Proficiency Tests

Electrical / RF Measurement

Attenuation # 1

Validates the calibration laboratory’s ability to calibrate or measure RF attenuation by either relative power measurement or by the measurement of scattering parameters with a network analyzer. The artifacts are an HP 11582A attenuator set with type N connectors.

Capacitance # 1

This program is intended to validate the calibration laboratory's ability to measure capacitance quantities in the low to mid frequency range. The artifacts are two Boonton CS series standard capacitors. One standard capacitor has a nominal value of 100 pF and the other standard capacitor has a nominal value of 300 pF.

Capacitance # 2

The Capacitance 2 test is intended to verify the best measurement capability of the participating laboratory for the parameter of capacitance measuring equipment calibration. The artifact is a commercially available Agilent 4263B LCR meter.

Capacitance # 3

Validates the calibration laboratory’s ability to measure capacitance quantities in the low frequency range. The artifact is an IET Labs CS-301 Precision Capacitance Substituter. All artifacts have had the reference value established by MeasurePT at the test frequency of 1kHz with a RLC Digibridge with an accredited calibration.

DC Current # 1

The DC Current 1 test is intended to validate the calibration laboratory’s ability to calibrate devices that source and measure industrial loop current (4 to 20 mA). The artifact is a commercially available industrial current loop calibrator.

DC Voltage # 1

This program has been developed to verify the best measurement capability of the participating laboratory for the parameter of DC Voltage. The participant receives their measurement results in several forms in order to evaluate their measurement capability and identify any possible improvements to their measurement system. The artifact is a commercially available Zener reference standard. The artifact has a high and low output for the 10 volt reference and a high and low output for the 1.018 volt reference. The artifact is a Fluke 7001 Zener Reference Standard, s/n 40430.

DC Voltage # 2

The DC Voltage 2 test is intended to validate the calibration laboratory’s ability to calibrate devices that measure voltage (0 – 10 V) at an industrial level of accuracy. The artifact is a commercially available industrial voltage calibrator.

Digital Multimeter # 1

The DMM #1 test is intended to validate the calibration laboratory’s ability to source DC Voltage, Resistance, AC Voltage, DC Current, and AC Current. The artifact is a Keithley 2002 digital multimeter, with 81/2 digit resolution, and uncertainty in the parts per million range.

Inductance # 1

This program is intended to validate the calibration laboratory's ability to measure inductance quantities in the low frequency range. The artifacts are two Genrad 1482 series standard inductors. One standard inductor has a nominal value of 5 H and the other standard inductor has a nominal value of 50 mH.

Oscilloscope # 1

The Oscilloscope 1 test is intended to validate the calibration laboratory’s ability to calibrate oscilloscopes. The artifact is a Tektronix TDS220 digital oscilloscope. The tested functions are Vertical DC Accuracy, Clock Accuracy, and Vertical Bandwidth.

Resistance # 1

The Resistance # 1 test is intended to validate the calibration laboratory’s ability to measure resistance. The artifacts used in this program include a Fluke 742A-100, 100 ohm standard resistor and a Fluke 742A-19k, 19 kohm standard resistor.

Resistance # 2

The Resistance 2 test is intended to validate the calibration laboratory’s ability to measure resistance.  This test has been designed for industrial and process instrument calibration laboratories.  The artifact is an ESI DB 877 Ohm Supply Decade resistance box.  The DB 877 can source any resistance from 0 to 12 meg ohms with 0.1 ohm resolution, and MeasurePT has characterized points on the device to be measured during the proficiency test.  The artifact is characterized with an Agilent 3458A before and after each customer measurement to verify artifact stability.

Temperature # 2

The Temperature # 2 test is intended to validate the calibration laboratory’s ability to calibrate temperature controllers. The artifact is a digital temperature controller with a type J thermocouple input.

Temperature # 4

The Temperature 4 test is intended to validate the calibration laboratory’s ability to calibrate devices that source and measure electrically simulated thermocouple temperature. The artifact is a commercially available Thermocouple Calibrator with type J and K inputs.