Company Name: UBEA – União Brasileira de Educação e Assistência (Sponsoring entity of PUCRS)
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul – PUCRS
CNPJ (National Registry of legal Entities): 88.630.413/0002-81
State Registration: 096/2411256
Address: Av. Ipiranga, 6681 – Prédio 30 – Bloco A – Sala 210
Bairro Partenon – Porto Alegre – RS
CEP (Zip Code): 90619-900

There are two means of requesting calibration for your instruments: Send a request via our website or email us the following information: Company name, contact name and number, as well as the name, manufacturer and model of the equipment to be calibrated.

If it’s the first time you are using LABELO services, please provide the following information: Company name, full address, technician contact name, phone number, extension, CNPJ and state registration number.

Calibration quotes can also be requested by sending the equipment to LABELO together with your company’s registration details and the contact information of the person responsible for the material. Once we have the equipment and material, a quote will be provided for calibration.

In order for the quoted service to be valid, the quote must be approved by fax or email advising which quote is being approved and the value of the approved service, clearly identifying your company. Another means of indicating approval is by faxing (+55 51 3320-3883 or +55 51 3320-3901) the last page of the quote, filled out and stipulating its approval.

Send the material in appropriate packaging/containers using a reliable carried to the following address:

Av. Ipiranga, 6681 – Prédio 30 – Bloco A – Sala 210
Bairro Partenon – Porto Alegre – RS
CEP (Zip Code): 90619-900

Items to be calibrated should be received at least one working day before the date scheduled for the service to begin. Compliance with this request ensure completion by the agreed date.

For complex equipment with important operational details the manual should be sent with the equipment.

Remember that sending the material with an invoice and insurance will cover any problems that may occur during transit.

To return the equipment LABELO will use the same carrier with which it was sent. LABELO will return the equipment in the same packaging in which it was sent, if it is in good condition, and use the same form of transport. As such, once the service is completed the client need not provide return transport since the material will be forwarded by the laboratory, with the client responsible for paying the transport costs. For clients using their own transport, equipment will be available for collection on the same date that service is completed, at which time we will contact you to arrange collection.

The responsibility for transporting equipment to and from LABELO is the responsibility of the client.

Bills are issued immediately after the conclusion of the service. Billing is by means of a bank payment slip payable 28 consecutive days from the last day of the service at any HSBC branch in Brazil.

Should the billing address be different from that of the client, please provide the necessary details beforehand to avoid errors when issuing the invoice.

Yes.

LABELO has a standard “Contract Proposal” where the brand, model, quantity and points to be calibrated are described for each instrument.

This provides an additional alternative in the working relationship with LABELO, with both parties are committed to quick and efficient execution of the previously scheduled service, maintaining the same quality that is a trademark of our service.

The time period stipulated by LABELO for all calibrations is 10 working days; however, some instruments can be calibrated in less time.

These include thermometers, sound level meters, lux meters and timers, among others, which have a shorter calibration period of 7 working days.

In specific cases where shorter calibration times are required please contact us directly by phone on +55 51 3320-3551 to request more information.

Contact our secretary and speak to Kim Albuquerque Rieffel to schedule a date, providing your company’s name, operating sector, the number of visitors and reason for the visit.

Every month LABELO typically receives dozens of students and their professors from the Engineering and Physics program of this and other universities, as well as a large number of clients who visit our facilities to leanr more about our potential up close.

Visit us! It would be a pleasure to have you and meet you in person.

Over the course of our history in the area of metrology, we noticed that the doubts and questions of our clients regarding this field were growing and yet there were no courses available to provide company with guidance.

In light of this need, we created two courses: “Basic Metrology” and “Laboratory Practices” explaining everything from the basic concept of quantities, their origins and interaction, to step-by-step handling of LABELO Working Standards, Computerization of the Calibration Process and Calculating Measurement Uncertainties.

Yes.

LABELO opens new supervised trainee positions in our laboratories every semester.

