Hi Mike The calibration interval really depends on the standards in your scope of accreditation as much or more than any agreement between the manufacturer and test lab. For example, if you are testing to ANSI C63.4 (i.e. any FCC part 15 device) the section 4.4.1 has a maximum interval allowance of up to 2 years or shorter. Other standards may require other intervals.
If there is no specified interval in the standard being used then the manufacturer and lab can agree on a reasonable interval. Dennis Ward Evaluation Engineer American TCB Certification Resource for the Wireless Industry www.atcb.com 703-847-4700 fax 703-847-6888 direct - 703-880-4841 cell - 209-769-8316 NOTICE: This E-Mail message and any attachment may contain privileged or company proprietary information. If you received this message in error, please return to the sender. From: emc-p...@ieee.org [mailto:emc-p...@ieee.org] On Behalf Of rehel...@mmm.com Sent: 03/20/2006 1:07 AM To: emc-p...@ieee.org Subject: Re: Calibration of test equipment Mike, I have searched for this answer before. I have not found anything anywhere that requires a specific time period between calibration. Just manufacturers recommendations or whatever is agreed between you and your calibration lab. The dangers of extending it beyond a year has been documented previously. Bob Heller 3M EMC Laboratory, 76-1-01 St. Paul, MN 55107-1208 Tel: 651- 778-6336 Fax: 651-778-6252 ========================= "Mike Hopkins" <michael.hopkins@ thermo.com> To Sent by: <emc-p...@ieee.org> emc-p...@ieee.org cc "Tricia Rakiey" <tricia.rak...@thermo.com> 03/16/2006 03:31 Subject PM Calibration of test equipment It's my understanding that the MRA's require that test instruments used for compliance to European Norms be calibrated by an accredited lab --- in the US, NVLAP, A2LA, and (another?). As a manfacturer, we recommend our products be calibrated yearly. ISO 17025 includes clause 5.10.4.4, which states: "The calibration certificate (or calibration lable) shall not contain any recommendation on the calibration interval except where this has been agreed with the customer. This requirement may be superseded by legal regulations." ISO 17025 is, of course, the basis of accreditation to NVLAP or A2LA and others... My question to the group is: Is there some requirement under the MRA's or European Norms that states equipment must be calibrated periodically, and is "periodically" defined?? It seems to me allowing the customer to decide on when calibration is due (per ISO) can lead to no requirement for calibrations at all, which in turn, puts the whole accreditation issue in question... I find this hard to believe, but I haven't identified a paragraph makes it clear.. Best Regards, Michael Hopkins Manager, Customer Technical Center Process Instruments Division Thermo Electron Corporation One Lowell Research Center Lowell, MA 01852 Tel: +1 978 275 0800 ext. 334 Mobile: +1 603 765 3736 michael.hopk...@thermo.com www.thermo.com/esd - ---------------------------------------------------------------- This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc discussion list. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to emc-p...@ieee.org Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html For help, send mail to the list administrators: Scott Douglas emcp...@ptcnh.net Mike Cantwell mcantw...@ieee.org For policy questions, send mail to: Jim Bacher: j.bac...@ieee.org David Heald: emc-p...@daveheald.com All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://www.ieeecommunities.org/emc-pstc - This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc discussion list. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to emc-p...@ieee.org Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html For help, send mail to the list administrators: Scott Douglas emcp...@ptcnh.net Mike Cantwell mcantw...@ieee.org For policy questions, send mail to: Jim Bacher: j.bac...@ieee.org David Heald: emc-p...@daveheald.com All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://www.ieeecommunities.org/emc-pstc - This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc discussion list. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to emc-p...@ieee.org Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html For help, send mail to the list administrators: Scott Douglas emcp...@ptcnh.net Mike Cantwell mcantw...@ieee.org For policy questions, send mail to: Jim Bacher: j.bac...@ieee.org David Heald: emc-p...@daveheald.com All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://www.ieeecommunities.org/emc-pstc
