Calibration 101

Companies with the most stringent quality standards trust their calibration needs to Transcat. With the highest scope of accreditation in the industry, we pride ourselves on delivering quality, reliable calibration services.

Calibration can mean different things to different people, depending on who you ask.

What Is Calibration?

Calibration is the process of testing a measurement instrument to verify its accuracy. If measurement deviations are found, we make adjustments so the instrument provides reliable and consistent results.

Transcat offers accredited calibration services you can trust for accuracy and consistency. Every year we test and verify over 10 million data points utilizing our industry-leading investments in our people, processes, system support resources and equipment. We are driven by ONE objective: 100% Satisfaction.

Why Calibration Is Important

Organizations across industries rely on measurement data to make critical decisions about product quality, safety, compliance, and operational performance. When measurement instruments drift out of tolerance, even small inaccuracies can lead to costly mistakes, production delays, failed audits, or product defects.

Regular calibration helps ensure that equipment continues to perform within its intended specifications. Whether you're working in manufacturing, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, energy , or healthcare, calibration plays a critical role in ensuring that measurements remain trustworthy and defensible over time.

What Causes Instruments to Drift?

No measurement instrument remains perfectly accurate forever. Over time, instruments can experience normal wear and environmental influences that affect performance.

Common causes of measurement drift include:

• Routine use and mechanical wear
• Exposure to vibration or shock
• Temperature and humidity fluctuations
• Contamination from dust, chemicals, or moisture
• Transportation and handling
• Aging electronic components

Because these factors can gradually impact performance, periodic calibration is necessary to verify that instruments continue to operate within acceptable tolerances.

Our Calibration Standards

The industry standard by which we judge calibration partners is known as accreditation. When a lab is accredited, it means an independent accrediting body has confirmed that the lab consistently demonstrates the skills, systems, and controls required to deliver reliable test or calibration results.

Accredited calibration is a formal process that verifies a laboratory's technical competence to perform specific measurements with proven accuracy.

If calibration services are outsourced to a commercial or independent supplier of calibration services, a decision must be made whether fully accredited calibration services are wanted and needed.

Some suppliers of calibration services may require a premium service charge for calibration services that are accredited.

Choosing the Right Calibration Partner

Selecting a calibration provider is about more than obtaining a certificate. The right partner should be capable of delivering accurate measurements, maintaining traceability to recognized standards, and providing the technical expertise needed to support quality objectives.

When evaluating calibration providers, consider:

• Scope and depth of accreditation
• Measurement capabilities and uncertainty levels
• Turnaround times
• Geographic coverage and service options
• Quality management systems
• Technical expertise and customer support
• Availability of repair and asset management services

Understanding ISO/IEC 17025

ISO/IEC 17025 is the internationally recognized standard for calibration and testing laboratories. It establishes the requirements for laboratory competence, impartiality, and consistent operation, ensuring that calibration and testing results are accurate, reliable, and traceable.

The standard is built around two primary areas:

• Technical Requirements – Personnel competence, calibration methods, equipment, environmental controls, and measurement validity.
• Management Requirements – The effectiveness and operation of the laboratory's quality management system.

To achieve accreditation, laboratories must maintain a documented quality management system and demonstrate compliance through independent assessment. That's why Transcat's ISO/IEC 17025 calibration service programs provide the most reliable calibration data available.

Let Transcat be your trusted calibration partner for accurate measurements, reliable compliance, and uninterrupted operations. Request a quote today.