Between the conflicting priorities of availability and legal requirements
Published on 05/23/2024
Short downtimes and compliance with all regulations is a balancing act. Even when it comes to measuring equipment. The right measuring equipment management system, the right calibration service provider and thorough planning make things easier.
Fulfilling customer needs is always at the centre of business activities for service providers - and not just since the term "customer centricity" became popular. The periodic and timely inspection of electrical installations is one such need. At least by property and business owners. It is satisfied by independent inspection bodies or accredited inspection centres by providing proof in the form of a safety certificate (SiNa) and the accompanying measurement and test report.
In order to ensure the reliability of the results in the measurement and test report, holders of an inspection licence must use suitable and calibrated measuring and inspection equipment, as prescribed in Article 27 of the NIV. This means that the measured values of their own measuring device should be checked at regular intervals by an independent body in accordance with the relevant procedures. The frequency of these checks is determined individually by the owner of the device based on a comprehensive assessment that takes into account environmental influences, risks and the intensity of use.
To summarise and simplify, this means that fulfilling a customer order within the required timeframe and using compliant measuring and control equipment requires reliable monitoring of the equipment and forward planning of calibrations.
The monitoring of measuring equipment, the maintenance of its data and the planning of maintenance can be carried out in many different ways and often depends on the size of the company, the number of measuring devices to be monitored or the affinity of the management for digital applications. Solutions ranging from federal folders, Microsoft Excel and Access, platforms for content management and collaboration to integrated modules in management and ERP systems are conceivable and legitimate. The decisive factors are the user-friendliness, clarity and data security of the approach. Specific measuring equipment monitoring systems are characterised in particular by the sustainable and traceable backup of data and allow standard-compliant monitoring of measuring and test equipment. The core elements of such systems are automatic reminders of upcoming calibrations, the assignment of responsibilities and the management of deployment locations. And best of all, depending on the provider, the licence costs are also affordable for small and medium-sized companies.
Another important point can be seen in the example shown. The current status of the measuring and control devices. This must be clearly recognisable and comprehensible for the user, but also for external stakeholders such as customers and supervisory bodies. A meaningful and up-to-date overview of the measuring equipment in the company creates trust and a sense of control.
Measuring device downtimes
No matter how good the planning is, if no calibrated measuring device is available, no orders can be carried out. The following 5 variants provide information on the processing time for the calibration prescribed in the NIV:
Variant Unannounced
Most calibration laboratories can be supplied with measuring instruments without prior notification by the usual transport service providers. The processing time, including receipt of goods, order entry, calibration and dispatch, takes an average of 5 to 15 working days - depending on the resources or capacity utilisation of the laboratory. If a local provider of calibration services is considered, measuring devices can also be delivered personally, thus saving time and costs for transport.
Appointment booking option
The processing time can be significantly reduced if an order is booked in advance by telephone, e-mail or a contact form on the service provider's website. The ability to plan allows the laboratory to provide the resources - namely personnel and reference devices - for the desired date. However, even with this option, it is not possible to provide a reliable service on the same day, especially as measuring devices have to adjust to the specified temperatures in the laboratory over a certain period of time.
On-site calibration variant
Whether laboratories offer accredited on-site calibrations is documented in their SCS directory. This option fulfils the requirement for very short downtimes, but is only economical with a large and uniform number of measuring devices. In addition to the fact that the devices are quickly available again, the elimination of logistics costs is a considerable advantage. It should be borne in mind that work such as repairs, adjustments or upgrades are not usually possible on site and the measurement uncertainties are greater.
Tip: Some providers of specialist conferences, which are also regarded as training days, offer on-site calibration during the conference thanks to collaborations with laboratories. This means that the participant brings their measuring device to the event and it is calibrated during the course.
Alternative replacement devices within the company
The availability of a certain number of immediately usable and therefore calibrated replacement devices increases flexibility with regard to calibrations and enables defective devices to be replaced immediately. The cost-effectiveness, primarily the procurement, storage and maintenance of the devices, must be examined on a company-specific basis.
External pool variant
An external pool of replacement devices means that the calibration service provider is responsible for their management. This includes qualified storage, the constant availability of calibrated measuring devices and the timely provision of replacement devices. The advantage of outsourcing lies in the reduction of coordinative and administrative activities as well as storage costs and in the fact that professional maintenance is always guaranteed.
Note: For both options, staff will be working with a different, possibly unfamiliar device while their own device is being calibrated. It is therefore advisable for companies to rely on a homogeneous pool of measuring equipment in this case.
Even if the "monitoring of measuring equipment" described at the beginning is implemented in an exemplary manner and the downtimes of measuring devices are minimised, this does not automatically result in successful business activities. What exemplary measuring equipment management does allow companies to do, however, is to devote themselves entirely to their core business.
