General Questions
New around here ? Start With the Basics
What is the purpose of business as it relates to standards?
We engage in business basically to produce products and provide services, which satisfy customers’ quality needs & requirements, without this, which the business will stagnate or perish. Quality Management Systems standards are stated, observed and written description of practices that make business flourish and operate at the required quality level. Presently, business environment has graduated to a state where quality is a basic requirement of which an international standard exist (ISO) to define the minimum acceptable practices.
What is Metrology?
Metrology simply means the science of measurement. This is further explained in the words of Sir John Quicy Adams in 1821. “Weights and Measures may be ranked among the necessities of life” to every individual of the human society. They enter into economical arrangement and daily concern of every family. They are necessary to every occupation of human investment; to the distribution and security of every species of property; to every transaction of trade and commerce; to the labours of the husbandman; to the ingenuity of the artificer; to the studies of the philosopher; to the researches of the anti-marches of the soldiers; to all the exchange of peace and all the operations of war. The knowledge of them as in established use, is among the first elements of education, and is often learned by those who learn nothing else, not even to read and write. This knowledge is riveted in the memory by the habitual application of it to the employment of men throughout life.
What constitute measurement?
Measurement is a set of operations necessary for the purpose of determine the value of a quantity. Measurement is valid only if it is traceable to international system of units (SI), by means of an unbroken chain of comparisons, that terminates with the working reference standards of a given metrology laboratory; from where the accuracy of the equipment used in business transaction is defined.
Who are the custodian of this standards?
Internationally BIPM (and NIST & OIML) maintains the prototypes standard, while the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment (Weights & Measures Department) maintain the Nigerian Primary & Secondary Standards. Other metrology laboratories (e.g. DB Metrol-Solution Services) maintain other reference standards.
How can a simple measurement of fuel in a petrol station be accurate?
For such measurement to be accurate, the instrument use must be accurate. That is, it must be traced to international standards. The only way it can be so traced is for the equipment to be calibrated by a certified service agency whose reference standards are traceable to national and international units of the S.I.
What are weighing or measuring equipment or scales?
These are tools used to determine the weight or mass of an object e.g. thermometer that determines degree of hotness or coldness; platform scale that determines the weight of a bag of cement; a weigh bridge that determines the weight of a truck; meter rule that determines the height of a person.
Why do we need to calibrate equipment or scales?
Calibration is the process that ensures that the equipment or scales used in business fractions are accurate and giving correct information of the quantity or quality being determined. Sometimes these equipments suddenly stop working. It could be by accident, or by wear and tear; or power surge, or becoming obsolete. In this respect repairing, reconditioning, calibration and maintenance is needed to bring it back to operate optimally and accurately.
Are there organisations that calibrate scales around?
There are many service agencies around to take care of all your calibration and repairs needs, such as DB Metrol-Solution Services. The primary concern of a clients is to ensure that such organisation is truly licensed to operate, where their reference standards (In their metrology lab) have traceability to international standards.
Which equipment or scales need calibration?
Every Weights, Measures, Weighing and Measuring instruments or devices use for trade and other metrology operations e.g.
Weights
- Secondary Standard Weights
- Standard Commercial Weights
Measures
- Indigenous Measures
- Standard Seraphim measures
- Meter rod
- Standard Meters (lower & high mass flow meters, water meter)
- Indicators
- Micro Meter
- Vernier Caliper
- Continuous totalising automatic instrument
- Automatic weighing instruments
- Metrological regulations for load cells
- Non-automatic weighing instrument
- Automatic rail bridges
- Measuring systems for liquids other than water
Weighing Instruments
- Micro Balances
- Ultra Micro Balances
- Balance of Precisions
- Table Scales
- Platform Scales
- Weighing Bridges