Calibrating 3.3 million measuring instruments

Efficient (production) processes stand or fall with the ability to measure accurately. With this, companies depend, among other things, on correct and calibrated measuring instruments. Trescal provides a range of services for this, varying from performing calibrations in house or on location to measuring accurately in the nanometer range on the latest optical 3D measuring machine.

The world of accuracy and calibration is one of knowledge and experience. Understanding what references are, what tools are needed and what quality they must meet. Trescal is a specialist in this field. The company's origins lie in the calibration department of Air Liquide (FR), which became independent in 2007. Today, Trescal is represented on every continent of the world with more than 5,000 employees, including about 500 in the Benelux.

Services package

Although calibration of measuring instruments for a variety of industries is central - as many as 3.3 million (!) instruments are calibrated annually - Trescal also offers other services such as instrumentation repair and maintenance, validation and qualification, asset management, procurement support and training on measurement techniques and accreditation processes. In addition, Trescal supports the procurement of measurement systems and solutions for the management of measurement equipment. 

Sales manager Kasper Pijs: "Our team of skilled professionals not only has technical knowledge for this, but also understands the industries we work for. After all, process technology uses different measuring equipment, which has different requirements than companies in the food industry, for example. To actually perform the calibrations, we have modern laboratories equipped with advanced technology to calibrate a wide range of instruments; from electronics, mechanical and geometric devices to temperature, humidity and pressure equipment."

As part of the Trescal Group, Trescal in Benelux strictly adheres to international standards. This means that the company can also support in maintaining quality and reliability of the specific customer's operations. Typically part of asset management and process optimization. Pijs: "Most of the calibrations are carried out in our own laboratories - for which, among other things, we have our own transport service - but we can also perform calibrations on site."

Latest high-tech equipment

Developments in measurement and calibration technology are not standing still. Especially with regard to high-precision measurements, the demand is increasing, where measuring in the nanometer range has long since ceased to be exotic. For these customers, Trescal recently invested in an optical 3D measuring machine: the Alicona µCMM. This purely optical system measures non-contact and, with accuracies starting at 0.8 µm (ISO10360-8), is the most accurate system in its class. The most accurate objective has a resolution of 10 nanometers. Pijs: "With this new measuring machine, we combine the advantages of tactile coordinate measurement technology with optical surface measurement to measure dimensions, position, shape and roughness of components with one sensor. Because the measurements are made only at really relevant measuring points, you can achieve very short inspection times. And because the measurements are non-contact, this machine will also not damage the surface of highly accurate products. Moreover, it gets to places where other measuring machines cannot reach."

The new measuring machine will be used primarily for quality purposes of products manufactured from common industrial materials. This includes composites such as PCD, CFRP, ceramics, chromium and silicon; whether matte, polished or reflective.

Future

Pijs concludes, "Because of our experience in a variety of industries, our team is ideally placed to help think through the most efficient process toward performing measurements or checking products. For example, based on supplied CAD files and associated quality requirements, we can develop measurement programs that are ready even before the first product comes out of the machine. This allows companies to make the right quality measurements even in the first pilot phase, in order to determine whether and what changes still need to be made in the production process. Thinking ahead makes companies faster."