Astm E74
Astm E74
Astm E74
Designation: E 74 – 02
Standard Practice of
Calibration of Force-Measuring Instruments for Verifying the
Force Indication of Testing Machines1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 74; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original
adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A superscript
epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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calibrated by either primary or secondary standards. standards having capacities exceeding 1 000 000 lbf (4.4 MN)
5.2 Force-measuring instruments used as secondary stan- are not required to be calibrated by primary standards. Several
dards for the calibration of other force-measuring instruments secondary standards of equal compliance may be combined
shall be calibrated by primary standards. An exception to this and loaded in parallel to meet special needs for higher
rule is made for instruments having capacities exceeding the capacities. The uncertainty (see 8.4) of such a combination
range of available primary standards. Currently the maximum shall be calculated by adding in quadrature using the following
primary force-standard facility in the United States is equation:
1 000 000-lbf (4.4-MN) deadweight calibration machine at the Uc 5 = Uo 2
1 U1 2
1 U2 2
1 . . . Un 2
(3)
National Institute of Standards and Technology.
where:
6. Requirements for Force Standards Uc = uncertainty of the combination, and
6.1 Primary Standards—Weights used as primary force Uo, 1, 2 . . .n = uncertainty of the individual instruments.
standards shall be made of rolled, forged, or cast metal.
Adjustment cavities shall be closed by threaded plugs or 6.2.2 The multiplying ratio of a force multiplying system
suitable seals. External surfaces of weights shall have a finish used as a secondary standard shall be measured at not less than
of 125 or less as specified in ANSI B46.1. three points over its range with an accuracy of 0.05 % of ratio
6.1.1 The force exerted by a weight in air is calculated as or better. Some systems may show a systematic change in ratio
follows: with increasing force. In such cases the ratio at intermediate
S D
points may be obtained by linear interpolation between mea-
Mg d
Force 5 9.80665 12D (1) sured values. Deadweights used with multiplying-type second-
ary standards shall meet the requirements of 6.1 and 6.1.2. The
where:
M = mass of the weight, 6
Available from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Rock-
g = local acceleration due to gravity, m/s2,
ville, MD.
7.1.3 Curve Fitting for High Resolution Devices—The use pointer or index and the center to center distance between two
of calibration equations of the 3rd, 4th, or 5th degree is adjacent scale graduation marks. Recommended ratios are 1⁄2,
restricted to devices having a resolution of 1 increment of 1⁄5, or 1⁄10. A center to center graduation spacing of at least 1.25
count per 50000 or greater active counts at the maximum mm is required for the estimation of 1⁄10of a scale division. To
calibration load. Annex A1 recommends a procedure for express the resolution in force units, multiply the ratio by the
obtaining the degree of the best fit calibration curve for these number of force units per scale graduation. A vernier scale of
devices. dimensions appropriate to the analog scale may be used to
NOTE 3—Experimental work by several force calibration laboratories in allow direct fractional reading of the least main instrument
fitting higher than second degree polynomials to the observed data scale division. The vernier scale may allow a main scale
indicates that, for some devices, use of a higher degree equation may division to be read to a ratio smaller than that obtained without
result in a lower uncertainty than that derived from the second degree fit. its use.
(ASTM RR: E28-1009) Overfitting should be avoided. Equations of
greater than 5th degree cannot be justified due to the limited number of 7.2.3 The resolution of a digital instrument is considered to
force increments in the calibration protocol. Errors caused by round-off be one increment of the last active number on the numerical
may occur if calculations are performed with insufficient precision. indicator, provided that the reading does not fluctuate by more
A force measuring device not subjected to repair, overloading, modifi- than plus or minus one increment when no force is applied to
Œ
capacity of the instrument.
d1 2 1 d2 2 1 . . . 1 d n 2
sm 5 n2m21 8.5.2.2 Class A—For instruments used to verify testing
(6) machines in accordance with Practices E 4, the uncertainty of
the instrument must not exceed 0.25 % of force. The lower
where: force limit of the instrument is 400 times the uncertainty, in
d1, d2, etc. = differences between the fitted curve and the force units, obtained from the calibration data.
