Calibration, a critical aspect of maintaining equipment precision, involves more than routine checks. It’s a complex decision-making process in which quality, lead time, and price are weighed. The belief that you must compromise on one to excel in the others is a common misconception in the calibration industry.

Three faces of service

In calibration services, providers are often categorized based on their primary strengths. Yet these categorizations blur the world of precision and measurement.

The first type, high-quality providers, are usually accredited laboratories with stringent standards ensuring high accuracy. They are characterized by low measurement uncertainties, paramount in industries where precision is nonnegotiable. However, such precision is costly both in monetary terms and in time. These providers often require longer periods to conduct thorough calibrations, which can be a critical factor for businesses where equipment downtime translates directly into financial loss.

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