03• 2007 WORLD B e a m e x c o r p o r a t e m a g a z i n e • w w w. b e a m e x . c o m Traceable and efficient calibrations in the process industry How often should instruments be calibrated? An analysis will tell you. Customer success story Georgia Power, Plant Yates (USA)

Dear Calibration Professional, the main articles in this issue of CALIBRATION WORLD deal with traceable and efficient calibrations in the process industry, optimum frequency of calibrations, and improving power plant performance through calibration. The primary reason for calibration is based on the fact that even the best ‘digital’ measuring instruments lack in absolute stability, they drift and lose their ability to give accurate measurements. However, there is a wide range of different ways to plan, manage and complete the needed calibration tasks, starting from the most inefficient and prone...

Calibration World 03/2007 MD’s letter Traceable and efficient calibrations in the process industry 4 Improving power plant performance through calibration 12 How often should instruments be calibrated? 16 Customer Success Story: Georgia Power, USA 20 Beamex News 22 Using the Beamex® MC5 fieldbus calibrator with Emerson’s AMS Suite Free demo for Beamex® CMX Light Calibration Software The Beamex® MC5-IS gets updated certification John Adeimy appointed as president of Beamex, Inc. Beamex provides a corporate-wide calibration system for Scottish and Southern Energy Beamex provides a calibration solution...

Traceable and effi in the process ind 4 CALIBRATION WORLD 03 • 2007 www.beamex.com/calibrationworld

cient calibrations ind ustry www.beamex.com/calibrationworld CALIBRATION WORLD 03 • 2007 5

1. Introduction Today’s modern process plants, production processes and quality systems, put new and tight requirements on the accuracy of process instruments and on process control. Quality systems, such as the ISO9000 and ISO14000 series of quality standards, call for systematic and welldocumented calibrations, with regard to accuracy, repeatability, uncertainty, confidence levels etc. Does this mean that the electricians and instrumentation people should be calibration experts? Not really, but this topic should not be ignored. Fortunately, modern calibration techniques and calibration systems...

instruments of the same manufacturer, type and range, can show varying performance. One unit can be found to have good stability, while another performs differently. Other good reasons for calibration are: • To maintain the credibility of measurements • To maintain the quality of process instruments at a good-as-new level • Safety and environmental regulations • ISO9000, other quality systems and regulations The ISO9000 and ISO14000 can assist in guiding regular, systematic calibrations, which produces uniform quality and minimizes the negative impacts on the environment. 5. Traceability Calibrations...

measurement of specified requirements, the ability of computer software to satisfy the intended application is confirmed. This is done prior to initial use and reconfirmed as necessary. NOTE: See ISO 10012 for further information. 6.2 PHARMACEUTICAL (FDA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration) Any pharmaceutical company that sells their products in the USA must comply with FDA regulations regardless where the products are manufactured. • Calibration records must be maintained. • Calibrations must be done according to written, approved procedures. • Each instrument should have a master history record....

able to comply with these regulations. In such a system, the Electronic Signature is considered equivalent to a hand-written signature. Users must understand their responsibilities once they give an electronic signature. The Audit Trail is required for change management. It must be a tool that records all modifications, which add, edit, or delete data from an electronic record. 7. Definitions of metrological terms Some metrological terms in association with the concept of calibration are described in this section. Quite a few of the following terms are also used on specification sheets for calibrators....

calculation. Standard deviation is used as a measure of the dispersion of values. Type B uncertainty Type B evaluation of uncertainty involves the use of other means to calculate uncertainty, rather than applying statistical analysis of a series of measurements. It involves the evaluation of uncertainty using scientific judgement based on all available information concerning the possible variables. Values belonging to this category may be derived from: • Experience with or general knowledge of the behavior and properties of relevant materials and instruments • Ambient temperature • Humidity •...

without producing any papers. If paper copies of certificates are preferred, printing them must, of course, be possible. When all calibration related data is located in a single database the software is obviously able to create calibration related reports and documents. Today’s documenting calibrators are capable of calibrating many process signals. It is not very uncommon to have a calibrator that calibrates pressure, temperature and electrical signals including frequency and pulses. In addition to the conventional mA output of a transmitter, modern calibrators can also read HART, Foundation...

Calibration helps a power plant in maintaining or even improving safety, as well as in meeting national and international standards. However, calibration is also a matter of profitability. By using high-accuracy calibration equipment, the accuracy of vital measurements can be maintained at required levels and plants can increase their annual power production capability. Power and Energy Operations Electric, natural gas, oil, and other energy meters directly inf luence revenue. Because of rising energy costs, power and energy operations carefully scrutinize these devices to ensure that they accurately...