Metrology and Your Calibration Choices
National and international standards define calibration processes, certification guidelines, and traceability requirements. Tektronix metrologists have supervised the development of calibration levels to meet your needs:
Accredited Calibration, the most comprehensive level of service, meets ISO 17025 requirements. Accredited calibration supports statistical process control methods. Some industries and end-users mandate fully accredited calibration as a contractual requirement.
- Performed by competent technicians, proven capable of performing the required calibration tasks, working in an accredited facility
- Includes, where applicable, adjustments as necessary to restore performance to factory specifications
- Includes a Test Data Report, with measurement uncertainties
- Includes a compliant Certificate of Calibration
Traceable Calibration brings the instrument within factory specifications and is sufficient for many applications. The calibration includes customer notification in the event of a measurement issue, as well as:
- Verification of specifications
- Traceability to National Metrology Institutes
- Certificate of Calibration
- Statement of received conditions (in or out of tolerance)
- Adjustments to restore performance to factory specifications
- Test data report (optional)
A third tier is Functional Verification. Functional verification is a level of calibration and is designed to cover non-measurement instruments that neither acquire nor source signals to be measured. A functional verification includes:
- Preventative maintenance
- Firmware updates
- Confimation that the instrument's measurement accuracy meets catalog specifications (if any)
- Intended for instruments that don't meet requirements of Traceable Cal
- Adjustment as necessary to restore performance to factory specifications
- A Statement of Compliance (i.e. received conditions in or out of tolerance)
Go to Metrology References and Resources for more metrology links, listings, and a glossary of terms.
Go to Calibration Plans to learn more about specific Tektronix calibration offerings.
Metrology Facts
- Metrology processes and standards are not static. NCSLI, A2LA, DKD, and other metrology bodies meet regularly to plan for changing technology requirements.
- Tektronix plays an active role in industry metrology committees including NCSLI, A2LA, and DKD
- Tektronix metrologists validate and verify test methods for emerging products, then bring these proven methods into the Service program for standardized calibration support