CALIBRATION & MAINTENANCE
IT’S ALWAYS BEST TO RELY ON THE EXPERTS
Calibration service providers can help organisations achieve efficiencies and meet growing compliance obligations, says Gabriela Macleod, calibration laboratory manager at RS ith a variety of test and
measurement equipment used in process manufacturing, calibration is a key maintenance activity that operators in this space must manage. With ever evolving regulation and compliance, accuracy is imperative for most process manufacturing practices. The evolution of device technology across many industries has also contributed to this growing regulation.
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Meanwhile, pressure to keep operations moving and avoid downtime remains high, so choosing the right solutions provider to help achieve efficiencies and maintain compliance is crucial.
Staying on top of calibration of all relevant instrumentation can be a burden, when considering the other many maintenance elements that are in the mix. Engineering skills shortages also present a significant challenge. Leveraging calibration services providers could provide the solution.
Speedy calibration is crucial The types of equipment that needs to be calibrated can range from electrical and dimensional, through to physical, or temperature and environmental measurement. In most cases, the equipment is essential and downtime needs to be limited, so the speed of turnaround of calibrated equipment is paramount. Placement of calibration order to collection, service and delivery back to the facility needs to be a fast process to avoid equipment shortage that can lead to downtime.
Some outsourced re-calibration services can take from 20 working days up to 14 weeks. This can be unviable for many businesses or, at best, require meticulous planning to ensure some equipment is still available while other pieces are being calibrated. Opting for a provider that can calibrate in-house can significantly speed the process up, to as little as five working days. A dedicated in-house laboratory can speed up processes through
8 NOVEMBER 2024 | PROCESS & CONTROL
optimisation of automation and people to equipment ratio. This, combined with paperless processes and fully calibrated reference equipment, enables a speedy service.
For organisations looking to buy ready- calibrated products, buying from providers that offer a wide range which can be calibrated quickly is also a good option. There are strict calibration standard requirements that maintenance managers of test and measurement equipment need to ensure. But not all standards are created equal. While there are a number of calibration solutions providers in the UK, not all will offer top level accreditation.
Bodies like the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) are considered the gold standard, recognised as the industry mark of quality internationally. RS is UKAS accredited for calibration of equipment for electrical, pressure, dimensional, temperature and humidity, and time and frequency measurement. It is traceable to national standards for calibration of instruments measuring force, gas monitoring, luminance,
mass and torque. This is a key factor for compliance and to provide peace of mind that the measurements being created are accurate, and can be reproduced.
Product knowledge and support Using calibration service providers that have vast knowledge of the product can assist with new purchases. And it can help in times of skills or resource shortages, and avoid hold-ups that can result from the wrong equipment being ordered. Using expert knowledge can also lead to product alternatives that may be better for the job, more cost effective or efficient.
And some providers will offer recalibration reminders, removing the burden of scheduling to ensure equipment is always calibrated. Not having equipment properly and adequately calibrated can lead to inaccurate readings. This can cause impact to the bottom line, dependent on what is being measured, or impact on asset health and efficiency. In some cases, it can lead to jeopardy of health and safety, which can have multiple effects on employees or processes, and compliance. Calibration is usually done on a time- scheduled basis, but it’s worth considering other factors that could spark the need for calibration more frequently. These could include things like environmental factors, or when a piece of equipment just doesn’t seem to be operating as it should, or usually does. These are some of the key elements maintenance managers should consider when choosing a calibration services provider to ensure time and cost efficiencies, as well as compliance.
RS
uk.rs-online.com
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