These last for 6 months, with an option to extend for a further 6 months should both parties be in agreement. Those interested should forward their resume by email.

All measuring equipment manufactured is submitted to quality control that ensures it falls within the specified limits. Confirmation of these specifications is provided through calibration certification. When a company requires a document that provides objective confirmation of this calibration process, it should request this service from an INMETRO-accredited laboratory. This ensures acceptance in external auditing procedures and traceability to international standards.

Why is it important to calibrate measuring and control equipment? Measurement and control equipment is responsible for maintaining the quality of the product or production, since it is used to measure or contol processes. Equipment that provides inaccurate measurements may lead to incorrect decisions and products manufactured outside specifications.

Calibration enables equipment errors related to measurement uncertainty to be identified through comparison against traceable standards. Based on this information you can determine whether the measuring equipment in question is within the expected specifications.

Equipment that complies with the relevant specifications are deemed fit for use, while those with errors that exceed specifications must be reassessed and the necessary action taken.

As such, the importance of calibration resides in knowing the actual value that an equipment is measuring. Know this value allows us to identify its deviation (error) in relation to standard values. Once identified the error can easily be corrected and the correct value obtained.

Measurement and control equipment is responsible for maintaining the quality of the product or production, since it is used to measure or contol processes. Equipment that provides inaccurate measurements may lead to incorrect decisions and products manufactured outside specifications.

Calibration enables equipment errors related to measurement uncertainty to be identified through comparison against traceable standards. Based on this information you can determine whether the measuring equipment in question is within the expected specifications.

Equipment that complies with the relevant specifications are deemed fit for use, while those with errors that exceed specifications must be reassessed and the necessary action taken.

As such, the importance of calibration resides in knowing the actual value that an equipment is measuring. Know this value allows us to identify its deviation (error) in relation to standard values. Once identified the error can easily be corrected and the correct value obtained.

Measuring and control equipment that is integrated into your company’s quality system and submitted to periodic calibration at an INMETRO-accredited laboratory, such as LABELO/PUCRS, full meets the requirements of ISO 9001 with respect to the calibration process and traceability.

Traceability ensures that the measurement result is in line with a standard specified in the declaration of traceability. Of course, the measurement result is linked to the result of standard for a higher level, but the measurement uncertainty is that of the laboratory responsible for the measurement. A measurement result without traceability has a significant probability of being incorrect.

Calibrations carried out by LABELO/PUCRS are traceable to INMETRO and PTB of Germany. INMETRO and PTB, in turn, participate in key comparisons linked to the BIPM, to where all the world’s institutes are traceable.

This is a very common question; according to definitions from the International Vocabulary of Metrology (VIM), traceability is a property of the result of a measurement or the value of a standard and is related to other standards, not Institutions. Therefore, the phrase “traceability to the NIST” does not make sense and can be understood as an abbreviation for “results of measurements that are traceable to reference standards developed and maintained by the NIST”.

Nevertheless, in terms of Brazil and considering the international regimes of cooperation and mutual recognition, the traceability that LABELO/PUCRS offers is that of INMETRO, part of the National Metrology Institute.

NIST and INMETRO are signatories of mutual recognition arrangements (MRA) through the International Committee of Weights and Measures (CIPM). The main objective of the MRA is to establish, through measurement comparison, the level of equivalence of national standards maintained by National Metrology Institutes. This provides mutual recognition of calibrations and certification issued by these institutes and a secure technical foundation for expanding international trade agreements.

The mutual recognition of calibrations and certification requires each National Metrology Institute to participate in the activities of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) (including key comparisons) and have an appropriate path to ensure the quality of its measuring services results.

Although the NIST recognizes the validity of calibration certificates issued by other organizations, this recognition does not mean that the measurement results traceable to any other signatory are therefore traceable to the NIST. Traceability is that of the relevant National Institute which, in the case of Brazil, is INMETRO.

