Why Your Calibration Lab's Uncertainty Number Is Costing You Money (And Risk You Don't Know About And How to Reduce Calibration Uncertainty) How measurement uncertainty drives false accept and false reject decisions, and why it matters for your quality system. If you've ever had a perfectly good instrument fail calibration, or worse, had a bad one pass, you've experienced the real-world consequences of measurement uncertainty. Most […]
What Causes Force Measurement Errors- What Not to Do: Examples of Unsafe or Bad Measurement Practice Expanded explanations and technical basis from Force Calibration for Technicians and Quality Managers (Zumbrun, 2026) This is a selection of examples in our new E-book which explains in much greater detail why each pictured setup represents poor force measurement […]
Dual-Range vs. Dedicated Load Cell Scope. This article summarizes what our calibration certificates show over many years when the same load cell is calibrated in a low range (LO) and a high range (HI). All findings below are derived from the calibration data provided (ASTM LLF history, standard deviation, stability between calibration, and deviations […]
TUR and Picking the Right Load Cell Distributor (UPC vs. PC vs. Calibration Cells) The Question That Keeps Coming Up A customer recently asked: “The quote earlier was for Ultra-Precision load cells. Do we need to go for that grade to calibrate devices known to within 0.1 %, or is there an alternate model that […]
Deadweight vs. Hydraulic Force Calibration: Understanding the Difference Selecting between Deadweight vs Hydraulic Force Calibration is one of the most critical decisions in any force calibration laboratory. The choice directly impacts measurement uncertainty, productivity, and compliance with international standards such as ISO 376 and ASTM E74. This document explains how each method realizes force, the […]
Understanding the Normal Distribution The normal distribution, sometimes called the bell curve or Gaussian distribution, is one of the most important concepts in statistics. It describes how values of a variable are spread, and it often appears in nature, science, and everyday life. What is the Normal Distribution? At its core, the normal distribution […]
The Role of the En Ratio in Force Calibration Confidence In the world of calibration, proving that your measurements are both accurate and defensible goes beyond simply watching control charts. While control charts are powerful for spotting drift or unusual trends, they don’t answer a critical question: are our stated measurement capabilities truly valid? To […]
Start With the End in Mind: Working Backwards to Size Your Measurement Equipment and Calibration Provider A practical, risk-informed method for selecting equipment, decision rules, and calibration providers Abstract Begin with the decision you must defend—product conformance with acceptable risk—and work backwards to derive the measurement capability required of both your equipment and your […]
Which Force Machine Should I Choose? Anyone in metrology has asked—or been asked—this question at some point: “What’s the right force machine for my application?” How do you decide? Word of mouth? A manufacturer’s reputation? Measurement uncertainty? Overall quality? Price? Or some combination of them all? It’s a lot like buying a car. […]
Force, Mass, and Weight: What is the Difference? Force, mass, and weight are related concepts in physics, yet they are distinct and often misunderstood. Introduction to Difference Between Force, Mass, and Weight Figure 1. NBS Document Regarding Force Calibration Services I recently read an old NBS unpublished Provisional Document of "The Force Calibration Service" […]
What is Non Linearity? Almost any load cell specification sheet has a term called static Non-Linearity. This particular article hopes to explain what the term Non Linearity is. Load Cell Accuracy: Simple Definition of Non Linearity In simplistic terms Non Lineratiry tells us how much a load cell's readings might not follow a straight line […]
What is Static Error Band (SEB)? Almost any load cell specification sheet has a term called static Error Band. The term itself can be used to describe one of many accuracy specifications found on a load cell specification sheet. This particular article hopes to explain what the term Static Error Band is. Load Cell Accuracy: […]
