Agilent calibration
Since some of you have used Agilent calibration, perhaps you can answer a
question for me. The Agilent web site lists this description for one of the
options:
"Agilent Calibration Per Incident - Calibration using full
manufacturer-defined procedures, including adjustments and pre/post data
for out of tolerance instruments."
The way I read this is that if I send them a DMM that is within spec, they
won't adjust it or provide pre/post data. Is this the case? If I spend over
$200 sending a DMM to them, I want it adjusted to the best possible specs
and I want the data. I do not want someone just saying that it is good
enough and send it back to me. I can get that for $50 in El Paso.
Joe Gray
W5JG
Take a look at: cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5989-5729ENA1.pdf
It's well hidden on the Agilent web site, but if you dig enough, you'll
find it.
You should get the "As Received" data for all Agilent calibrations. You
only get the "As Shipped" data if they did any adjustments.
Orin.
On Tue, Aug 13, 2013 at 6:04 PM, Joseph Gray jgray@zianet.com wrote:
Since some of you have used Agilent calibration, perhaps you can answer a
question for me. The Agilent web site lists this description for one of the
options:
"Agilent Calibration Per Incident - Calibration using full
manufacturer-defined procedures, including adjustments and pre/post data
for out of tolerance instruments."
The way I read this is that if I send them a DMM that is within spec, they
won't adjust it or provide pre/post data. Is this the case? If I spend over
$200 sending a DMM to them, I want it adjusted to the best possible specs
and I want the data. I do not want someone just saying that it is good
enough and send it back to me. I can get that for $50 in El Paso.
Joe Gray
W5JG
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On 14 August 2013 04:39, Orin Eman orin.eman@gmail.com wrote:
Take a look at: cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5989-5729ENA1.pdf
It's well hidden on the Agilent web site, but if you dig enough, you'll
find it.
You should get the "As Received" data for all Agilent calibrations. You
only get the "As Shipped" data if they did any adjustments.
Orin.
I wonder what happens if one parameter is off - do they adjust all
other parameters? My VNA will go to Agilent today or tommorow. If the
frequency reference was a bit off, would they adjust every parameter
in that fairly complex instrument, or just the frequency reference? I
guess in principle, a change of the frequency could have any effect on
everyhing. The instrument has a specified frequency range of 50 MHz to
20 GHz. If the frequency was high by 10% (exhagerated of course), the
other parameters would have been tested over the range 55 MHz to 22
GHz, so really they need rechecking, as it could be out of spec at the
lower limit.
Like at least some others, I would prefer an instrument was adjusted
to be as accurate as possible, but I'd still rather pay Agilent to cal
it than some random lab. I think it does depend someone on the
instrument though. I would not send a 5.5 digit DVM to agilent for
cal.
Dave
My HP 8720D VNA went off to Agilent yesterday. I know it is not
volt-nut related, but if anyone wants to look at the certificate when
I get it back, you are welcome to. I intended scanning it anyway. But
I noticed something interesting looking at the prices of various
calibrations in the UK and USA from Agilent for this VNA, as there
seems to be a premium if you want uncertainties in the USA, but in the
UK there is no extra charge.
In the UK.
Agilent Calibration Per Incident £471.38 (GBP)
Agilent Calibration with Measurement Uncertainties Per Incident £471.38 (GBP)
(The first does say it includes the carriage costs, whereas the second
does not, but I know it does include the carriage cost since I have
paid Agilent to collect it and it was done yesterday.) So in the UK,
there seems no disadvantage in having the uncertainties other than it
takes 7 working days not 5. OK, the two extra days might be
significant to some, but given none of these times are guaranteed, I
don't think one should read too much into that.
Now comparing prices in the USA for the same 8720D
Agilent Calibration Per Incident $ 760.24 (USD)
Agilent Calibration with Measurement Uncertainties Agreement $1208.77 (GBP)
All times are 5 working days.
At the current exchange rate (1 GBP = 1.55866 USD), the cheapest
calibration in the USA and UK are very similar. But if you want
uncertainties, the USA is considerably more expensive than the UK.
If one wants an accredited calibration, the costs are higher in both regions.
Strangely, I just checked the prices on the 3457A multi-meter, as I
own one of them too, and on that there is a premium in the UK for
uncertainties. So I then checked another vector network analyzer, the
8753A, and there is no premium on that either. I'm not quite sure I
follow the logic of this!
It all seems a bit illogical to me.
Dave