FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Why calibrate?

Periodic quality assessment for test and measurement equipment is a fundamental requirement to nearly all existing quality management systems, standards and norms such as for instance DIN EN ISO 9000/ 9001. The latter's basic requirement is to frequently evaluate and validate all quality related characterteristics/ properties/ specifications whilst utilizing reliable, traceable and calibrated test and measurement equipment.

Calibration enables to internationally compare measurement results along with keeping the risk of product safety at a low - a crucial requirement for competeing on today's or future, globalized markets.

What does calibration mean?

Calibration means to determine and document a system's or instrument's shown value or test result and its corresponding abreviation to a reliable, known, primary calbration standard. According to the internation vocabulary of metrology (VIM - JCGM 200:2012) calibration is defined as "operation that, under specific conditions, in a first step, establishes a first relation between the quantity values with measurement uncertainties provided by measurement standards and corresponding indications with associated measurement uncertainties and, in a second step, uses this information to establish a relation for obtaining a measurement result from an indication". Addressing tolerance and adjustment is optional and not necessarily part of the sheer, metrological definition of calibration. Calibration is determined to evaluate and document reliability and accuracy and subsequently mandatory following any kind of maintenance or repair work. Applied calibration require traceability to national measurement standards.

What is important in terms of calibration?

• Are all relevant ranges and measurement quantities considered and measured correctly ?
• Is calibration traceable to national or international measurement standards and does calibration comply with norms and regulations?
• Is the required degree of measurement uncertainties being realized?
• Is the calibration laboratory accredited and technically feasible to perform calibration?
• Does the calibration report include detailed, thorough analysis listing all values correctly? Does the calibration report comply wirh norms and regulations? Or, is the calibration report a simple statement without addressing measurement values and uncertainties?
• Is the laboratory capable of performing adjustment?
• Is basic maintenance e.g. cleaning or replacing cooling fans, DIN VDE 0701/0702 respectively BGV A3-safety testing and fuctioning testing available

DAkkS-accredited DKD or ISO-compliant calibration?

The fundamental requirement to DIN EN ISO 9000 / 9001 is traceable calibration. A DAkkS-accredited DKD-calibration unconditionally complies with the latter. Corresponding calibration reports or certificates are internationally recognized and do not require additional, documented evidence of conformity. In many cases this approach is considered rather unappealing with respect to cost. In addition there is certain measurement quantities (e.g. auxiliary measurement quantities) not beeing subject to any means of accreditation. To cope with the above, ISO-compliant calibration is a considerably appropriate way to address calibration.

What is the difference between DAkkS-accredited and ISO-compliant calibration?

In general, regarding procedures, esz AG does not differentiate between DAkkS-accredited DKD-calibration and ISO-compliant calibration. DAkkS respectively DKD calibration is inevitable in case of specific conditions or customer requirements. Traceability is not affected by any means whether DAkkS-accredited or ISO-compliant. Measurement quantities are equally addressed and realized. In addition, content, techniques and level of accuracy are identical. ISO-compliant calibration is optimized according to DIN EN ISO 9001 requirements whilst DAkkS/DKD calibration certifcates and prcedures are constanly supervised by the corresponding accreditation body.

The most signifcant difference is considered recognition of calibration reports/ certificates. ISO-complaint calibration is subject to a laboratory's self commitment to traceability, best practice, professional judgement in calculating measurement uncertainties and compliance with DIN EN ISO/ IEC 17025. DAkkS-accredited DKD calibration certificates are subject to external supervision by the corresponding accreditation body. In addition DAkkS-accredited calibration certificates are internationally recognized with respect to the multilateral ILAC (MRA) treaty. Hence, do not require additional evidence of conformity or traceability. Traceability as such does not need to be included separately as a fundamental requirment to the accreditation as such. Format and content are standardized, defined and supervised by the accrediation body, in compliance with DIN EN ISO/ IEC 17025. The range and number of quantities included - in both cases - is based upon national guidelines or DKD guidelines, specific customer requirements or best laboratory practice.

