals. Understanding and preserving this certificate is vital for assessing measurement accuracy and mitigating risk associated with uncertainties in measurements.

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Determining the right calibration interval for your test and measurement equipment depends on many factors with no “one size fits all” approach available.

Learn what factors can influence your test equipment’s measurement accuracy and what to consider when determining your calibration interval.

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Metrology ensures that your calibrated instruments deliver accurate results with provable validity. The mission of metrology is to maintain measurement standards, to develop effective new methods, and to ensure that measurements are accepted uniformly around the world.

Why calibrate? Your instruments need to be calibrated against known standards so their results can be trusted to have a universally accepted meaning. Metrology is the science that supports this trust—in both the "meaning" and the measurements:

• Metrology defines calibration and ensures predictable performance from your measurement tools.
• Metrology is the discipline that defines standards and codifies accreditation and traceability.
• Metrology expertise is at the heart of Tektronix' reputation for accuracy, precision, and performance.

At Tektronix, metrology professionals guide calibration policies and procedures at accredited calibration facilities around the world. When you choose Tektronix as your service provider, you get the benefit of an experienced metrology staff plus seasoned technicians applying deep product-specific knowledge.

The result? Services guaranteed to be of the highest quality in the industry.

Calibration is the comparison of a measurement device (an unknown) against an equal or better standard, and validation involves documenting that a system or process provides an expected and consistent outcome.

Demystify the calibration process with a better understanding of these key terms.

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• Asia-Pacific Metrology Program (APMP)
• Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM)
• Euro-Asian Cooperation of National Metrological Institutes (COOMET)
• European Collaboration on Measurement Standards (EUROMET)
• European Co-operation for Accreditation
• European Cooperation in Legal Metrology (WELMEC)
• Inter-American Metrology System (SIM)
• International Earth Rotation Service
• International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
• International Journal of Metrology and Quality Engineering
• International Lab Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC)
• International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML)
• International Society for Weighing Measure
• International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE)
• International Standards Organization
• NCSL International (National Conference of Standards Laboratories)
• Pacific Accreditation Cooperation
• South African Development Community Cooperation in Measurement Traceability