Deadweight Force Standard Stability: Proven Accuracy That Lasts Decades
Deadweight force standards are universally recognized as the most accurate method for calibrating force-measuring instruments. These systems deliver exceptional performance, achieving expanded uncertainties as low as 0.001% of the applied force—far surpassing the capabilities of lever, hydraulic, or universal testing machines. What sets deadweight systems apart is not just their precision, but their unparalleled long-term stability.
Extensive studies conducted by national metrology institutes such as NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) and NPL (National Physical Laboratory, UK) have confirmed that deadweight force standards experience virtually no measurable drift in mass over 20–30 years or more. These findings are reinforced by internal calibration comparisons, mass re-verifications, and international interlaboratory studies showing that, when properly maintained, deadweight systems retain their original performance characteristics within parts-per-million precision.
This level of deadweight force standard stability allows laboratories to confidently extend calibration intervals, aligning with international quality frameworks like ISO/IEC 17025 and ILAC G24. In fact, excessive recalibration or disassembly of these machines can introduce more risk than benefit—potentially compromising measurement integrity through mechanical wear, contamination, or transport-induced damage.
The accompanying technical paper explores this stability in depth, providing real-world data, design recommendations, and maintenance strategies. It emphasizes best practices such as in-situ checks, statistical process control, and the importance of avoiding unnecessary teardown procedures. From selecting corrosion-resistant materials to implementing advanced automation and environmental monitoring, every detail contributes to maintaining world-class metrological performance.
If long-term reliability, minimal measurement uncertainty, and traceability to the SI are critical to your application, deadweight force standards remain the gold standard in calibration. This paper explains why—and how to keep them that way.
The Morehouse paper on Deadweight Force Standard Stability highlights key research from several documents and justifies setting long calibration intervals without disassembling deadweight force machines to recalibrate the weights.
Download your copy of Deadweight Force Standard Stability and Best Practices.
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