Calibration Stickers or Other Methods of Identifying when Gages are Due?

[Pam]

I came across this site today for the first time - you can be sure I will be checking back frequently. As for the calibration stickers debate, my Company uses coloured tape either on the gauge itself or on the gauge case if necessary. Like someone else stated earlier - we clean the gauge with alcohol and then wrap the coloured tape around the gauge ie. plug gauges. Be sure not to cover the gauge ID number. Hint - I have found that if you can overlap the tape onto itself it is more likely to stay. We have different colours that represent a block of three months. I use GAGE-trak as my recall system and then I can search the machine shop floor looking for that colour af tape only. This saves time rather than picking up all gauges and having to check them one by one. We then post a copy of the coloured tape chart in our QS forms so that it is documented what each colour means. In addition you communicate to production that a certain colour of calibration tape is expired and should no longer be used. Hope this has been helpful in some way.

Check back soon on this and other topics. I am glad to find a place where I can go to when I don't have the answers.

Pam

 

[Jeremy S]

We used to use paint on the gages in the same method. The only big problem with using color coding on parts without any #'s on them is the fact that someone working the floor won't know if it has been calibrated or not, just that it is in the calibration cycle.

Other problems are that once you get more and more gages (we have 3500ish) every once in a while the gages go unfound. When this happenes you still know that the gage needs to be calibrated, but don't know where it is. Then once the operator comes across it s/he will have no of knowing that it is past due.

On a note, gagetrak is a good program and you can buy a P-touch 2500pc label printer to link with it. Also, even though you CAN buy it through the people who sold you gagetrak, it will cost you about $400. You can buy the same label maker from an online store for about $140 and it works fine.

 

[curran18]

Hi,
In repair stations they follow something called the checkand-balance act when affixing a label on a tool? what is this method about? is there any document which says the best place to attach a calibration label on the tool?

 

[AndyN]

Looks good to me........

I came across this site today for the first time - you can be sure I will be checking back frequently. As for the calibration stickers debate, my Company uses coloured tape either on the gauge itself or on the gauge case if necessary. Like someone else stated earlier - we clean the gauge with alcohol and then wrap the coloured tape around the gauge ie. plug gauges. Be sure not to cover the gauge ID number. Hint - I have found that if you can overlap the tape onto itself it is more likely to stay. We have different colours that represent a block of three months. I use GAGE-trak as my recall system and then I can search the machine shop floor looking for that colour af tape only. This saves time rather than picking up all gauges and having to check them one by one. We then post a copy of the coloured tape chart in our QS forms so that it is documented what each colour means. In addition you communicate to production that a certain colour of calibration tape is expired and should no longer be used. Hope this has been helpful in some way.

Check back soon on this and other topics. I am glad to find a place where I can go to when I don't have the answers.

Pam

Welcome Pam! Yes, please come here often and share our collective wisdom/experiences!

What you describe seems like a pretty good system. I've never been in favour of putting cal stickers on things since it means next to nothing to most operators - even if you can get the thing to stick or the operators are willing to give the equipment up when it's due.........:mg:
Thanks for sharing and hope to hear from you soon!

Andy

 

[Grizz1345]

I use GrageTrak for calibtration tracking. I use their labeler and affix labels to gages. On plug gages I then put shrink tubing over the handle and shrink it. This has solved the problem of lost labels due to oil, coolant, etc. I cannot control whether the operator looks at the label or not. On bigger gages where shrink tubing does not work I use a clear spray acylic. We are an automotive after market manufacturer and the work environment is harsh. The above has solved most of the labeling problems I experienced in the past.

 

[Dave.C]

Best think I have come accross is a small adhesive aluminium disk (13mmm dia.) It's from a company called Seaton. The disk is printed with "calibration due" around the outside edge and the disk is soft enough to write on in permanent pen, so that the nib also indents the aluminium. Even if the ink wipes off you can still see what was marked on the disk, and they are small enough to attach easily to small gauges, and micrometers etc..

http://www.seton.co.uk/perl/product.pl?productid=1457

http://www.seton.co.uk/perl/product.pl?productid=1461

 

[Coury Ferguson]

I came across this site today for the first time - you can be sure I will be checking back frequently. As for the calibration stickers debate, my Company uses coloured tape either on the gauge itself or on the gauge case if necessary. Like someone else stated earlier - we clean the gauge with alcohol and then wrap the coloured tape around the gauge ie. plug gauges. Be sure not to cover the gauge ID number. Hint - I have found that if you can overlap the tape onto itself it is more likely to stay. We have different colours that represent a block of three months. I use GAGE-trak as my recall system and then I can search the machine shop floor looking for that colour af tape only. This saves time rather than picking up all gauges and having to check them one by one. We then post a copy of the coloured tape chart in our QS forms so that it is documented what each colour means. In addition you communicate to production that a certain colour of calibration tape is expired and should no longer be used. Hope this has been helpful in some way.

Check back soon on this and other topics. I am glad to find a place where I can go to when I don't have the answers.

Pam

Pam,

Welcome.

Using various methods of identifying calibration can be as they said color coded, or even identified on the container in which the instrument was received as long as you are able to assure that the container belongs to the instrument (SN or something).


Coury Ferguson

 

[apestate]

Would it be ok to put a time-lapse sticker on a gage so that the original green color turns red after 6 months, signaling the gage be brought back?

 

[BRUCE R.]

Pam,

I read about your method of color coding for gauge retrieval, a company called Q-Cee's sells colored coded calibration labels if you are interested.

Bruce
Calibration technician

 

[Sargie]

Pam,

we also use colour coding here, as well as marking the tool/gauge we use a poster system with the same colour to let the operators know what is in date.

Alex