Disposal of Calibrated Measurement and Test Equipment

M

mecramur

#1
Should equipment in a calibration program that is being disposed or removed from the program be calibrated before it is disposed or removed?
 
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Stijloor

Staff member
Super Moderator
#2
Re: Disposal of calibrated equipment

Should equipment in a calibration program that is being disposed or removed from the program be calibrated before it is disposed or removed?
Why would you? It does not make economic sense....

Stijloor.
 

Jerry Eldred

Forum Moderator
Super Moderator
#3
Re: Disopsal of calibrated equipment

Sometimes (usually) YES, but not always. The purpose of AS FOUND measurements in a re-calibration is to verify if the instrument drifted out of tolerance during the previous calibration cycle. So if it is not being re-submitted for re-calibration, but is being disposed, you still need that information. If you are pulling it out of service at the end of the calibration interval (or during it), you need to know if while it was being used in it's final cal interval, if any readings made were out of tolerance so that appropriate corrective action can be taken.

The reason it is a USUALLY, is depends on your quality system, and also, if it was not in an active calibration interval, under those circumstances, there may be no need for a final outgoing re-calibration. If it was in storage or inactive prior to being disposed, there is (in my opinion - maybe some others will think of reasons that don't come to mind) no need for a re-calibration.

If it is not a big cost, it is probably a better practice. You never know what eventuality may come up, and this draws a document traceability path. I remember in the Navy calibration program (way back when - maybe the same today) when ever we made something inactive, we also were required to to a calibration prior to putting inactive.
 

SteelMaiden

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
#4
Re: Disposal of calibrated equipment

Should equipment in a calibration program that is being disposed or removed from the program be calibrated before it is disposed or removed?
I probably would just to have a record that it was functioning properly (calibrated) so there would be no question about product produced after the last valid calibration and the time you destroyed it. I suppose it would depend on requirements for your industry, the past history of the measuring device etc. As long as you can justify what you do, you should be ok.
 

bobdoering

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#5
Re: Disposal of calibrated equipment

Why would you? It does not make economic sense....
Maybe not economic sense, but it does make sense. If you have made product with the device prior to decommissioning it, it would be good to know if it was reading correctly, or - if not - whether you need to recall product made using that gage.


Remember, calibrate does not mean 'adjust' - it means verify to the standard.
 

Jim Wynne

Staff member
Admin
#6
Re: Disposal of calibrated equipment

Should equipment in a calibration program that is being disposed or removed from the program be calibrated before it is disposed or removed?
Welcome to the Cove. :bigwave:

Is your concern the fact that an item being disposed of was past its calibration due date at the time of disposal? In other words, is your concern that you'll have a record of a thing that wasn't calibrated when it was supposed to be, but has been gotten rid of? If this is the case, was the device taken out of service before its due date?
 

BradM

Staff member
Admin
#7
Re: Disopsal of calibrated equipment

Sometimes (usually) YES, but not always. The purpose of AS FOUND measurements in a re-calibration is to verify if the instrument drifted out of tolerance during the previous calibration cycle. So if it is not being re-submitted for re-calibration, but is being disposed, you still need that information. If you are pulling it out of service at the end of the calibration interval (or during it), you need to know if while it was being used in it's final cal interval, if any readings made were out of tolerance so that appropriate corrective action can be taken.

The reason it is a USUALLY, is depends on your quality system, and also, if it was not in an active calibration interval, under those circumstances, there may be no need for a final outgoing re-calibration. If it was in storage or inactive prior to being disposed, there is (in my opinion - maybe some others will think of reasons that don't come to mind) no need for a re-calibration.

If it is not a big cost, it is probably a better practice. You never know what eventuality may come up, and this draws a document traceability path. I remember in the Navy calibration program (way back when - maybe the same today) when ever we made something inactive, we also were required to to a calibration prior to putting inactive.
:agree1: Agreed. I still employ the practice.

If you are interested in the confidence in calibrated instruments and concerned with possible error in a calibrated instrument, disposing of an instrument does not immediately negate that concern.

If an instrument was used and any potential error from that instrument could have impacted a process, then I would say you would want some kind of verification that it was not way out of tolerance during use. Like Jerry suggested, if it's been sitting inactive and not used, then there is no need to calibrate.

The risk is that you could end up with some process deviations, and the piece of equipment that was disposed of, was part of that process. Could it have contributed to the deviations? That final check, IMHO, has value should a situation like this come up.:)
 

BradM

Staff member
Admin
#8
Re: Disposal of calibrated equipment

I probably would just to have a record that it was functioning properly (calibrated) so there would be no question about product produced after the last valid calibration and the time you destroyed it. I suppose it would depend on requirements for your industry, the past history of the measuring device etc. As long as you can justify what you do, you should be ok.
Maybe not economic sense, but it does make sense. If you have made product with the device prior to decommissioning it, it would be good to know if it was reading correctly, or - if not - whether you need to recall product made using that gage.


Remember, calibrate does not mean 'adjust' - it means verify to the standard.
Exactly. :agree1: Sorry my post sounds like yours:eek:; I was compiling mine when you posted.

I know of a lot of people who buy thermometers (with a certificate), then toss them and buy new ones. My advice? Why bother with any of it? Just don't calibrate anything. :D

Most of the time I have never had an issue, as instruments being disposed weren't being used anyway (hence them being disposed:tg:). But you never know; I'd rather have the confidence. :agree1:
 
M

mecramur

#9
Re: Disposal of Calibrated Equipment

Thank you for the inputs.

A little background information. I am re-writing our calibration SOP. The current SOP specifys that all disposed equipment be calibrated before it is taken out of the program. This is quite a restrictive statement and does not leave room for equipment that may not have been used during its last cal interval.

I agree with Jerry that calibrating an item that was never in use since it's lasts cal cycle, ie in storage, should be exempt from this requirement as it has no impact and is a unneccesary cost. This is the kind of information I am looking for.

Any other thoughts on exemptions from this policy?
 
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