Customer Reviews

Calibration: Philosophy in Practice

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I had read this book because of an ISO 9000 issue after an audit. This book was very helpful on metrology fundamental and uncertainty statement, that was our concern. The explanations are very good for a begineer. Because Fluke is a manufacturer of electronic testing equipment (DVMs, oscilloscopes, calibrators), the book covers only themes regarding the metrology of electronic devices, including fundamental of electronic equipment calibrations. I recomend sections two (Elements of Metrology), section five (statistics)and section six (Laboratory Management). Chapter 22 is very good explaining uncertainty issues. However, the book is focused in calibration laboratories and it isn't clear metrology applications according to ISO 9000 requirements, that is a widely required by many people.

This book was written by the Fluke Corporation, a major manufacturer of quality electronic testing equipment such as digital multi-meters (DMM). Most chapters explain a feature or standard to be measured. The chapters explain how the standard is traceable to NIST (National Institute of Standards and Testing) and explain how the Fluke Corporation performs its calibration. This reader believes that if this subject matter appeals to anyone, the chapter overviews and summaries are the most interesting. The book has many schematics and shows various testing and calibration circuits, enough to cause anyones eyes to glaze over. This book is not really for someone in the general quality-calibration field interested in the "philosophy of calibration". I found it a narrow specific technical book that would be of interest to a few people planning to setup up a calibration laboratory for a large company or a service company. This book really goes in-depth into the calibrating equipment, circuits and various alternative ways to measure the same feature. I reviewed this book to let it be known that the title is a little mis-leading and gives no hint to the onslaught of technical information within. The book is more for someone known as a calibrator's calibrator. It will give some appreciation to why some DMM cost $10.00 and some over
$600.00

"Calibration" reviews some of the most important application notes of Fluke on devices and techniques that are still important to most metrology laboratories around the world. It is centered around electrical metrology, and some of its last chapters are dedicated to laboratory management and control. Just to keep it short, the sections on AC metrology and AC-DC transfers call for special attention, as they are very up-to-date even at the present days.

The scope of the book is very large; yet, it can be very specific on most of the chapters, and present all the most important topics and bibliography on subjects, without getting too deep into complicated language and technical obscure terminology at all. All this make of it a book which must certainly be among the prime references of the experienced metrologist as well as people new to metrology, or anyone who, for some reason, needs to make use of any metrology tools.