Glossary · Verification and validation
Calibration
German: Kalibrierung
In measurement and verification, calibration is the set of comparison and adjustment activities used to establish measurement accuracy and traceability. Strictly, calibration is the comparison with a reference; adjustment is a separate step that may follow.
- Verification
- Data and interfaces
In one sentence
Calibration compares measuring equipment with references to establish accuracy and traceability, the basis for trusting test results.
Example
The torque sensor used to verify the clamping force of a press is calibrated yearly by an accredited laboratory, and the certificate lists the deviation found and the measurement uncertainty.
How it applies
- Verification: Test results are only as good as the instruments. Stopping time measurements, force measurements and sensor thresholds need calibrated equipment to count as evidence for verification.
- Standards: ISO/IEC 17025 sets requirements for laboratories that perform calibration. Accredited calibration certificates support measurement traceability.
- Technical documentation: Record the instrument, its calibration status and due date in test reports. A test done with an overdue instrument may need to be repeated.
- Data and interfaces: Calibration values stored in controllers (offsets, scaling) are configuration data. Protect them against unauthorized change and track their versions.
Calibration vs. adjustment
Calibration establishes how far an instrument deviates from the reference. Adjustment changes the instrument to reduce that deviation. Certificates should state values before and after adjustment.