The specifications provided by a manufacturer for their measuring and control equipment should be used to determine its suitability in measuring and controlling the production process desired by the client. These specifications are used at two basic times:

a. To define the limits of the control variables for the production process. A measuring device should be “x” times better than the limits of the magnitude that it should measure or control. The manufacturer’s specifications should be followed in order to establish this relationship. In other words, at the moment of specification and decisions regarding its applicability.

b. For approval after calibration. After the device is calibrated and its calibration certificate issued it is important to determine whether it is fit for use once again. This is achieved by comparing the errors found during calibration and those described in the certification against the errors specified by the manufacturer.

The first acceptance criterion recommended is that of the manufacturer. The manual provided by the manufacturer contains the tolerance for permissible errors under certain conditions of use. Should the equipment have a tolerance much higher than their need, this tolerance can be extended and any value adopted, provided it is higher than that ensured by the manufacturer.

This represents the limit for errors allowed in a measuring device. After calibration the systematic error found should be compared to the measurement uncertainty to determine whether the equipment is within or outside its error tolerance (maximum permissible error). The result of this comparison will establish if the instrument is approved for reuse or not.

The calibration certificate for equipment represent results obtained for the device at a specific moment and its error in relation to national standards. As such, a calibration certificate does not ensure that the device is suitable for use. Rather it is essential to determine whether the equipment is within the metrological specifications and that the errors identified on the calibration certificate are lower than the maximum permissible error for that device.

After a certain period of use, when the device is recalibrated, the new calibration certificate provides the information that should be compared with the specifications (maximum permissible error) again to determine whether the errors found are within specification so as to begin reusing the equipment.

It means that the total error (systematic error and measurement uncertainty) identified in calibration are lower than the maximum specified error. This ensures that the design conditions for the process are still valid and the measurement and control device is suited to its intended functions.

VIM – “Vocabulaire International des Termes Fondamentaux et Generaux de Metrologie” / “International Vocabulary of Basic and General Terms in Metrology”.

An international vocabulary of units that define the terms used in metrology.

For more information visit the INMETRO website. To access VIM, download the document via the link provided.

The word precision is associated to the variability of the measurement and to dispersion. It does not consider whether the result is correct or not. As such, a result with high precision only indicates good repetitiveness (little variation), not that it is correct.

According to the International Vocabulary of Metrology (VIM) this is a qualitative concept rather than a quantitative one.

Calibrating equipment involves determining the correct value its sets against a recognized standard. Therefore, since each range of the measuring equipment has its own characteristic (behavior), we cannot calibrate for range “A” and assume the answer is valid for range “B”, for example. There are physical limitations that prevent this correlation.

Following the manufacturer’s suggestion or certain recommendations, such as the criticality of the result provided by the measuring equipment in relation to the economic importance or technical impact of the variable on the product.

Stipulations in standards, technical regulations and ordinances as well as manufacturer or client procedures.

Inadequate use or conditions that cause the deterioration of its characteristics and components.

Fore more information consult ISO standard 10012/2003 – Measurement management systems – Requirements for measurement processes and measuring equipment.

Yes; it is important to check that the device is still within metrological specifications after repair

In the case of measuring networks (composed of more than one measuring device, such as sensors, meters and controllers) the ideal course of action is to calibrate the entire network at once.

Calibration certificates issued by LABELO/PUCRS contain the following:

a. Unambiguous identification of the calibrated equipment
b. The calibration procedure usedc. Identification of the metrological traceability usedd.
Calibration data, including the standard value, the value indicated by the instrument in calibration and the measurement uncertainty associated to this calibratione. Environmental conditions in the laboratory when calibration was performed.

You can request a copy from LABELO/PUCRS via email by advising the model and series number of the equipment or the calibration certificate number.

The recommended method for calculating MI, for third party laboratories (located in the industry), is the traditional method that recognizes the existence of Systematic Errors and Random Errors.