n observed values from the calibration data,
n = number of deflection values, and NOTE 10—In the example of Note 11 the lower force limit for use as a
m = the degree of polynomial fit. Class A device is 16 3 400 = 6400 N (3.7 3 400 = 1480 lbf). The
uncertainty will be less than 0.25 % of force for forces greater than this
NOTE 7—It is recognized that the departures of the observed deflections lower force limit up the capacity of the instrument.
from the calibration equation values are not purely random, as they arise NOTE 11—The term “loading range” used in this practice is parallel in
partly from the localized nonlinearities discussed in 7.1.1. As a conse- meaning to the same term in Practices E 4. It is the range of forces over
quence, the distributions of the residuals from the least squares fit may not which it is permissible to use the instrument in verifying a testing machine
follow the normal curve of error and the customary estimates based on the or other similar device. When a loading range other than the two standard
statistics of random variables may not be strictly applicable. ranges given in 8.5.2 is desirable, the appropriate limit of error should be
specified in the applicable method of test.
8.4 Uncertainty—For the purposes of this practice, uncer-
8.5.3 Precision and Bias—The magnitudes of uncertainty
tainty is defined as 2.4 times the standard deviation. If the
(see 8.4) and lower limit of loading ranges (see 8.5.2) which
calculated uncertainty is less than the instrument resolution, the
determine compliance to this standard are derived quantities
uncertainty is then defined as that value equal to the resolution.
based on statistical analysis of the calibration data. The
Express the uncertainty in force units, using the average ratio
calculated uncertainty is 2.4 times the standard deviation. As a
of force to deflection from the calibration data.
function of probability, this limit of uncertainty means that,
NOTE 8—Of historical interest, the limit of 2.4 standard deviations was with 99 % probability, the error will not exceed the value of
originally determined empirically from an analysis of a large number of uncertainty.
force-measuring instrument calibrations and contains approximately 99 % 8.6 Specific Force Devices—Any force-measuring device
of the residuals from least-squares fits of that sample of data.
may be calibrated as a specific force device. Elastic rings,
8.5 Loading Range—This is the range of forces within loops, and columns with dial indicators as a means of sensing
which the uncertainty of a force-measuring instrument does not deformation are generally classed as specific force devices
exceed the maximum permissible limits of error specified as a because the relatively large localized nonlinearities introduced
fraction or percentage of force. Since the uncertainty for the by indicator gearing produce an uncertainty too great for an
instrument is of constant force amplitude throughout the entire adequate loading range. These instruments are, therefore, used
range of the instrument, it will characteristically be less than only at the calibrated forces and the curve-fitting and analytical
the specified percentage of force at instrument capacity but will procedures of 8.2-8.4 are replaced by the following procedures:
begin to exceed the specified percentage at some point in the 8.6.1 Calculation of Nominal Force Deflection—From the
lower range of the instrument, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The calibration data, calculate the average value of the deflections
loading range shown in the figure thus extends from the point, corresponding to the nominal force. If the calibration forces
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FIG. 1 Relationship of Loading Range to Instrument Uncertainty and Specified Limits of Error
applied differ from the nominal value of the force, as may number of significant figures appropriate to the resolution. The
occur in the case of a calibration by secondary standards, adjust uncertainty is expressed as follows:
the observed deflections to values corresponding to the nomi- Uncertainty 5 ~2s 1 r!f (8)
nal force by linear interpolation provided that the load differ-
ences do not exceed 61 % of capacity force. The average value where:
of the nominal load deflection is the calibrated value for that s = standard deviation,
force. r = resolution
8.6.2 Standard Deviation for a Specific Force Device— f = average ratio of force to deflection from the calibration
Calculate the range of the nominal force deflections for each data.
calibration force as the difference between the largest and 8.6.4 Precision Force—A specific force device does not
smallest deflections for the force. Multiply the average value of have a loading range as specified in 8.5, since it can be used
the ranges for all the calibration forces by the appropriate only at the forces for which it was calibrated. The use is
factor from Table 1 to obtain the estimated standard deviation restricted, however, to those calibrated forces that would be
of an individual deflection about the mean value. included in a loading range calculated in 8.5-8.5.2.2.
