there is meaning in all things; we just have to figure out what it means
qualitygoddess said:
... software calibration. I have not had to deal with that before, and I'm sure I will have questions. ...
Hmmmm... I have to ask some questions about that, because the term is rather ambiguous.
First, let's make sure that we are using the same (or similar) definition of calibration. Paraphrased from several sources,
calibration is the process of verifying the performance of a measuring instrument or system by comparing it to measurement standards of known value and uncertainty, and which have documented traceability to the SI.
If the result of the calibration indicates the need for it,
then the instrument may be adjusted or repaired. If that is done then the calibration procedure is repeated to verify success of the adjustment or repair, and the customer may get "before" and "after" test results.
(I always like to get that done first, because some older literature and some manufacturers take the position that "calibration" refers only to the adjustment part of the process. That is wrong, because if the instrument is working properly you do not want to tamper with the process by making an unnecessary adjustment!)
There are several possible meanings of "software calibration" ...
I assume from the context and your web site that you do
not mean the process of making sure a software module is working correctly - otherwise known as "debugging the code". That leaves a few other possiblities -
- Software may be used to control an automated measurement system to perform a calibration. In this context a software process operates one or more measurement standards and possibly the unit under test, sends commands to them and recieves data from them, possibly recieves data from manual inputs by the operator, and stores the results. The software may also make calculations and produce reports. This software typically runs from a computer.
- An instrument may have internal operating software (and usually does, these days.) One function of the internal software may be to perform a normalization or standardization routine to determine and store error correction values which are used during measurements. This process is commonly performed after the system is turned on and has properly warmed up, or when significant parameters are changed - for example, an instrument may require that the process be repeated if the ambient temperature changes by more than ± 1.5 °C. The error corrections are in RAM, so they are lost when the system is turned off. This process is often called "accuracy enhancement", "error correction" or "self-calibration".
- An instrument may have a special operating mode that is accessed by a calibration laboratory. This "calibration mode" enables internal software that allows the calibration lab to store measurement corrections in permanent memory such as an EEPROM or flash memory. This is effectively using software to adjust the measuring instrument. The calibration mode almost always requires use of a key-lock switch (best because you can put a tamper seal over it) or entry of a password (bad because it is printed in the service manual). Other data is often stored in addition to correction factors; typical examples are model number, options, serial number and the date of the calibration.
That is why I said that "software calibration" is ambiguous. Without additional definition it can refer to software that
operates a calibration system,
or to an instument's internal function that
stores temporary correction values,
or to an instument's internal function that
permits adjustment by storing corrections in permanent memory. (It may also refer to some new thing that I heven't heard of yet!

)
Can you please be a little more specific in what sense you are using the phrase?