FAQs

Calibration is the checking of a piece of measuring equipment against another of known accuracy which, in turn, is calibrated. Each calibration should be a minimum of four times more accurate than the calibration before. Ten times more accurate is the gold standard but is rarely achievable.

For a calibration to be valid the equipment or standards used in the calibration should be traceable to the SI units of measurement — this is done by maintaining an unbroken chain of calibrations back to National, then International Standards, and finally to the SI unit of measurement.

Each step of the calibration must be recorded in detail on the calibration certificate. So, if you followed it backwards you would eventually get back to the SI unit of measurement for that particular measurement.

Traceable calibrations are the minimum requirement for any calibration service. It refers to non-accredited calibrations which are carried out by accurate equipment and produces documentation showing a chain of values to proves its authenticity.

UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) ISO 17025 calibrations are considered the highest level of calibration in the UK. It refers to calibration that is undertaken in a laboratory that has been independently audited and accredited to carry out the work. It’s considered a superior service to traceable calibrations because the calibrations are independently assessed and audited by UKAS.

AML Instruments are UKAS accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for temperature calibrations and weighing scales and balances calibrations. Details of our accredited capabilities and CMCs can be found at the following link: https://www.ukas.com/download-schedule/10354/Calibration/

Traceable calibrations are suitable for most of our customers, meeting the requirements of ISO 9001, AS 9001 (aerospace quality management system), and many other standards. However, some businesses may require UKAS calibration to adhere to specific industry regulations or to enable them to produce high-performance products.

Yes. AML Instruments offers both on-site and off-site calibration services across a full range of metrology disciplines, including conductivity & pH calibration, data logger calibration, dimensional, electrical, ink and paint test equipment, optical properties, paper and packaging test equipment, pressure, relative humidity meter and moisture calibration, scales and balances, temperature, torque, viscometer calibration, and welding machine calibration.

This means you have access to the right solution for your specific measurement and operational requirements.

It’s important to consider the following factors to determine which option best suits your business needs: instrument complexity and sensitivity, operational downtime, and location and accessibility.

It’s often more cost-effective to have calibrations performed onsite if you have a number of items that require calibration. The vast majority of our calibrations can be carried out on-site, with 90% of the calibrations we complete every year done at customers premises. We can also repair and service equipment on-site.

No measurement is absolute. There will always be an error, even if relatively small. No piece of equipment is completely stable and will suffer from measurement drift (reduced accuracy over time) through physical wear and tear or electronic components degrading. Even a humble steel rule should be calibrated.

From a practical perspective, you want to know the measurements you’re making are accurate and reproducible. For instance, think about if you ordered a cupboard to fit in an alcove. Without calibration and measurement traceability, the tape measure you’re using would measure differently to the one being used by the person making the cupboard, meaning it wouldn’t fit in the alcove.

All Quality Management Systems have a requirement for test equipment used in both manufacturing and quality control to be calibrated. Our Quality Management System is certified by BSI to ISO 9001:2015, as well as by UKAS.

The best place to start is referring to the manufacturers’ specifications (usually located in the manual), which indicate how often to calibrate their tools.

As a general rule, the vast majority of our customers opt for annual calibrations, but factors like frequency of usage, environmental conditions, accidental drops, or even sudden fluctuations in temperature can all have an adverse impact on accuracy.

Also consider how important your test equipment is to the process or application. For example, industries like aerospace and healthcare typically rely on critical measurements, so a shorter time span between calibrations will mean there is less chance of ambiguous test results.

Most quality systems such as ISO 9001 state the frequency should be appropriate for the equipment, its use and risk to the business. Logically, certain types of instruments require recalibration on a more regular basis than others. I.e., a digital calliper needs more frequent calibration than a gauge block.

For some context the two pieces of equipment we adjust most frequently are weigh scales / balances and torque wrenches. In our opinion, if these are critical to your process then the calibration frequency should be more often then annual.

If you’re unsure of how often your equipment needs calibrating, you can check the manufacturer’s guidelines or contact us for guidance.

If you’re unsure if it’s time for your instrument to be calibrated, refer to the manufacturer’s recommended calibration intervals.

It’s also important to be aware if your industry has any industry specific standards and requirements your business needs to adhere to. For example, IEC standard 60974-14 governs the calibration of welding equipment.

Lastly, if it’s apparent your equipment is starting to provide incorrect test measurements or you notice any damage to your equipment, it’s vital to have it calibrated to ensure precise, reliable, and safe results.

Some measuring tools like multimeters and torque wrenches have set prices for the initial calibration, but the final cost will depend on your choice of calibration (on-site or off-site), your turnaround time requirements, and what it is you’re having calibrated.

Our calibration prices are extremely competitive and our standard turnaround time (5 working days from receipt) is one of the fastest available. For a full and accurate quote, please email [email protected].

Calibrations vary drastically depending on the type of instrument and the number of channels. Whether you choose to have your test instruments calibrated on-site or off-site will also affect how quickly you get your calibrated equipment back. As a rough guide, it takes around 30 minutes to calibrate a multimeter, whereas larger equipment such as laboratory ovens can take up to several hours.