8.6.3 Uncertainty for Specific Force Devices—The uncer-
tainty for a specific force device is defined as 2.0 times the 9. Temperature Corrections for Force-Measuring
standard deviation, plus the resolution. Convert the uncertainty Instruments During Use
into force units by means of a suitable factor and round to the 9.1 Referenced Temperature of Calibration—It is recom-
mended that the temperature to which the calibration is
TABLE 1 Estimates of Standard Deviation from the Range of referenced be 23°C (73°F), although other temperatures may
Small Samples be referenced (see 7.3.2).
Number of Observations Multiplying Factor 9.2 Temperature Corrections—Nearly all mechanical elastic
at Each Force for Range force-measuring instruments require correction when used at a
3 0.591 temperature other than the temperature to which the calibration
4 0.486 is referenced. This category includes proving rings, Amsler
5 0.430
6 0.395 boxes, and rings, loops, and columns equipped with dial
indicators. Uncompensated instruments in which the elastic
increases by 0.027 % for each 1°C increase in temperature. scale consists of a verification of the multiplying ratio of its
9.3 Method of Applying Corrections: lever system, using laboratory mass standards of National
9.3.1 In using an uncompensated force-measuring instru- Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Class F (Note
ment at a temperature other than the temperature of calibration, 17) or better. Since the multiplying ratio is a constant factor, it
the correction may be made in the following manner: should be determined with an accuracy of 0.1 %.
9.3.1.1 Calculate a force value from the uncorrected ob- NOTE 13—Class F weights of 0.91 kg (2 lb) or greater have a tolerance
served deflection of the instrument using the working table or of 0.01 %.
other media derived from the calibration equation.
9.3.1.2 Correct this force value for temperature by reducing 10.2 Equal-Arm Balances—With both pans empty, adjust
it by 0.027 % for every 1°C by which the ambient temperature the balance to bring the rest point to approximately the center
exceeds the temperature of calibration. If the ambient tempera- of the scale and note the value of the rest point. Place equal
ture is less than the temperature of calibration, the force value masses in each pan to an amount between three-quarters and
would be increased by the appropriate amount. full-balance capacity, then add to the appropriate pan to restore
9.4 Temperature Effect on the Sensitivity of Temperature- the rest point to the original value. Divide the mass in the pan
Compensated Devices—Force measuring devices such as load that will eventually bear against the testing machine by the
cells may have temperature compensation built in by the mass in the other pan and round the resulting quotient to the
manufacturer. For devices with such compensation, the effect nearest 0.1 %. This value is the multiplying ratio and will
of temperature on the sensitivity of the device shall not exceed generally be nearly 1.000 for a well constructed balance. The
the following values: test method with necessary modifications, may be employed
9.4.1 Class AA—For devices used as Class AA standards, for single-lever systems in general.
the error due to temperature on the sensitivity of the device 10.3 Verification of a Platform Scale— The counterpoise
shall not exceed 0.01%. (See Note 12). weights of a platform scale are usually marked with mass
9.4.2 Class A—For devices used as Class A standards, the values that include the nominal multiplication ratio of the
error due to temperature on the sensitivity of the device shall scale. The following procedure is a verification for the purpose
not exceed 0.05%. (See Note 12). of calibrating a testing machine, and does not replace or
9.4.3 If a force measurement device is used at temperatures supplement established procedures, such as those set forth in
other than the temperature at which it was calibrated, it is the NIST Handbook 44, Specifications, Tolerances and Other
users responsibility to insure that the performance of the device Technical Requirements for Commercial Weighing and Mea-
does not exceed the limits of paragraphs 9.4.1 or 9.4.2, or if suring Devices,2 for the testing of commercial weighing
such limits would be exceeded, that the device is calibrated at equipment:
the expected temperature of use, or over a range of the 10.3.1 Set the weighbeam poise to zero and carefully
expected temperatures of use and corrected accordingly. balance the scale to bring the beam pointer to the center of the
trig loop.
