Page 26 - EngineerIT September 2022

MEASUREMENT AND INSTRUMENTATION

Calibration on its own will not inform you at what FLUKE – METCAL/METTEAMS and DPCTrack
point during the yearly cycle the instrument became out PRIME Technologies – ProCalV5 and ProCal Direct
of specification. Every measurement we’ve taken with that
instrument since its last calibration is now suspect. Software benefits may include the following points:
A greater risk is that for an unknown time cycle, we had • Check and verify units when they come back from calibration
a production output that was out of specification, which may as a starting point for verifications and check if calibration
or may not have dire consequences: at best a financial loss, meets the requirement.
at worst, a human capital loss, which we want to avoid at all • Document verifications as a means of traceability
costs. • Verifications can extend the calibration intervals if the
ISO quality standards require that we evaluate and mitigate verification is documented correctly
risk as well as the calibration or verification of measurement • Define verification intervals based on instrument criticality to
equipment and instruments at specified intervals. This optimise value and reduce risk.
verification or calibration needs to be documented and traceable • Performs all math. No need for calculators — ever! And no
to a national or international standard. human errors.
• All information is readily accessible. Provides users
Evaluation of risk is very specific to each individual immediate access to flexible reporting.
application. What we can control when the mitigation • Single or enterprise use.
is specific to measurement, is to use calibration and • Allows for multiple accounts, each with its own unique
intermediate checks/verification to mitigate the risk on two configurations.
levels: • Intuitive user interface. Less time hunting for functionality
• Calibration ensures that processes are working to the proper and more time performing calibrations, ranging from the
set of standards and specifications. most complex situations to the simple pass/fail.
• Verification ensures that all processes remain working to the • ISO/GMP/FDA compliant workflow. Industry-first 21 CFR Part
proper set of standards and specifications. 11 compliant calibration program that is pre-validated and
• Calibration and verification help minimise the unavoidable ready for use.
errors due to the normal limitations of any controlled • Instant data retrieval. Ad-hoc viewing or automated email
process. report delivery.
• Precision test routines. Pre-engineered modules for specific
types of devices.
• Integrates with other applications. ERP/EAM, CMMS, LIMS,
and others.
• A key part of the predictive maintenance (PDM) process
• Helps to build performance history
•
• Provides regular updates to important information such
•
as:
- measurements consistency
- errors (if there are any)
- drift
The solution …….. - allows us to understand the health of working
Comtest Technologies have technology solutions that take back instruments better.
control.
Calibration/intermediate checks/verification competencies
and management of calibration/intermediate checks/verification
are often a barrier to onsite actions to mitigate the risk
introduced in the calibrations process.

Comtest Technology provides a means of managed calibration/
intermediate checks/verification and step-by-step guided
calibration/intermediate checks/verification. This empowers the
industry in the following ways:

Software solutions
Manage calibration, verifications and equipment health through
calibration management software systems (CMSS) of varying
levels of implementation and complexity, with several packages
available.

EngineerIT | September 2022 | 24