SAND2015-8939PE

Measurement Uncertainty Analysis for

the Calibration of Analytical Balances and
Scales

113th IMOG
Measurement Technology Subgroup
Los Alamos National Laboratory
October 2015

Tony Bryce & Barbara Allison

Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin
Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. SAND2015-8939 PE
 Mechanical Calibration
 Organization within the
Primary Standards
Laboratory (SNL/NM)
 Provides calibrations of
secondary standards
– On-site calibration of balances
and scales

Certain commercial equipment, instruments, or materials may be identified in this presentation. Such
identification does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the authors or Sandia National
Laboratories, nor does it imply that the materials or equipment identified are the only or best available for
the purpose.
 Overview
 Purpose
 Parameters Tested
 References
 Sources of Uncertainty
 Uncertainty Analysis Tool
Parameters Tested
 Repeatability
 Reported information only
 Test typically performed at
50% of capacity
 Standard deviation of a
series of successive
weighings
 Eccentricity (Corner Loading)
 Reported information only
 Load approximately 25% to
50% of capacity
 Deviation of weighing made
at different locations on
pan
Parameters Tested
 Linearity
 Reported information only
 Test performed at three or more
points spread evenly over the range
 Accuracy/Hysteresis
 Certified for accuracy using a PSL
assigned tolerance
 Includes drift over calibration interval
– Not using interval or certification uncertainty

 Upload & Offload Tests

 Selection of points for this test will depend on the
capacity of the M&TE and the availability of mass
standards
 Check the accuracy of the M&TE by evaluating the
upload and offload readings
Parameters Reported
References
 ACLASS
 Measurement Uncertainty Guidance for Hand Tools, Hand Gages, &
Scales/Balances Utilizing a Modified NRC Uncertainty Calculator
 NIST
 Recommended Guide for Determining and Reporting Uncertainties for
Balances and Scales
 Idaho National Laboratory
 Balance Calibration – A Method for Assigning a Direct-Reading
Uncertainty to an Electronic Balance
o Michael Stears / Idaho National Laboratory /NCSL Presentation

 EURAMET
 Guidelines on the Calibration of Non-Automatic Weighing Instruments
Sources of Uncertainty
 Standards (i.e. Reference Weights)
 Uncertainty from calibration certificate
 Included
 Uncompensated weight error
 Excluded due to reported values being used and not the nominal values

 Linearity
 Substitution method yields no additional uncertainty from reference weights
 Included, however application of “test uncertainty” concept would have
excluded
Sources of Uncertainty
 Resolution
 Included, however application of “test uncertainty” concept would have
excluded
 Repeatability
 Included
 Environmental (e.g. Temperature, barometric pressure,
vibration, air currents)
 Excluded
 Would be evident in repeatability results
Uncertainty Analysis Tool
Questions?