NOTE 12—There is a negligible effect on the maximum values for Class 10.3.2 Place standard weights (NIST Class F or the equiva-
AA uncertainty (0.05% of applied force) and Class A uncertainty (0.25% lent) on the center of the scale platform and balance the scale
of applied force) when these values are added as root-sum-squares with
the values for temperature error given in 9.4.1 and 9.4.2. Such a
using the counterpoise weights and weighbeam poise.
combination of error sources is valid in the case of independent error 10.3.3 Divide the total mass on the platform by the sum of
sources. It should be noted the temperature differences between conditions the counterpoise weight values and the weighbeam poise
of calibration and use may result in significant errors. This error source reading, rounding the quotient to the nearest 0.1 %. This value
should be evaluated by users to assure compliance with these require- is the multiplication ratio correction factor and will be nearly
ments, when such usage occurs. Adequate stabilization times are required 1.000 for a scale in good condition.
to insure that thermal gradients or transients in the force measurement 10.4 Calculation of Forces—The verification of a testing
device have equilibrated with the environment in which testing is to be
performed. Otherwise, thermal gradients may cause significant errors in
machine force by means of balances, levers, or platform scales
both temperature compensated devices and uncompensated devices. is similar to verification by deadweight loading in that gravity
It is recommended that the effect of temperature on the sensitivity of and air buoyancy corrections must be applied to the values
Class AA devices not exceed 0.0030% /C° (0.0017% /°F) and for Class A indicated by these devices. For the verification of a testing
devices, that the effect of temperature on the sensitivity not exceed machine, the multiplying factors given in Table 2 are suffi-
0.0100% /°C (0.0056% /°F). ciently accurate. Always make corrections to primary standards
As an example, for the case of force transducers that have temperature
in accordance with the formula given in 6.1.1.
coefficients equal to the maximum recommended values, the error due to
the temperature is negligible within 6 3°C for class AA devices and 6
5°C for class A devices referenced to the temperature at which those 11. Time Interval Between Calibration
devices were calibrated. 11.1 All force-measuring instruments and systems used as
FORCE-MULTIPLYING SYSTEMS secondary standards (see 6.2-6.2.2) shall be calibrated or
verified annually.
10. Balances and Small Platform Scales 11.2 The calibration intervals for force-measuring instru-
10.1 General Principles—Balances and small bench-type ments and systems used for verification of the force indication
platform scales are sometimes useful for the verification at low of testing machines are:
11.2.1 Mechanical Force-Measuring Instruments— calibration. When such substitution or repair is made, the user
Instruments such as proving rings, Amsler boxes, rings or loops assumes the responsibility to assure that the accuracy of the
with dial indicators, and rings or loops with optical scales and force measurement system is maintained. Substitution of the
microscopes in which the transfer of the deformation of the force indication device shall not extend the system calibration/
elastic element to the scale reading is by purely mechanical or verification date. The following conditions shall be satisfied
optical means shall be calibrated at intervals not exceeding 2 when substituting a metrologically significant element of the
years. force indicating measurement system.