Complying with regulatory DAkkS requirements lead to increased cost in favor of an internationally recognized calibration certificate including highly precise, comprehensible measurement values.

Why third-party calibration?

Over the past years esz AG continuously invested in an outstanding and exclusive service offering. Thus, esz AG pride themselves in being Germany's leading, independant, third-party calibration laboratory, capable of calibration in numerous fields regarding industrial calibration requirements. No matter if pressure, temperature, torque, dimensional measurement quantities, lower frequency, RF measurement quantities, or even fiber optics, laser and avionic measurement quantities, esz AG's capabilities range beyond expectations. Speed, deterination, reliability and customer orientation are determined to be esz AG's competetive edge.

Pricing is tied to laboratory expense. Customer are not accountable for a product's logistical efforts or distributional cost. The focus is on an exclusive all-in-one service regarding nonspecific original equipment manufactures, multiple, inhomogeneous makes, types and models, rather than having customers rely on timely, costly and inflexible original equipment manufacturer.

What is test and measurement equipment management 2.0?

Combining test and measurement equipment management and today's Internet-Technology appears to be an ideal fit for connecting internal quality managment an external calibration service provider. Accessing test & measurement equipment data often turns into an intra-organizational challenge. Utilizing web-based interfaces and applications enable instant, central, cross-locational test and measurement equipment management. Relying on web-based applications subsequently voids the deployment of individual software applications including licensing, updating and distributioning issues.

Following an initial data synchronization, data is accessable online, password secured, directly on the calibration service provider's database. Data modification, calibration report download, history evaluation or monitoring instruments due for calibration is available anywhere, anytime. In addition esz AG realized real-time access to calibration, instrument specific status updates.

Does my calibration report comply with ISO 17025?

All calibration including ISO-compliant calibration are processed in compliance with DIN EN ISO 17025 (paragraph 5.10.2 and 5.10.4) requirements.

Compliance can be cross-examined and identified easiliy applying the following basic principles:

• Identification (date, calibration report identification number, contracting entity, test object identification, signature)
• Validated calibration prcedures as taken from corresponding norms, guidelines or working procedures
• Detailed information about traceability and measuring results: uninterrupted traceability chain to a primary calibration standard or accredited calibration certificate
• Underlying environmental laboratory conditions
• Calibration results include metrological units, specifications and measurement uncertainties
• Statement of conformity with respect to a specification
• Transparent display of test points and reference to origin of specification

Does repair make sense?

Purchasing new test instruments often reflects a considerably high investment. The basic question is, whether repair in case of defect or non-functioning is economically reasonable. esz AG's repair service is dedicated to assist and consult customers in defining answers or alternative options. Defective test and measurement instruments of all makes, types, models and manufacturers are evaluated and repaired, basic functioning restored and if necessary adjusted and calibrated.

Why choose repair over replacement?

Minimized administrational effort is characterizing esz AG's third-party repair service. Rather to handle different instruments and different equipment manufacturer separetely, esz AG is the ideal full-service provider for test and measurement equipment. Aligning repair service and industrial calibration turns into a unique opportunity handling test & measurement management at a single stop. Instruments found defective during calibration are passed on to the repair shop whilst instruments repaired in need of calibration are turned to the calibration laboratory. Unnecessary expense derived from handling multiple vendors, facilities etc. are inapplicable.

Is there a service offering tailored to original equipment manufacturers?

esz AG service offering includes options for original equipment manufacturer. Cost involved for smaller organization or international organization with respect to servicing their own products is considerably high not having the opportunity to rely on a specially designated service facility at all or within the area. In addition sustained after sales service is considered of vital importance to prospering customer relations. esz AG offer tailored service in terms of calibration and repair and outstanding options of cooperation. Repair is processed even faster than returning to the manufacturer's plant - customer satfisfaction guaranteed.