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Maintenance and Calibration
| of Measuring and Test Instruments: an Investment in Safety and Quality! |
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| Test equipment must be inspected, monitored calibrated and maintained in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9000. |
| Measuring and test equipment which is used within quality relevant processes must be calibrated on a regular basis. Inaccurate and faulty measuring instruments lead to the forwarding of incorrect information to the customer, which may become very expensive. |
Optimal Equipment
Inspections performed on a regular basis play an essential role in all areas of life today. Automobile inspection stations, heating equipment inspections and the annual checkup at the dentist's office are just a few examples from day-to-day life which help us to maintain high standards of "quality", "safety" and long "service life".
And it's just as important for specialized service providers, who offer their customers a guarantee regarding the quality and safety of their work, to keep measuring and test equipment used for quality assurance in perfect condition.
Calibration on a regular basis maintains the value of your measuring instruments, and provides you with the required levels of
safety.
Trust
Just like a doctor you can trust, a competent partner is essential for calibration and complete test equipment
management.
Great caution must be exercised where fly-by-night calibration services who operate out of a garage are
concerned. As a rule, these are not reliable partners. The required levels of safety can only be assured by accredited laboratories or service
centers.
The calibration standards used by DKD calibration laboratories can be traced back to national
standards, and are directly and indirectly linked to the German Federal Institute for Physics and Metrology (PTB), the highest level of authority in Germany.
Furthermore, accredited laboratories are subjected to continuous auditing and monitoring for equipment and
personnel.
The leading manufacturer of measuring and test instruments, GOSSEN METRAWATT GMBH, has been accredited as a DKD calibration laboratory in accordance with DIN EN 45001 by the German Federal Institute for Physics and Metrology and is registered under number DKD-K-19701.
The accreditation process was conducted by the PTB (German Federal Institute for Physics and
Metrology). This assures that all required conditions are maintained as regards the competence of the service
provider.
Personnel assigned to DKD laboratories are tested and continuously monitored to assure that they possess the necessary
skills.
 National calibration services within the EU, such as the DKD, have been organized into the EAL. |
The DKD (German calibration service) has been accredited as a member organization, an thus enjoys unrestricted acceptance throughout the EU. Due to the fact that the demands placed upon customers regarding the traceability of test equipment back to national standards in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9000 with DIN EN ISO 9000 continue to grow, GOSSEN METRAWATT GMBH now offers DKD as well as factory calibration calibration certificates as an accredited DKD calibration service provider. |
What is calibration?
Calibration is a process by means of which deviation of the display value of a measuring instrument from the actual
value, or deviation of the output value of a test instrument from the setpoint
value, is determined and documented.
Measurement is thus performed which allows for a comparison of the device under test to a precise standard which can be traced back to national standards by means of a documented
process.
The objective of this process is to recognize and document deviations.
What is adjustment?
Adjustment is a process by means of which an instrument is aligned or balanced such that measuring deviation from the setpoint value is as small as possible, and within the allowable tolerance range.
What is traceability?
Traceability describes a process by means of which the measured value indicated by a measuring instrument can be compared to the national standard for the given measured quantity in one or several steps.
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On-site calibration during the manufacturing process is nothing new for
us. We are the only company to date within the DKD organization in Germany
and Europe to perform calibration in this way. We not only have a DKD
laboratory, we are also equipped with several on-site measuring stations
which are subordinate to the stationary DKD lab. Thanks to accreditation by the German Federal Institute for Physics and Metrology, as well as in accordance with DIN EN 45001, it is no longer necessary to substantiate traceability on an individual basis. |
What is the recommended calibration interval?
In order to continuously perform correct measurements, utilized measuring and test equipment must be monitored and calibrated on a regular basis. The corresponding time period is known as the calibration interval.Users of measuring and test equipment frequently ask how often calibration of this equipment is required.
The answer depends upon the following, as well as upon other factors:
1. Measured quantity and allowable tolerance range
2. Level of stress to which the equipment is subjected
3. Stability of past calibrations
4. Required measuring accuracy
5. Quality assurance requirements
In the final analysis, this means that the period of time between any two calibrations must be determined and monitored by the user himself. In order to assist our customers in making this possibly costly decision, we offer free consultation services provided by our own employees.
As a rule, we specify a period of 1 year in our calibration certificates.
In addition to this, we offer a complete test equipment monitoring program with notification when devices become due for calibration.
DKD calibration certificate or factory calibration certificate?
We are frequently asked in which cases the relatively inexpensive factory calibration certificate would be adequate in place of the more costly DKD
certificate.
DKD calibration certificates can only be issued by calibration laboratories which have been accredited by the German Federal Institute of Physics and
Metrology, and only for specifically accredited measured quantities.
This assures maintenance of high standards of calibration quality by means of regular
audits, traceable
standards, precisely defined ambient conditions and specially trained personnel. These cost and personnel-intensive measures result in a higher
price, but they also assure the reliability required for correct measuring
results.
Factory calibration certificates are sufficient where calibration accuracy is important for the utilized measuring and test
equipment, as long as it is not used as a standard.
DKD calibration should be used for the re-calibration of test equipment which itself is used as a standard for the monitoring of other measuring and test
equipment, or which plays a role regarding safety aspects. Customers who have implemented ISO 9000 quality assurance systems also benefit from DKD calibration due to traceability to national
standards.
This applies to smaller companies and the commercial trades as well.
DKD calibration is especially valuable for all final inspection
stations, as well as balancing and adjusting equipment at which calibration work is
performed.
Companies who are required to test electrical systems for proper functioning are also assured that test equipment which is relevant for product quality measures accurately and can be traced back to national
standards.
GOSSEN METRAWATT GMBH is accredited in accordance with DIN EN 48001 as a calibration laboratory for the following electrical
quantities:
direct voltage, direct current, ohmic resistance, alternating voltage, alternating current, capacitance and frequency.
Our spectrum of offerings ranges from manufacturer's test reports to factory calibration certificates, right on up to DKD calibration certificates. Our calibration lab is an integral part of our service
department. If repairs should become necessary during calibration of our
products, our specialized personnel are capable of preparing an immediate cost estimate. After the cost estimate has been
approved, repairs are performed with original replacement parts and calibration is immediately
resumed.
As a DKD calibration lab, we also calibrate products from all other manufacturers for the above mentioned measured
quantities.
