Calibration


SOFTWARE-CONFIGURABLE ANALOGUE I/O HERALDS MORE COMPACT AND CONVENIENT CALIBRATORS


By Konrad Scheuer, senior principal MTS, and Sean Long, executive director, both with Analog Devices


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ndustrial analogue I/O modules are used to transmit and receive precise, low level voltage and current signals to and from sensors and actuators situated on the factory floor. Like all electronic devices, repeated use and changing environmental conditions over extended time periods cause their performance to deteriorate, meaning periodic calibration is necessary to ensure that they continue operating to a


predetermined standard.


Indeed, in many industries (for example, pharmaceuticals), periodic calibration is a regulatory requirement, necessitating a trained technician to visit the wiring cabinet housing the I/O module to perform the calibration routine and document the results. This needs a variety of instruments (sources and meters) that are sometimes heavy and cumbersome to transport and operate simultaneously. In this design solution, we review the features and specifications of typical examples of such calibration equipment. We then consider the features of a new reference design based on a software configurable analogue (SWIO) IC that potentially sets the benchmark for a new


Figure 1. A technician performing calibration at a wiring cabinet.


Figure 2. The MAXREFDES183# precision calibrator. June 2025 Instrumentation Monthly


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