11.2.2 Electrical Force-Measuring Instruments— 12.2 The indicating device used in the initial calibration and
Instruments such as strain-gaged load cells, rings or loops with the device to be substituted shall each have been calibrated and
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differential transformers or variable reluctance sensors, and their measurement uncertainties determined. The indicator to
piezo-electric load cells in which the transfer of the deforma- be substituted shall be calibrated over the full range of its
tion of the elastic element to the scale reading is by electrical intended use including both positive and negative values if the
means, shall be recalibrated 1 year after the first calibration and system is used in tension and compression. The calibrated
thereafter at intervals not exceeding 2 years, provided that the range shall include a point less than or equal to the output of
changes between the most recent calibration equation values the force transducer at the lower load limit and a point equal to
(average deflections for specific force devices) and those from or greater than the output of the force transducer at the
the previous calibration do not exceed 0.1 % of the capacity- maximum applied force. A minimum of five points shall be
force deflection. If the changes should exceed this tolerance, taken within this range. The measurement uncertainty of each
recalibration shall be on an annual basis until a history of device shall be less than or equal to one third of the uncertainty
stability is established. for the force measurement system over the range from the
11.2.3 Balances, Scales, and Other Lever Systems— lower load limit to the maximum load.
Mechanical force-multiplying systems used for the verification
12.3 The measurement uncertainty of the force indicating
of test machines shall be verified at intervals not exceeding 5
device shall be determined by one of the methods outlined in
years. If a balance or platform scale shows evidence of binding
Appendix X1. It is recommended that a transducer simulator
or excessive friction in the lever pivots as demonstrated by a
capable of providing a series of input mV/V steps over the
lack of free action in the balance beam before the unit is
range of measurement and with impedance characteristics
coupled to the testing machine, the system shall be examined to
similar to that of the force transducer be employed as a check
locate the source of friction and the condition corrected.
standard to verify calibration of the force indicating device and
However, once the system is coupled to the testing machine
in establishing the measurement uncertainty. The measurement
and force is applied, it is an acceptable condition that the
uncertainly of the transducer simulator shall be less than or
balance beam is no longer free to swing in the normal manner
equal to one tenth of the uncertainty for the force measurement
characteristic of deadweight loading.
system.
11.3 Calibration Following Repairs or Overloads—A
force-measuring instrument or multiplying system shall be 12.4 Excitation voltage amplitude, frequency, and wave-
recalibrated following any repairs or modifications that might form shall be maintained in the substitution within limits to
affect its response, or whenever the calibration of the device assure that the affect on the calibration is negligible. It is a user
might be suspect. Any instrument sustaining an overload that responsibility to determine limits on these parameters through
produces a permanent shift in the zero-force reading amounting measurement uncertainty analysis and appropriate tests to
to 1 % or more of the capacity deflection shall be recalibrated assure that this requirement is met. Substitution of an intercon-
before further use. nect cable can have a significant affect on calibration. If an
interconnect cable is to be substituted, see Note 14.
12. Substitution of Electronic Force Indicating Devices 12.5 A report of calibration for the original and substitute
Used with Elastic Members force indicating devices shall be generated. The report shall
12.1 It may be desirable to treat the calibration of the elastic include the identification of the item calibrated, date of
member and the force indicating device separately, thus allow- calibration, calibration technician, test readings, the identifica-
ing for the substitution or repair of the force indicating device tion of the test equipment used to verify the performance of the
without the necessity for repeating an end-to-end system force indicating device, and the measurement uncertainty and
to assure that the new cable matches the original in all aspects significant equation and the deviations of the experimental data from the
to the measurement. (Such factors as the point of excitation voltage fitted curve,
sensing and the impedance between the point of excitation voltage sensing 13.1.9 Values for the instrument resolution, the uncertainty
and the elastic force transducer may affect the sensitivity of the device to associated with the calibration results, and the limits of the
changes in applied force.) It is recommended that the electronic force
Class A loading range,
indicator/cable performance be verified using a transducer simulator or
other appropriate laboratory, instruments. 13.1.10 Tabulation of values from the fitted calibration
NOTE 15—Metrologically insignificant elements of force measuring equation for each force applied during calibration and, if
devices such as digital displays, printers, and computer monitors may be available and suitable for comparison, a tabulation of the
substituted following verification of proper function. change in calibrated values since the last calibration for other
than new instruments, and
13. Report
13.1 The report issued by the standardizing laboratory on NOTE 16—The comparison should be made between the unsynthesized
the calibration of a force-measuring instrument shall be error- calibration data sets, not between data sets derived from the calibration
curves, unless the same degree of fit is used in both calibrations under
free and contain no alteration of dates, data, etc. The report comparison.
