Calibration Methods and Traceability

Directives or standards often require organizations to provide accurate temperature measurements traceable to national or international standards. Thermometer calibration is important because it is an integral part of quality assurance in industry, ensures effective testing in laboratories and protects the public in matters of food safety.

Each time a thermometer is calibrated, the process should be documented. A calibration done without a certificate can be called into question. Many suppliers of food safety and industrial thermometers don't include calibration services, which means third-party testers have to be employed to provide traceable testing certificates.

ThermoWorks, on the other hand, has a fully operational calibration laboratory that offers NIST-Traceable certificates. Standards are kept for infrared and contact thermometry and are regularly sent to primary temperature labs to maintain NIST-Traceability.

ThermoWorks is equipped with a metrology lab that employs calibration baths with stabilities to ±0.005°C for accurate probe calibrations. Their Fluke/Hart Scientific metrology standard has a published accuracy to ± 0.000015°C. Many thermometers will never need that type of precision in food service and industrial settings however, it's nice to know that performance levels are backed by high-end standards.

There are six different Blackbody Targets in the ThermoWorks' infrared calibration lab from internationally recognized metrology suppliers, and their Humidity Generator has an uncertainty of only 0.5%RH.

Calibrations are available at pre-determined temperature points or at custom temperatures defined by the customer. Calibration certificates are offered with new purchases or with recalibration services on units sold by any manufacturer.

Actual test data - for each requested temperature point - is reported on each certificate showing the individual instrument's recorded error, the standard or reference temperature and how it compared with the manufacturer's specification.

NIST-Traceable certificates are available in the following categories and ranges:

NIST-Traceable Probe & Meter Calibrations
Probe calibrations from -112 to 2192°F (-80 to 1200°C)
Meter calibrations from -256 to 2300°F (-160 to 1260°C)
System calibrations offered (i.e. probe and meter together)
Data logger calibrations available (both probe and ambient sensors)

NIST-Traceable Infrared Calibrations
Infrared calibrations from -22 to 1292°F (-30 to 700°C)
Single and multi-point certificates
6 different Blackbody Targets from multiple vendors

NIST-Traceable Humidity Meter Calibrations
Hygrometer calibrations from 10 to 95% humidity
At ambient temperatures from 32 to 158°F (0 to 70°C)
Humidity in air
Single and multi-point certificates