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Test equipment calibration cycle

I work for a small start up company, and we are trying to determine what we can get away with for the period in which we calibrate our production test equipment. Does anyone know who should define the calibration cycle of test equipment used in production? Is it the manufacturer of the test equipment, is it a ISO definition, can it be self defined by QA and if so, I'm guessing that some customers will complain if they notice a 5 year cal cycle on their calibration certificate which we provide to them.

So how is the best way to define a calibration cycle? For instance, we tie all are signal generators to a 10 MHz GPS disciplined rubidium standard which is said not to need calibration but still needs verification. So can we only send our rubidium reference for verification once a year but extend our signal generators out to 3 years?

Any thoughts?

Thomas

Reply to
Thomas Magma
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Most of our equipment is calibrated yearly. Most of our equip comes with an initial calibration report and suggests the calibration cycle. ISO does not specify a cycle, but if you specify a specific cycle they expect you to adhere to it.

Reply to
scada

"scada" wrote in news:xDQEf.5542$ snipped-for-privacy@fe12.lga:

Also,your ISO should track calibrations,and provide for shortening the cal cycle if the item keeps having out-of-tolerance reports come back on it.

ISO is pretty much "you decide what you want,write it down as your ISO9xxx procedure,and then follow it" but with "corrective action loops".

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Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net
Reply to
Jim Yanik

Take out a sheet of paper.

Write on it "we never calibrate our equipment and ship any old crap that falls off the end of the production line". If now, you do as you say, you are ISO. (A small exageration)

The real issue is the next one:

If you believe that the customers will let you away with longer than is needed to make good product, go with your judgement. If the customer wants a shorter cycle than is really needed go with theirs.

All ISO is about is doing what you've promice to do. Once you've honestly figured out what is best, document what you do. You may need someone who is expert in the field to make you the 1000 pounds of boiler plate that goes with your few pages.

Also get some "calibration not required" stickers for the beepers they use for checking the cables.

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kensmith@rahul.net   forging knowledge
Reply to
Ken Smith

Noted other replies, all seem valid. Just the same:

  1. Consider what causes drift / inaccuracy / unreliability of your product.
  2. Consider what measures have already been taken in the design of your product to counteract these problems including, self calibration monitoring.
  3. Consider in light of the previous two items how long it will take for some stated percent of units to approach the limits of stated accuracy in the proposed calibration cycle.
  4. Consider the costs of calibration and the costs of units found to be out of specified accuracy at the end of the calibration cycle. Much of this will be reported to you in term of customer satisfaction.
  5. Quantify all this as best you can, then you can make an informed decision on how long the calibration cycle should be.
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JosephKK
Gegen dummheit kampfen Die Gotter Selbst, vergebens.  
--Shiller
Reply to
Joseph2k

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