When Should Lab Testing Equipment Test for Accuracy?
Lab Testing Equipment Test for Accuracy is important for any business and lab environment. No matter what kind of experiment or research you perform and what type of equipment you use, conducting a test for research at the right time is crucial to getting an accurate result. So, when should lab instruments be tested for accuracy?
The right time to apply tests for accuracy on lab equipment varies depending on the type of model, the frequency of use, and many more. Read on to understand the details of some exciting benefits of testing equipment for accuracy from time to time.
When Should Lab Testing Equipment Test for Accuracy?
You should conduct a lab testing equipment test for accuracy, whenever any new reagent unless the lab can verify that there is no change in results.
There are particular periods that you should look out for when it comes to lab testing equipment for accuracy. Some equipment needs to test more often every month while others require testing every 3 to 6 months. However, you may need to test some equipment once a year that you don’t use more frequently.
In this case, you can schedule an extra equipment tune-up for include such as large measuring projects or major experimentation. If your laboratory is collaborating with others to cross-reference findings, you should prepare another testing session. Overall, the best way to determine when should lab instrument be tested for accuracy is to check the user’s manual.
The equipment manual should recommend the schedule for the time to test for maximum accuracy. And you must adhere to that schedule strictly to maintain precision. Between calibrations, you should run some tests and evaluations to make sure that the equipment is still working effectively. Compared to the newer, older equipment may require testing more often. So you can’t assume the equipment’s accuracy until the next date for testing.
Below are some potential times to perform the lab testing equipment test for accuracy:
Before a Major Critical Measuring Project
If your project requires extremely precise measurement, you should decide on the right instrument to use. They send the equipment for calibration and lock them in the store until your test begins. This way you’ll get more precise results.
After a Major Critical Measuring Project Ends
Once the major critical measuring project is done, send the equipment for calibration. After receiving the results, confirm the precision of the testing results for that project.
After an accident, you may need to think about getting the equipment checked for precision following the hit. The event can be like knocking something out of the internal overload or physical impact.
Individual Project Requirements
Despite the project size, every experiment has a different need for calibration. Some require calibrating and certifying the test equipment while others require stringent calibration standards. These requirements may not be openly stated; hence you have to review the spec before testing.
Monthly, Quarterly, or Semi-annually
If you perform critical measurements more often, a shorter timeframe between testing results in the least chance of confused test results. Calibrating frequently at shorter intervals can reward you with better specifications. Considering the usage of that equipment, you may need to calibrate the equipment monthly, semi-annually, or quarterly. To achieve this, you can use a circuit with known readings, a checkbox, or proprietary calibration.
Annually
An annual calibration with the right balance between cost and prudence is a good choice for people who perform critical and non-critical measurements.
Biannually
If you don’t perform critical measurements more often and don’t expose the meter to an event, testing at long intervals can be your cost-efficient option.
Benefits of Calibration
There are lots of advantages to regularly calibrating the lab equipment. Following are some exciting benefits of lab testing equipment test for accuracy:
Helps Save Money
Keeping the lab equipment can help save money for maintaining the laboratory in the long run. Accurate measurements can cause wasted materials and failed experiments. If you leave recalibrating the equipment for a long time, it means you are wasting time and money by performing these experiments. In addition, don’t waste materials on incorrect results when you can guarantee perfect results through calibration.
Monitors Safety
Considering the types of material you use in the laboratory, testing the equipment can ensure the worker’s safety. Some biological and chemical materials can be unbalanced if you use them in the wrong dosages and you surely don’t want to combine wrongly measured materials. Instead, you can get accurate measurements through a recalibration and boost safety while handling the equipment.
Maintains Tools
Recalibration helps extend the equipment’s life by providing a restore button and restoring the equipment’s functionality to its proper settings. It also helps offer intended results for once more time. In addition, you may need to invest in new equipment even after recalibrating the equipment very often to get an accurate result.
FAQs
What is accuracy in the medical laboratory?
In a medical laboratory, accuracy or analytic accuracy is the degree of closeness of measurements to the true value of the analyte. It helps find out the systematic error present. You can verify the accuracy by utilizing matrix-appropriate reference materials.
Why is accuracy important in a lab?
Accuracy is important in the laboratory to get the most reliable results in a scientific inquiry. It also helps minimize error and bias as well as collect accurate and precise data.
Why is it important to calibrate or verify lab equipment before use?
Calibration of lab equipment is highly crucial as it ensures the instrument’s reliability. The key purpose of calibrating the measuring equipment and device is to verify the accuracy of the measuring equipment.
Final Words
Hope you’ve clearly understood when should lab testing equipment should be tested for accuracy. Not only that, you should understand why it’s important to test the Lab Testing Equipment Test for accuracy. So now it’s your turn to follow the guidelines and test and calibrate the equipment routinely at the proper time to get an accurate result every time while saving money on lab maintenance.
