Is this procedure truly calibration?

S

sjared

#1
Hi all,

I'm not sure if this is the correct forum, but it seemed the closest. Our company manufactures a device emitting a high intensity light source. At one point in the manufacturing process the electrical current required to produce our specified light output is deteremined with a piece of measurement equipment. This process is being referred to by many in our company as "calibrating the device." My question is whether this truly is calibration, because my understanding is that only measurement devices are calibrated. And if it isn't calibration, what is a better term for this process? Thanks in advance.
 
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BradM

Staff member
Admin
#2
A good question indeed. :agree1: There has been much discussion at the forum here about calibration/ what is calibration, etc. To say, you're in good company.:yes:

Do you have internal documents that specify what is termed a calibration and what isn't?

Now.... this is just me; there are differing viewpoints. I usually use the term verification (to assess the measurement error) and I use calibration to signify when an adjustment is being made.

So in my world, if you are just measuring amperage to record a value and not adjusting anything (due to a particular amperage reading), I would classify it as a verification. If, depending on whatever amperage reading you have you make adjustments to the light emissions, then I would classify that as a calibration.

Not sure if that helps or not. :)
 
S

sjared

#3
Thanks BradM for the quick response. Based on your definition we are calibrating the device because we make adjustments to the amperage based on light emission. A quick perusal of our internal documentation did not turn up a specific definition of what calibration is and what it is not, but I will dig deeper.
 

Michael_M

Trusted Information Resource
#4
To throw a monkey wrench in: You are using amperage to test the amount of light, is the meter (amperage device) calibrated? If the device you are using is in it's self calibrated, I believe you are using the calibrated device (amperage device) to set your device to spec. I believe the amperage device would be similar to a micrometer (to put this in terms I understand in case I am wrong). The micrometer measures the distance and adjustments are made to keep the product within specification.
 
#5
Sjared, I believe you are correct, here! I beg to differ with the right honorable gentleman and my friend from Texas! Calibration doesn't infer adjustment, since many measurement devices can be calibrated but cannot be adjusted, screw plug gauges and surface plates to name but two.

The answer is in the output of the emitter and what it is used for. If the light source is measured or compared to a known standard and adjustments made to the power source to achieve a known value, then I believe that could be called "calibration". Although, if the actual emitter isn't used for other measurement it's probably better to term it 'set up', but if it's commonly explained as calibration, it's a tough sell to change people.

The word calibration is, in my experience, often used to describe a 'set up' or initial verification of equipment, which isn't ever used to measure or as a comparator again.
 

BradM

Staff member
Admin
#6
Sjared, I believe you are correct, here! I beg to differ with the right honorable gentleman and my friend from Texas! Calibration doesn't infer adjustment, since many measurement devices can be calibrated but cannot be adjusted, screw plug gauges and surface plates to name but two.

The answer is in the output of the emitter and what it is used for. If the light source is measured or compared to a known standard and adjustments made to the power source to achieve a known value, then I believe that could be called "calibration". Although, if the actual emitter isn't used for other measurement it's probably better to term it 'set up', but if it's commonly explained as calibration, it's a tough sell to change people.

The word calibration is, in my experience, often used to describe a 'set up' or initial verification of equipment, which isn't ever used to measure or as a comparator again.
No real issues. :) terminology is broad, and can apply to various scenarios. I just happened to list the one I use, which is different than yours. Hence the reason it's important to define the terms used, where there is less confusion. :)
 

somashekar

Staff member
Super Moderator
#7
high intensity light source... Do you measure and set the current within the light source and fix it as a factory setting that cannot be changed by the user ?
Do you measure the light intensity of the high intensity light source at this current in some units, using an other lux meter ?
Are both the current meter used to set the current and the light meter to measure light intensity duly calibrated to national / international standards ?
If yes, you are simply calibrating your high intensity light source. Just like we calibrate electrical meters as we manufacture them using calibrated source and instruments.
 

BradM

Staff member
Admin
#8
It would seem that my esteemed colleague from Michigan :tg: is more correct here.

From the VIM ( International vocabulary of metrology — Basic and general
concepts and associated terms)
:​

2.39 (6.11)
Calibration

operation that, under specified conditions, in a first step, establishes a relation between the quantity values with measurement uncertainties provided by measurement standards and corresponding indications with associated measurement uncertainties and, in a second step, uses this information
to establish a relation for obtaining a measurement result from an indication

NOTE 2 Calibration should not be confused with adjustment of a measuring system, often mistakenly called “self-calibration”, nor with verification of calibration.
2.44
verification:

provision of objective evidence that a given item fulfils specified requirements
3.11 (4.30)
adjustment of a measuring system

adjustment:

set of operations carried out on a measuring system so that it provides prescribed indications corresponding to given values of a quantity to be measured
Now... again, it all depends on how one defines and uses the terms. The VIM is just one source for defining the terms. However, I would suggest aligning terminology with a normative reference.

So given the definitions above, it would be a calibration given that you have calculated your measurement uncertainties for the measurement.
 
S

sjared

#10
Wow! Thanks for so many responses and insights! Let me see if I can answer all of the questions.

During the manufacturing process the light intensity is measured with a calibrated light meter and then a goal-seek algorithim adjusts the current up or down to reach our target specification for light intensity.

The amperage is not measured directly during manufacture, it is reported via a firmware algorithim within the device. However, we have verified with traceable, calibrated meters that this algorithim is suitable for our range and needs.

Once the light intensity is set at the factory it cannot be adjusted by the end user.

The light source is used as an activator for chemicals containing photoinitiators. The light source is not used as a reference value.

If I am reading and understanding everything correctly, the term calibration could apply because we are establishing a relationship between a calibrated measurement standard and then adjusting our light source accordingly. However, the terms initial setup or verification could also be applicable depending on how we want to define things.

:thanx: :thanx: :thanx:
 
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