We live in a world with a myriad of man-made inventions spanning from that delicate smartphone in our hand to the hard-build vehicles you drive around in. Entire industries are dependent on a variety of machines to automate and carry out processes to ease the load off manual labour.
As humans, we have always had to draw a fine balance when it comes to trust. Who to trust, man or machine?
Even in this conundrum, we have slowly evolved our thought processes to put blind faith in the accuracy of an instrument. From our blood tests to sitting aboard an aeroplane in confidence, we trust and believe we are in safe hands.
So, how do we ensure that these instruments(s) give out exact readings or results? This is where the term asset calibration/instrument calibration comes into the picture. Now let us find the answers to the most basic questions regarding this term.
What is meant by the term calibration?
Calibration can simply be defined as the process of comparing a device performance in a test phase to that of a specified reference standard value used universally. This process will point out the margin of error that exists in the test device performance and corrections can be made to match with the standard reference value.
How is calibration implemented?
This brings us to our next question as to how do we know what the standard reference value will be? The standard reference is set by an organization called the ISI (International System of Units). This standard is used across the world, to ensure uniformity in measurement units. The ISI presents the seven base units which are the second, meter, kilogram, ampere, kelvin, mole and candela, from which all further calculations are done.
Where is calibration used?
Calibration has to be carried out across industries that depend on the instrument(s) for sustenance, of which manufacturing plants, calibrations plants and scientific communities contribute to the main demand. For example, pharmaceutical companies that manufacture your medication have to ensure that every instrument that contributes to dosage and composition is calibrated periodically. Another example could be the routine maintenance of your car, wherein the alignment of wheels, tire pressure and oil levels are checked and adjusted to meet the reference standards.
Why is it necessary to do calibration?
Instrument(s) undergo wear and tear with time, and to ensure that the performance of an instrument is consistent, calibration is the solution. The frequency with which you calibrate varies from instrument to instrument and periodic checkpoints help keep instrument(s) in tune.
Your instrument like anything needs the love and care for it to continue giving its best. For instrument manufacturers, the process of calibration is made easy with the help of calibration management software. Metquay addresses this very need of easing your load of keeping your instruments up to date and aide by providing the platform for efficient Lab asset management, Calibration certificates and labels along with job assignments and tracking.
So, the next time you wonder why your blood sugar results are high, it is those chocolates before bed and not an issue with the test equipment, thanks to asset calibration!
To know more about how to manage your instrument calibration needs, feel free to ping us at consulting@metquay.com. We are here to help you!