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Metrology Laboratory Calibration Notice

Metrology Laboratory Calibration Notice

With the new quality guidelines affecting Michigan's industries, the Metrology Lab has seen a very large increase in the workload. To continue to give quality service in a timely manner, some guidelines have been established. Laboratory fees are $145.00 per hour and there is a minimum 1/2 hour charge for all orders.

Scheduling

  • All work must be scheduled in advance (4 - 6 weeks). Your first step is to call the metrology lab. The metrologists will determine the amount of time needed and assign a calibration date. Items that are shipped in should arrive prior to the scheduled date. Appointments are scheduled very tightly, so please do not bring or ship work that has not been put on the calendar.
  • Cancellations must be made at least 48 hours in advance. In the event that an appointment is missed, a fee will be assessed (minimum ½ hour, $72.50).

Shipping

  • Ship weights in cases designed to withstand the abuses of shipping. Shipping of heavy weights (10 lbs. or larger) in cardboard boxes is not recommended. Special precautions need to be taken when shipping in cardboard. Larger weights should be double boxed and individually wrapped or protected by stiff packing material. Surrounding large weights with foam peanuts is not acceptable. Weights shipped via UPS must follow UPS Packaging Guidelines.
  • Make sure small weight kits are held shut with secure latches, rubber bands, tape, boxes and bags. Digging through foam peanuts to search for missing milligram weights is not an effective use of calibration time and additional costs will be added to the calibration.
  • Fifty (50) lb. Weights, whether shipped or delivered, should be stacked on full size pallets whenever possible.
  • When shipping weights via truck, do not send items here "freight collect", we will not sign for them. Also, return-shipping arrangements should be made with the metrologists during scheduling. Utilizing the owner's freight account or shipping the weights back "freight collect" are the recommended methods.
  • Return shipment of small boxes (150 lbs. Or less) will be shipped via UPS. UPS shipping and insurance charges will be added to the invoice along with the calibration charges.
  • It is the customer's responsibility to advise the metrology lab of the monetary value of which to insure the artifacts. This should include the cost to replace the artifacts and the cost of re-calibration. If an insured value is not written on the packaging slip, the laboratory reserves the right to make a judgment on the value of which to insure the package.
  • If a UPS account it supplied, the return shipment will be billed to that account.
  • If a customer requires that their FedEx ground account be used, a $12 fee will be added to the invoice as this is what is charged to the lab by FedEx to request a pick up.

Standards Condition

All standards that are delivered to this laboratory need to be clean and, where required, painted. Cleaning and/or repair of standards in the metrology lab will add considerably to the calibration costs.

Mass Standards

  • Precision weights must arrive 2-3 days in advance to acclimate.
  • Weights should be clean and in good repair. (An ethanol-dampened rag cleans stainless steel weights well)
  • Interior of cases for weight kits should also be wiped out or vacuumed.
  • Cases should be sound with secure latches.
  • Handle your analytical weights carefully. Tolerances are small, so dirt or abuse can throw them out of tolerance.
  • Cast iron weights should have no evidence of rust, loose paint or adhering debris.
  • Cast iron weights should be painted with a light coat of aluminum paint, if needed. (Allow adequate drying time!)
    • Do not use epoxy or enamel paints.
  • During colder months, large cast iron weights should be kept indoors the night before calibration to keep them as close to room temperature as possible when arriving. The lab will not calibrate weights that are wet from rain or condensation. It is entirely possible that 1000 lb. weights may be required to stay in our lab overnight prior to calibration during winter months.
  • Companies bringing in large weights (scale trucks) for calibration the same day should arrive before 9 AM.
  • Weights shall be identified with a permanent stamp or mark into the surface of the weight. Stickers are not allowed and will be removed.
  • Individual weight kits shall also be identified with unique serial numbers.

Volume Standards

  • All volume standards shall meet the appropriate NIST 105 series handbook. These can be found at NIST.gov/LabMetrology.
  • Large volume provers and 5 gallon test measures must come in clean with no strong odors or evidence of hydrocarbons.
  • Vessels with obvious residues will not be tested.
  • Be sure the prover has working valves, a clean glass gauge tube, and a readable gauge plate.
  • Be sure the mechanism for adjusting the prover can move freely.
  • Provers and test measures will not be tested if they come in with leaks, dents, or badly corroded interiors.
  • Five-gallon test measures called "non-reference" or "station standards" do not meet NIST Handbook 105-3 and cannot be tested. These are the ones with a glass plate set right in the neck of the test measure.
  • If any the above conditions are found, there will still be a charge involved for our setup and scheduling time (minimum 1/2 hour).

If you have any questions regarding the calibration services at the laboratory, please call or email: Nick Santini 517-655-7229, SantiniN@Michigan.gov.