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Fluke Calibration Blog
Calibration Equipment & Standards and Calibration Software
Apr 15, 2019
What knocks a digital instrument “out of calibration?”
Three common causes of calibration problems are:
Component shift. First, the major components of test instruments (for example, voltage references, input dividers, current shunts) can simply shift over time. This shifting is minor and usually harmless if you keep a good calibration schedule; this shifting is typically what calibration finds and corrects.
Drops. Suppose you drop a current clamp — hard. How do you know that clamp will...
Apr 12, 2019
Why Technicians Calibrate at the Bench -
Technicians calibrate at the bench to ensure calibrations are effective and don’t result in degradation of performance. They ensure that all components are in good working order prior to installation, and can evaluate them when component failure is suspected. The bench provides a stable ambient environment for calibration, an opportunity to use the most accurate equipment, and protection from factory conditions during the commissioning, testing,...
Apr 12, 2019
If you calibrate dial gauges, you know it can be challenging to interpret readings on the gauge's display when the pointer is between marks on the gauge face. You can diminish this error source by performing a cardinal point calibration, adjusting the pressure so that the dial gauge pointer is aligned with the cardinal point. The pressure standard now reads a value slightly different than the dial gauge, representing the error in the gauge.
In this example, we explain how to perform a cardinal...
Apr 12, 2019
Complete maintenance of a HART transmitter involves three distinct operations: configuration, calibration, and adjustment. Often configuration tasks can be accomplished only with a communicator, but adjustment and calibration require equipment that can accurately source pressure and measure current. Most communicators do not have the capability to measure or source analog values.
Configuring a HART transmitter consists of communicating with the transmitter and verifying its configuration data...
Apr 11, 2019
HART (Highway Addressable Remote Transducer) Protocol is an open standard used globally to send and receive digital information using analog wiring between smart devices and control systems. With over 30 million devices installed, it is the most popular protocol used in the field. HART was first available in the late 1980s and quickly gained in popularity mainly due to its ability to continue to support the older 4-20 mA analog protocol while adding the significant benefits of digital smart...
Apr 11, 2019
A traditional analog transmitter is fairly simple and straightforward. Typically, there are two types of possible adjustments: zero and span. Configuring, testing and calibration are all accomplished by changing these two adjustments to set the correct relationship between the input pressure and the 4-20 mA output.
HART transmitters are considerably more complex. Like the older analog transmitters, HART transmitters have the same pressure input and 4-20 mA output, but in addition to the...
Apr 11, 2019
Pressure transmitters are used in mission-critical applications such as determining the flow of fluids through a pipeline or ensuring process integrity in a process plant. Process professionals must test and calibrate these pressure transmitters regularly to ensure that they are functioning properly and within specification.
In this example, we use the Fluke Calibration 2271A Industrial Pressure Calibrator to automate testing and calibration of pressure transmitters from 10 in of water to...
Apr 11, 2019
As part of custody transfer, technicians routinely calibrate all the pressure and temperature transmitters involved in the flow of oil and gas as well as the pressure in the pipelines and related equipment.
Too often in search of accuracy, attention is focused entirely on the flow meter's performance under ideal conditions. But there are many other controllable factors that affect system accuracy. Here are some actions to consider:
Properly align the pipes leading to and away from the flow...
Apr 09, 2019
Pressure transmitter manufacturers have improved the accuracy and technology designed into these smart pressure measurement devices. Many conventional calibration tools have become inadequate or simply unable to test and calibrate these high accuracy pressure transmitters. Better test solutions are required.
Verifying and documenting the performance and adjusting a HART smart pressure transmitter can require a bucket full of tools. In the past, it was common to use a HART communicator...
Dec 06, 2018
Using ice and boiling water to calibrate temperature is easy and fast. However, the water method can be inaccurate because of variations in altitude, atmospheric pressure and water purity -- and the inaccuracies are unknown. When you're calibrating you want to avoid as many unknowns and inaccuracies as possible.
Using a dry-block calibrator is a far better way to calibrate temperature. A dry-block provides a better measurement because it has a known accuracy.
In this brief video I will...