Thoughts on pressure and temperature calibration

December 2004 Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration

There is a disturbing rise in the number of people believing that verification using a comparative standard is not necessary. This is seen in two distinct areas - pressure and temperature.

The ability to set the output from a smart pressure transmitter is often seen as 'calibration'. Calibration it may be, but there is no verification, and the action would not satisfy any quality system worth the paper it is written on Faith is a wonderful thing, but a healthy dose of cynicism aids survival. Remember the famous saying 'pobody's nerfect'? We need to know, is the sensor doing what it is thought to do, and is the signal conditioning having the desired effect? Only that piece of paper recording instrument reading against true applied pressure is worth anything.

Many people seem to think that primary elements like thermocouples and resistance detectors are absolute, perfect and infallible. 'Temperature Calibration' to them means simulating a primary element output and making sure all the downstream bits are OK.

There are a myriad reasons why the output from a primary temperature element departs from theory, including imperfect materials, bad manufacture, thermal ageing, shock and many more. If temperature measurement has an effect on quality or safety, it must be verified. In the twenty-first century, with dry-block calibrators readily available, there is no excuse.

For more information contact Rod McLeman, Blanes Pressure Solutions, 011 397 7365, rod@pressuresolutions.co.za, www.pressuresolutions.co.za

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