shall contain the following information:
13.1.1 Statement that the calibration has been performed in 13.1.11 Working table of forces, or a correction curve from
accordance with Practice E 74. It is recommended that the a nominal factor, or other device to facilitate use of the
calibration be performed in accordance with the latest pub- instrument in service.
lished issue of Practice E 74. NOTE 17—It is advised that a working table of forces versus deflections
13.1.2 Manufacturer and identifying serial numbers of the be supplied, as many users may not have access to data processing at the
instrument calibrated, point of use. The minimum tabular increment of force should not be less
13.1.3 Name of the laboratory performing the calibration, than the resolution, nor greater than 10 % of the maximum force applied
13.1.4 Date of the calibration, during calibration.
13.1.5 Type of reference standard used in the calibration
with a statement of the limiting errors or uncertainty, 14. Keywords
13.1.6 Temperature at which the calibration was referenced, 14.1 force standard; load cell; proving ring; testing machine
ANNEX
(Mandatory Information)
A1.3 Fit separate polynomials of degree 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 to TABLE A1.1 Factors C(n1, m1) = (1 + [F.975 (1, n1 − m1 − 1) − 1]/
the mean data. Denote the computed residual standard devia- (n1 − m1)) ⁄ for Determining the Best Degree of Polynomial Fit
12
tions by s1, s2, s3, s4, and s5 respectively. The residual standard n1 m1 = 2 m1 = 3 m1 = 4 m1 = 5
deviation from an m1-degree fit is: 10 1.373 1.455 1.582 1.801
Œ
11 1.315 1.373 1.455 1.582
2 2 2
s d1 1 d2 1 . . . 1 d n 12 1.273 1.315 1.373 1.455
m1 5 n1 2 m 1 2 1
15 1.195 1.215 1.241 1.273
20 1.131 1.141 1.151 1.163
(A1.1)
APPENDIXES
(Nonmandatory Information)
X1. Uncertainty Analysis for an Electronic Force Indicating Instrument for Class A Load Range using a Transducer Simulator and
the Method of Measurement Uncertainty Determination in Accordance with the Procedures of ASTM E 74
X1.1 The force transducer in the system for which it is X1.3 The electronic force indicator to be used as a
desired to substitute the electronic force indicator has a 2 substitute is evaluated to ensure that the electrical characteris-
mV/V output at full capacity. The force measurement system is tics are the same, and that the interconnect cable is the same
a Class A system with a lower limit equal to 10% of the force with respect to wiring, and wire types, sizes, and lengths.
transducer’s capacity. The expanded uncertainty of the system
is 0.25%. The standard uncertainty is 0.1 %. X1.4 A transducer simulator capable of providing 0.2
mV/V steps is selected.
X1.2 A transducer simulator with a measurement uncer-
tainty equal to or less than one tenth of the allowable standard
uncertainty for the force measurement system is used to X1.5 The transducer simulator is connected to the original
provide a series of discrete mV/V steps over the range of force indicator and the reading at 0.2 mV/V and each 0.4 mV/V
measurement (see 8.5.2.1 and 8.5.2.2 for allowable uncer- step between 0.4 and 2.0 mV/V are recorded. After the first run
tainty). The instrument and transducer simulator shall be of readings, a second and third run are taken. This process is
connected and allowed to warm up according to manufactur- repeated for the opposite polarity. This process is repeated on
er’s recommendations. At least five readings taken three times the indicator to be used as a substitute. It is not required that the
for each polarity shall be acquired over the calibrated range for verification of the two indicators occur at the same time,
the original force indicating instrument and the device to be provided the transducer simulator stability is evaluated over the
substituted. The readings shall include a point less than or relevant time period in the determination of its measurement
equal to the lower load limit for the system, and another point uncertainty.