Thus, the Student’s t-distribution is the most recommended, in conjunction with the following formulas:

Arithmetic Mean equation:

Until 1995 the terms Measurement and Calibration were used with different meanings.

Measurement was understood to mean the comparison between the value generated by a reference standard and the value effectively measured by the instrument under analysis.

On the other hand, Calibration is understood as the act of opening the instrument and carrying out maintenance until it once again measures within the parameters established by the manufacturer, at which time it is returned to the laboratory which then proceeds with Measurement.

In 1996 these terms underwent a change in the national technical vocabulary in order to adapt them to the International terminology or VIM – International Vocabulary of metrology.

Today, the word measurement (aferição in Portuguese) has fallen into disuse. The word calibration was included in its place and what was previously considered as calibration was then referred to as an adjustment.

As such, when we refer to calibration we actually mean the act of comparing the readings of the unit under analysis with the values generated by the standard measuring unit, whereas an adjustment is the maintenance of a device that has exhibited significant error during the calibration process.

The difference between certification, accreditation and traceable laboratories has t do with the commitment of each laboratory in disseminating magnitudes and the quality of their services.

In other words, for a laboratory to be accredited, it must submit its internal methods and procedures as well as its entire management system and quality policy for analysis by the institution from which it hope to receive this recognition.

This means that the applicant laboratory will submit to an external audit of its facilities.

Once it has received accreditation, the laboratory operates on behalf of the accrediting agency for the duration of this agreement.

This is not necessary for traceable laboratories, however, since they do not seek recognition from any accrediting agencies.

As a rule, when calibrating equipment seek traceability to national reference standards via an accredited laboratory.

It is not unusual for these laboratories to also provide calibration services for the industry; however their measurement uncertainty is much higher and the quality of their work is lower compared to accredited laboratories.

Be cautious in you assessment of the cost x benefit relationship to avoid problems later on. Instant calibrations performed in inadequate facilities general compromise the quality of the service and result in high uncertainty.

Another important point to consider is your company’s need to maintain certifications and customers through processes in which its equipment is calibrated by an accredited laboratory.

IN accordance with Conmetro Resolution 5, published in the Federal official Gazette on February 09, 2004, accreditation will now replace the Portuguese term “credenciamento”.

This change was made because the term “credenciamento” (approval) is used for a number of other activities and therefore generates much confusion. The final deadline for full implementation of the new term is until 2007.

Click here to see Conmetro resolution 5 in full.

Our quality policy is based on the following terms:

“All actions carried out by LABELO-PUCRS personnel must be geared towards:

– commitment to best professional practives and quality service in customer care;
– meeting the needs and requirements of clients, within the quality levels and schedules established in the Quality System;
– complying with the service level established by the accreditation agencies by which we are accredited;
– meeting the goals of the management system with regard to quality (as described in the Quality Manual);
– operating with competitive process and execution periods;
– seeking excellence in the services provided;
– executing activities in accordance with Quality System documentation, standards and specifications, seeking continuous improvement;
– complying with the primary objective of the Quality System, which is to improve the precision and accuracy of laboratory “products” and ensure their reliability;
– creating and/or improving metrological culture in laboratory users, that is, not limiting oneself to merely calibrating or ttesting instruments sent to the laboratory;
– achieving satisfactory cost effectiveness;
– complying with NBR ISO/IEC 17025 and the continuous improvement of the management system.

Calibration laboratories do not follow the same guidelines as manufacturing facilities.

Since they do not have a “product” for sale on the market, these laboratories are not subject to ISO standards. However, there is another international standard that specifically addresses this field and establishes strict criteria regarding reliability, Uncertainties, Quality, Technical Personnel, Traceability, Computerization, Confidentiality, etc.

This standard is ISo IEC 17025 and is granted by INMETRO subject to an audit.

LABELO has an Accreditation certificate from this federal institution which attests tou our competence in carrying out this service for Brazilian industry.