Calibration

What is Calibration…?
• Activity of checking, by comparison with
standard, the accuracy of a measuring
instrument of any type.
• Instrument to bring it into alignment with the
standard.
 Importance of calibration
• The goal of calibration is to minimize any measurement
uncertainty by ensuring the accuracy of test equipment.
Calibration quantifies and controls errors or uncertainties
within measurement processes to an acceptable level.

• So if you know that a particular food product needs to be kept

above 68°C and the instrument system you are using displays
a figure of 68.8°C then provided the system is calibrated to be
accurate within 0.5°C at 68°C you can be confident the food is
safe, if the system has an accuracy of 1°C though then you
cannot be certain that the food’s temperature has been
correctly controlled.
 Importance of calibration
• In summary, calibration is vitally important
wherever measurements are important, it
enables users and businesses to have
confidence in the results that they monitor
record and subsequently control.
 Why Calibration is necessary…?
• It is impossible to make perfect hardware that would not need
any form of error correction. Even making the hardware good
enough to eliminate the need for error correction for most
devices would be extremely expansive
• The accuracy of network analysis is greatly influenced by
factors external to network analyzer. Components of the
measurement steps such as, interconnecting cables and
adapters, introduce variation in magnitude and phase that can
mask the actual response the device under test
• The best balance is to make the hardware as good as practically
possible ,balancing performance anc cost. Calibration is then
very useful tool to improve measurement accuracy.
 Purpose of Calibration
• Calibration is refers to the act of evaluating and
adjusting the percision accuracy of measurement
equipment. Instrument calibration is intended to
eliminate or reduce bias in an instrument’s reading
over a range for all continuous values
• Percision is the degree to which repeated
measurement under unchanged condition shows the
same result.
• Accuracy is the degree of closeness of measurement
of quantity to its actual true value.
Accuracy (Error) = Precisión Error + Bias Error
When do Instrument need to calibration….?

• Before major critical measurement

• After major critical measurement
• After an event
• When observations appears questionable
• Per requirements
• Indicated by manufacturer