Choosing a Calibration Provider
In calibration, decisions often involve finding the perfect balance between competing factors.
When purchasing calibration products or services, a classic problem arises: quality, lead time, and price—choose any two, but you can't have all three.
As one of the greatest singing artists of our generation sang, "Don't be Sad Because Two Out of Three Ain't Bad."
Calibration professionals often face a difficult choice: quality, lead time, or price.
This article post will help you make the best decision for your needs and avoid common cost mistakes in choosing a calibration provider.
Imagine you're in the market to find the right calibration provider. You have three options, each with its unique selling points:
High Quality: Option A is an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory that boasts low measurement uncertainties for force and torque calibration, often using deadweight primary standards known to be within 0.002 % (10-50 times lower than most commercial labs).
The standards to achieve these low uncertainties are not cheap, and the time it takes to perform a calibration is often ten times that of automated transfer machines.
Quick Lead Time: Option B offers a reasonable level of quality; the laboratory might be accredited with Measurement Uncertainties likely between 0.025 % - 0.1 % (10 to 50 times that of primary standards) of applied force or torque; there is a high likelihood that an inexperienced technician is performing the calibration.
Affordable Price: Option C offers a reasonable level of quality with Measurement Uncertainties likely between 0.1 % - 0.25 % (50 -100 times that of primary standards) of applied force or torque, with a price point of 20 – 50 % less.
Don't be fooled by cheap calibration services. They may save you money upfront; however, the actual cost is usually much higher.
The cheapest option is often the least reliable.
The likelihood of processes and procedures, proper personnel training, and accurate measurements is typically low with these providers.
So, what's your choice?
- Quality: Choose an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory with low measurement uncertainties. They will work with you to ensure you get what you need. But be prepared to pay a premium.
- Lead time: Get your equipment calibrated quickly; however, expect to pay more for the convenience.
- Price: Save money on calibration costs, but risk inaccurate measurements and the potential for downtime and lost revenue.
Choosing a calibration provider is a tough choice, though it's one that you can't afford to get wrong.
Let's explore each of these in more detail and determine how you might get all three if you shift your thinking to align more with an actual costing strategy.
- Quality
Pros: Opting for the highest quality ensures the best overall experience with the least risk.
The lower measurement uncertainty means your measurement uncertainty will be lower as your measurement uncertainty cannot be better than the lab performing the calibration.
This choice often leads to greater satisfaction, fewer issues, less risk, confidence, Integrity in your calibration provider, and a premium experience.
Cons: Quality usually comes at a premium price.
When to Prioritize Quality: Choose quality when you value a top-notch user experience, long-term reliability, trust in your calibrations, and low measurement uncertainties.
- Lead Time
Pros: Prioritizing lead time lets you quickly obtain the product or service, minimizing delays and making money with your calibration equipment.
Cons: Quick lead times may limit your options, forcing you to settle for something readily available rather than waiting for the ideal solution.
When to Prioritize Lead Time: Opt for lead time when you're on a tight schedule, facing urgent needs, or know the value of having your equipment back and in use.
- Price
Pros: Emphasizing affordability can save money, freeing up resources for other investments or cost-saving measures.
Cons: Going for the lowest price often means making sacrifices in quality or accepting longer lead times. In some cases, the "savings" may be illusory if it leads to inferior services that require frequent out-of-tolerance conditions, recalls of equipment, and a tarnished reputation.
When to Prioritize Price: Prioritize price when budget constraints are paramount, when risk levels are low for the device, meaning you might only need to be accurate to 1 % or more, and you can accept some compromises in quality and lead time.
The True Cost of a Poor Calibration
When choosing a calibration provider, weighing all the costs involved is essential.
Don't risk your business on a cheap calibration.
Choosing a Calibration Provider: Why Quality Calibration Matters
When choosing a calibration provider, consider the following:
- Long-term performance: A cheap calibration may save you money in the short term, but it could lead to problems, such as inaccurate measurements, downtime, and lost revenue.
- Speed: If you need your equipment calibrated quickly, you may have to pay a premium. But consider the cost of downtime if your equipment fails due to poor calibration.
- Brand reputation: Your customers rely on you to provide accurate and reliable products and services. A poor calibration could lead to incorrect results, damaging your brand reputation.
When choosing a calibration provider, weighing all the costs involved is essential.
Don't risk your business on a cheap calibration.
Don't be fooled by cheap calibration providers.
They may save you money upfront, but the actual cost of their services could be much higher.
At Morehouse, we offer standard 7-10 business day turnaround on all working equipment, expedited service, and very low measurement uncertainties.
This means your equipment will return to service quickly and accurately, minimizing downtime and lost revenue.
Consider the cost of an out-of-tolerance instrument.
What happens when your equipment fails and you can't produce products that meet quality standards?
You could face scrap, rework, lost revenue, and safety risks.
Don't risk your reputation and bottom line on a cheap calibration provider.
Choose Morehouse and get the quality and service you deserve.
Quality, Lead Time, and Price Conclusion
Choosing a calibration provider is a critical decision.
You get what you pay for; the cheapest option is often not the best.
At Morehouse, we offer quality calibration services with fast lead times.
We have over a century of experience, so you can trust us to do the job right.
When you choose Morehouse, you're not just paying for a calibration service.
You're investing in peace of mind, knowing your equipment is calibrated accurately and on time.
Consider the actual cost of a poor calibration.
What happens when your equipment fails and you can't produce products that meet quality standards? You could face scrap, rework, lost revenue, and safety risks.
Don't risk your reputation and bottom line on a cheap calibration provider.
Choose Morehouse and get the quality and service you deserve.
Force and torque calibration is a critical part of any quality control process.
But it's not always easy to know what to look for in a calibration provider.
At Morehouse, we believe the actual calibration cost is more than just the initial price tag.
It's also about the quality of the service, the lead time, and the potential risks and benefits of each option.
We believe in changing how people think about force and torque calibration in everything we do.
This includes setting expectations on choosing a calibration provider and challenging the "just calibrate it" mentality by educating our customers on what matters and what causes significant errors.
We focus on reducing these errors and making our products simple to use and user-friendly.
This means your instruments will pass calibration more often and produce more precise measurements, giving you the confidence to focus on your business.
Companies around the globe rely on Morehouse for accuracy and speed.
Our measurement uncertainties are 10-50 times lower than the competition.
We turn around your equipment in 7-10 business days so you can return to work quickly, saving you money.
When you choose Morehouse, you're not just paying for a calibration service or a load cell.
You're investing in peace of mind, knowing your equipment is calibrated accurately and on time.
Contact Morehouse today at info@mhforce.com to learn more about our calibration services and load cell products. And if you ever want to chat or have questions about a blog, email us. We love talking about this stuff.
Please visit our YouTube channel for more information on choosing a calibration provider and our video on the cost of long calibration lead times or read our other posts.
#Choosing a Calibration Provider
