Calibration of a Torque

Wrench as per ISO6789

by
Eddie Tarnow

NLA Test & Measurement Workshop

20 September 2011

© NMISA 2011
Calibration Setup

350,0 N•m

Clockwise Rotation

Unit Under Test Torque Wrench

Reference Standard
Torque Transducer &
Readout Unit
Force Applied

Top View of Setup

© NMISA 2011
Calibration Scenario

• The Unit Under Test Torque Wrench is a Type II class A tool

(adjustable click type) and has a full scale of 350 N•m.
• It has a setting dial resolution of 2 N•m
• We are to calibrate it according to ISO 6789 which requires
a calibration point at full scale (100 % of range) viz. at
350 N•m and the estimation of the measurement
uncertainty at this point

© NMISA 2011
GUM Steps

• Model the measurement

• Identify and quantify the sources of uncertainty
• Categorize as type A or type B
• Manipulate appropriately to obtain
• Standard uncertainties, u(xi)
• Sensitivity coefficients, ci
• Uncertainty contributor, u(yi)
• Combine to obtain combined standard uncertainty, uc(y)
• Expand to obtain an expanded uncertainty, U, at an
appropriate level of confidence
• Report the result

© NMISA 2011
Measurement Model

TUUT = TSTD Ind + CorrSTD

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Identifying the sources of uncertainty

SCal
TSTD TUUT URes
URep
SRes

SCF

TUUT

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Quantifying the sources of uncertainty

• SCAL
• Calibration Results Table from the Calibration Certificate

APPLIED MEAN UNCERTAINTY

TORQUE UUT CALCULATED TORQUE OF MEASUREMENT
(N•m) (N•m) (± N•m)

0,0 0,0 0,1

99,9 100,0 0,3
199,9 200,2 1,0
299,8 300,5 1,0
399,8 400,8 1,0
499,7 501,1 1,0
599,7 601,5 1,0
699,6 701,8 1,0

© NMISA 2011
Quantifying the sources of uncertainty (2)

• SCAL
• This is the uncertainty due to the accuracy of the Reference
Standard Torque Transducer, which is not perfect
• Corrections must first be applied, or the uncertainty increased, to
take the error into account (largest error on values either side of the
calibration point was +1,0 N•m)
• The Reference Standard Torque Transducer used has a full scale of
700 N•m and was calibrated in 100 N•m steps (See calibration
certificate)
• Therefore we will have to use the polynomial equation to determine
the actual torque generated by the UUT at 350 N•m since it is a
measurement point in between 300 N•m and 400 N•m.
• Since we have to interpolate a value we will use the largest reported
uncertainty from the calibration certificate for the values on either
side of the calibration point which is ± 1 N•m.

© NMISA 2011
Quantifying the sources of uncertainty (3)

• SCAL
• Since we will be using the polynomial to interpolate a
value at 350 N•m, we DO NOT need to correct for the
+ 1 N•m error at 399,8 N•m.
• Therefore total uncertainty for the “accuracy” of the
Reference Standard Torque Transducer is ±1 N•m
• This is treated as normal at 95,45% Level of Confidence
• The divisor is the coverage factor k which for 95,45%
LOC is 2
• The degrees of freedom are always ∞ or 100 % Reliable
due to the source of traceability being accredited and
reputable.

© NMISA 2011
Quantifying the sources of uncertainty (4)

• SRES
• This is due to the resolution of the Reference Standard
Torque Transducer Readout Unit
• We must first determine the “effective resolution”
• The least significant digit displayed is 0,1 N•m
• Resolution is always treated as a Rectangular
distribution source of uncertainty and this is the range.
• The semi-range is therefore (0,1 N•m/2)=0,05 N•m
• The divisor is √3
• The degrees of freedom are always ∞ or 100 %
Reliability

© NMISA 2011
Quantifying the sources of uncertainty (5)

• SCF
• Polynomial Equation Coefficients Table from the
Calibration Certificate
POLYNOMIAL 2 3
y=a+bx+cx +dx
EQUATION

POLYNOMIAL NORMAL INVERSE

COEFFICIENTS FUNCTION FUNCTION
-2 -2
a 2,71846 x10 -2,70765 x10
-1
b 9,99825 x10 1,00017
-6 -6
c -7,89039 x10 7,95708 x10
-9 -9
d 5,16535 x10 -5,22137 x10

Standard Error of the

polynomial curve fit for a Level
± 0,045 N•m ± 0,045 N•m
of Confidence of 68,27% and 4
degrees of freedom

© NMISA 2011
Quantifying the sources of uncertainty (6)

• SCF
• This is the additional uncertainty which results from the
interpolation calculation to determine the torque
generated by the UUT at a point in between the
calibration points of the Reference Standard Torque
Transducer
• It is obtained directly from the calibration certificate as
the “Standard Error of the polynomial curve Fit” value =
± 0,045 N•m
• This is treated as a normal distribution at a 68,27%
Level of Confidence
• The divisor is the coverage factor k which for 68,27%
LOC is 1
• The degrees of freedom are also obtained directly from
the calibration certificate = 4
© NMISA 2011
Quantifying the sources of uncertainty (7)