For our standard service, we quote a five working day turnaround for any test equipment sent to our in-house laboratory in Lincolnshire (but it is very often less). We also offer an express 24-48 hour service and a “Calibrate While You Wait” service (see below) — please note these speedier services do require pre-booking.

Of course. Our “Calibrate While You Wait” service is designed for businesses based in and around the cathedral city of Lincoln. Our in-house, fully equipped laboratory is located just north of the city (around a 15-20 minute drive from the city centre). Please give us a call beforehand, so we can ensure we have the necessary resources available to calibrate your measuring devices. You can sit back with a cuppa (or even head for a burger at the Maccy D’s just up the road), while we get to work checking your tool(s) are measuring meticulously.

Yes. If your business is within a 35 mile radius of our premises (postcode LN1 2WE), we’ll happily collect, calibrate, and then drop your testing equipment back off. In some cases, we will allow some leeway, depending on the number of test instruments that need calibrating.

Yes. All our customers will receive a calibration certificate once our engineer(s) have carried out their work. A calibration certificate is the only legal document that proves your measuring instrument meets specific standards of accuracy and precision. This will detail the tests carried out and subsequent results.

All your calibration certificates can be accessed via our secure online calibration portal — other important information such as calibration status, recall dates, and certificate numbers can also be found here.

Ultimately, there is no “one size fits all” answer. It depends how often your instruments require calibration. For instance, data loggers typically require calibration annually, meaning your certificate would be valid for 12 months once our engineers have performed a data logger calibration. However weighing equipment (if critical) should be calibrated every 6 months.

Neglecting getting your test equipment calibrated can lead to your test equipment breaking completely, causing operational downtime, and damage to your brand’s reputation. In certain cases, it can pose serious safety hazards to employees and/or consumers, such as electric shocks or medicines not being stored at the correct temperature.

Prevention is always better than cure, so don’t hesitate to contact our team of calibration experts to ensure accurate measurements, compliance, and keep your production up and running.

The engineer will make adjustments to solve any faults or inaccuracies wherever possible. In some instances, a repair may be required, or in extreme cases, the instrument might need replacing.

If there is a problem we will contact you to discuss the possible options — we will never do anything to cause you to incur further costs without your permission (for example, proceeding with the repair unless given the go-ahead).

We supply an extensive range of testing equipment from surface tension testers to permeability test apparatus. We understand this is often a capital investment, so choosing the right test instrument is paramount. Research takes time and the choice can be overwhelming to begin with. Here’s some things to considers to help get you started:

• What material properties are you evaluating? Compressive strength, viscosity, etc.
• Do you need to meet any industry standards?
• How often will be using the machine(s)?
• What is the level of precision required from the instrument?
• What tests will you need to perform?
• Will you need a single instrument or multiple instruments?
• Do you need basic data analysis or a comprehensive software program?

Yes. We do provide on-site training for some (not all) of our test equipment. We can also set up a video call with you to demonstrate some of the instruments that we have at our in-house laboratory, such as the very popular Single Column Tensile Tester. Don’t hesitate to ask our team for more information, and they’ll be happy to help.

No. You are welcome to submit your quote request or place an order as a guest.

No, we don’t hire out test equipment, but we do offer leasing options (see below), so you can access the best test equipment when you need it.

Yes. Test equipment leasing is available on all instruments costing £5,000 or more, with the option of spreading the cost of your new test equipment over two to five years. Contact our sales team for a test equipment leasing quote and advice.

Yes. Our calibration services are available with all test equipment purchases. It’s good practice for all new instruments to be calibrated before use.

Yes. All new test equipment comes with a 12 month warranty as standard to give you peace of mind. However, often this is 24 or 36 months. Extended warranties are also sometimes available on request. Ultimately, warranties do vary depending on the type of testing equipment — as always, our in-house team are happy to advise.

AML Instruments provides tracking details to you via email on the date of order shipment. All consignments sent from our facility are sent securely via UPS.

Take your pick — contact us by phone, email, live chat, or enquiry form. Quotes are generally prepared within 2 or 3 working hours. Where possible, our hardworking sales team will get back to you with a quote even quicker.

No, we no longer sell second hand / used test equipment.

Yes. AML has a dedicated repair engineer who can repair a wide range of test equipment down to component level.

Typically one week from receipt of the equipment.

With over 40 years calibration and metrology experience, we have worked tirelessly to establish ourselves as a leading full-spectrum calibration company and test equipment supplier.

This has enabled us to build relationships with some of the world’s best test equipment and instrumentation manufacturers, including LiTeM (Life Testing Machines), Ohaus, Ray-Ran, and Techlab Systems. Not being tied to one manufacturer means we can look at many alternative versions of test equipment to recommend the correct equipment for your exact needs and at a price to match your budget.

We pride ourselves on providing consistent outstanding customer service from the initial quote to support after a purchase or calibration service.