Calibration CALIBRATION
COMPETENCY: THE KEY TO BOOSTING MAINTENANCE
A By Abhishek Kamerkar, senior global product manager at Fluke Corporation
s industrial operations place greater emphasis on precision, workplace responsibilities within maintenance teams are evolving. Facility maintenance technicians, once
primarily focused on mechanical upkeep, repairs, and basic electrical work, are now increasingly expected to handle the calibration of instruments. This shift positions technicians as vital contributors to product quality. No longer confined to repairing equipment and moving on, they are now directly accountable for the accuracy of measurements and, by extension, the consistency and safety of the final product. However, while their practical expertise is invaluable, many technicians lack formal training in calibration and metrology practices. Companies are now realising that simply assigning new duties is not enough. To ensure success, they must equip their maintenance teams with structured training, ongoing calibration support, and intuitive tools designed to simplify complex tasks. The usability of calibration equipment can
help bridge gaps in knowledge, but even the most accessible tools require a decent grasp of calibration principles to be able to deliver reliable results and meet compliance requirements. This evolution in technician responsibilities clearly underscores the pressing need for comprehensive and accessible training programmes that are tailored to non-specialists.
RISING STANDARDS, RISING SCRUTINY Even the best tools experience drift over time. Industrial environments subject tools to extreme temperatures, dust, drops, and other factors that can accelerate drift, making regular calibration a vital practice. Despite these factors, organisations often did not prioritise instrument calibration, performing it only irregularly if it was done at all. But over the past several years, organisations have begun placing a greater emphasis on the accuracy and efficiency of readings, and calibration is being built into workflows to ensure it is completed regularly with precise documentation.
High-performance, compliance-heavy industries are driving this shift as they face increased scrutiny from consumers and audits from organisations ranging from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). In industries such as food and beverage, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace, manufacturers can’t afford missteps in measurements or instrument calibration. Brand reputation, costly recalls, and lawsuits are on the line when product quality is impacted by incorrect measurements. Additionally, manufacturers are increasingly being asked to do more with less. The industry- wide skilled labour shortage, combined with rising pressure to cut costs, makes in-house calibration a practical solution for maintaining tools such as probes, temperature gauges, and pressure gauges.
THE STRATEGIC ADVANTAGES OF IN-HOUSE CALIBRATION While it requires some up-front investment in calibration tools and continuing investments in education, many teams have found that the benefits of in-house calibration far outweigh the costs. Outside calibration may require waiting for delivery or schedule openings, causing unnecessary delays and potentially jeopardising audit compliance. And even if companies outsource their calibration, they still need to perform administrative
20 September 2025 Instrumentation Monthly
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