• URES
• This is due to the resolution of the UUT Torque Wrench
scale. (How it influences the setting of the wrench to a
specified torque)
• Typically this would be the smallest graduation on the
UUT setting dial which for this UUT is 2 N•m
• This is the range of the rectangular distribution
• Therefore the semi-range is (2 N•m/2)=1 N•m
• The divisor for Rectangular Distributed uncertainty
contributors is √3
• The degrees of freedom for resolution is always ∞ or
100 % Reliability

© NMISA 2011
Quantifying the sources of uncertainty (8)

• UREP
• This results from the variability in the measurement
results obtained after repeating the measurement 5
times.
• It can be dealt with either as “repeatability” or as
“reproducibility”
• “Repeatability” – all conditions remained the same
during the repeated measurements
• “Reproducibility” – any one or more of the conditions
changed during the repeated measurements
• Different approaches can be used to repeat the
measurement
• Take 5 measurements at one setting sequentially
• Take 5 sets of measurements from zero to full scale
© NMISA 2011
Quantifying the sources of uncertainty (9)

Repeatability

20 % 20 % 20 % 20 % 20 % 20 %
Meas 1 Meas 2 Meas 3 Meas 4 Meas 5 Mean

60 % 60 % 60 % 60 % 60 % 60 %
Meas 1 Meas 2 Meas 3 Meas 4 Meas 5 Mean

100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 %

Meas 1 Meas 2 Meas 3 Meas 4 Meas 5 Mean

© NMISA 2011
Quantifying the sources of uncertainty (9)

Reproducibility

20 % 20 % 20 % 20 % 20 % 20 %
Meas 1 Meas 2 Meas 3 Meas 4 Meas 5 Mean

60 % 60 % 60 % 60 % 60 % 60 %
Meas 1 Meas 2 Meas 3 Meas 4 Meas 5 Mean

100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 %

Meas 1 Meas 2 Meas 3 Meas 4 Meas 5 Mean

© NMISA 2011
Quantifying the sources of uncertainty (9)

• UREP
• Treating as “Repeatability” (as per ISO 6789)
• We use the ESDM
• ESDM = ESD/SQRT (n) = 0,98/sqrt (5)
= 0,436348 N•m

• Treating as “Reproducibility” (preferred option but

contrary to ISO 6789)
• We use the ESD
• ESD = 0,98 N•m

© NMISA 2011
GUM Steps

• Model the measurement

• Identify and quantify the sources of uncertainty
• Categorize as type A or type B
• Manipulate appropriately to obtain
• Standard uncertainties, u(xi)
• Sensitivity coefficients, ci
• Uncertainty contributor, u(yi)
• Combine to obtain combined standard uncertainty, uc(y)
• Expand to obtain an expanded uncertainty, U, at an
appropriate level of confidence
• Report the result

© NMISA 2011
Categorize as type A or type B

• SCAL - type B, not statistically determined

• SRES - type B, not statistically determined
• SCF - type A, statistically determined (standard deviation)
• URES - type B, not statistically determined
• UREP - type A, statistically determined (standard deviation)

© NMISA 2011
GUM Steps

• Model the measurement

• Identify and quantify the sources of uncertainty
• Categorize as type A or type B
• Manipulate appropriately to obtain
• Standard uncertainties, u(xi)
• Sensitivity coefficients, ci
• Uncertainty contributor, u(yi)
• Combine to obtain combined standard uncertainty, uc(y)
• Expand to obtain an expanded uncertainty, U, at an
appropriate level of confidence
• Report the result

© NMISA 2011
Uncertainty Budget

Torque Wrench Calibration Uncertainty

Budget.xls

© NMISA 2011
GUM Steps

• Model the measurement

• Identify and quantify the sources of uncertainty
• Categorize as type A or type B
• Manipulate appropriately to obtain
• Standard uncertainties, u(xi)
• Sensitivity coefficients, ci
• Uncertainty contributor, u(yi)
• Combine to obtain combined standard uncertainty, uc(y)
• Expand to obtain an expanded uncertainty, U, at an
appropriate level of confidence
• Report the result

© NMISA 2011
Reporting the result

• The final result is calculated using the “Normal Function”

polynomial coefficients
• This is because we want to know the true torque applied
to the Reference Standard Torque Transducer when it reads
the mean measured value of 350,7 N•m
• The calculated interpolated value was 349,938089 N•m
• The calculated measurement uncertainty was
± 1,794160789 N•m
• Rounding the uncertainty to two significant digits gives
± 1,8 N•m
• Rounding the interpolated value to the same number of
digits gives 349,9 N•m
• The measurement result is then reported as:
349,9 N•m ± 1,8 N•m at a Level of Confidence of 95,45%
© NMISA 2011
Graphical Representation of results

© NMISA 2011
Conclusions

• Both methods in this case prove that the UUT is well within
the allowable ± 4% of Maximum (± 14 N•m)
• Using the ESDM (In accordance with ISO 6789) results in
the smallest uncertainty (unrealistic??)
• Using the ESD (contrary to ISO 6789) results in the largest
uncertainty (realistic??)
• Always use the polynomial for calibrations using the
laboratory Reference Standard Torque Transducer
• This will correct for any error on the Reference Standard
eliminating the need to apply corrections
• This will solve the problem of the “Applied Torque” not
being exactly at the nominal values

© NMISA 2011