Meaning
Standardized temperature scale procedures establish a highly accurate and reproducible method for calibrating thermal measurement instruments. Sensor manufacturers run its 90 calibration to align their platinum resistance thermometers and thermocouples with the International Temperature Scale of 1990. This step involves measuring sensor resistance at specific fixed points of pure substances, such as the triple point of water or the freezing point of silver.
The resulting calibration curves ensure that measurements taken in different laboratories remain directly comparable.
Contractual Compliance
Purchase orders for laboratory-grade sensors often specify that the devices must be delivered with an accredited certificate of its 90 calibration. If a delivery lacks this certificate, the customer can reject the shipment for non-compliance with the quality requirements. This rule prevents the distribution of unverified sensor hardware to critical research facilities.
Market Positioning
Distributors use these calibration certificates to justify a higher retail price for their temperature probes. A pre-calibrated sensor reduces the buyer’s setup time and removes the need for expensive in-house calibration equipment.
Quality Assurance
Metrology laboratories run periodic checks on their reference probes to ensure traceabilities to national standards are maintained over time. This continuous tracking helps avoid measuring errors that could ruin chemical batches during industrial processing.