equal to or greater than the maximum load for the system. The
transducer simulator settings shall provide at least one point for X1.6 A linear least squares curve fit is performed on the
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every 20% interval throughout this range. Care shall be taken data set according to the procedure set forth in 8.1-8.4. The
that environmental conditions do not significantly affect the standard deviation is determined to be .00005 mV/V, and the
accuracy of measurements taken. uncertainty is 0.00012 mV/V (2.4 times the standard devia-
NOTE X1.1—It is desirable to use the same transducer simulator for tion). This value must be less than or equal to one third of the
determining the readings of both indicators; however, different simulators system uncertainty at the lower force limit in electrical units, or
may be used provided their outputs for a given input are identical within less than
one tenth of the allowable standard uncertainty for the force measurement
system. ~0.25% 3 0.2 mV/V! / 3 5 0.000167 mV/V
X2. Uncertainty Analysis for an Electronic Force Indicating Instrument for Class A Load Range using a Measurement Uncertainty
Determination in Accordance with the Method of NIST Tech Note 1297
X2.1 Using the same example from Appendix X1, the Noise Evaluated Noise is already incorporated in the uncertainty
method of NIST TN 1297 is employed. that determines the lower load limit. It is only
necessary to adjust for noise if the noise exhib-
ited by the substitute indicator exceeds that for
X2.2 The first step in a measurement uncertainty analysis the original indicator. The quantization error is
of an electronic force indicator is to identify the sources of often smaller than the noise and is included in
the experimental determination of the noise.
error. The following are potential sources of measurement error Noise for each indicator shall be determined by
in strain gage based force transducer indicators: test.
Calibration Uncertainty (Gain Error) Non-linearity
Zero Offset Temperature Effect on Zero X2.5 Errors from the other potential sources are found to be
Temperature Effect on Sensitivity Gain and Zero Stability
Quantization Error Common Mode Voltage negligible for this indicator (less than 1⁄5 of the largest error
Normal Mode Voltage Noise source). For DC indicators, the thermal emf error source can be
Excitation Voltage Error Electrical Loading
significant and should be evaluated experimentally.
Power Line Voltage Variation Error signals due to thermal EMF
X2.3 Each of these potential error sources, and any others X2.6 The Combined Uncertainty based on the error sources
of significance, should be evaluated for the conditions in which evaluated is,
the indicator will operate. It is recommended that a transducer Combined Uncertainty u 5 ~uc `2 1 unl `2 1 ut `2 ! `.5
simulator or equivalent laboratory test instrumentation be used 5 131 ppm of Rdg.
to verify indicator performance and assess errors. The same
requirements for number and distribution of test points as given and the Expanded Uncertainty is,
in the previous example apply. Expanded Uncertainty U 5 6 0.026% of Reading in the range of 0.2
2 2.0 mV/V
X2.4 A Typical Analysis of the Major Error Sources as
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Determined for an Indicator is given below: Expressed in mV/V units, the uncertainty is 0.000052 mV/V
at the 0.2 mV/V level.
Simulator uncer- uc= 20 ppm Includes the ratio uncertainty
tainty The expanded uncertainty defines an interval within which
Indicator Non- unl= 116 ppm For 0.01% non-linearity and an assumed rect-
linearity angular probability distribution, 0.01/(3)`0.5 3
the true value is expected to be contained with 95% probability
2.0. Where a factor of 2 is specific to a particu- based on a coverage factor of 2.
lar indicator and shall be determined by test to
reflect the error over the full range of indicator
The allowable uncertainty for this Class A device, is 0.25%
use. Non-linearity is evaluated by test using a of 0.2 mV/V, or expressed in electrical units, 0.0005 mV/V.
transducer simulator or other suitable instru- Allowable uncertainty for the force indicating instrument is
ment.
Temperature Ef- ut= 57 ppm For temperature coef. of 20 ppm/°C, 6 5 °C, equal to or less than one third of this limit, or 0.000167 mV/V.
fect on Gain Assumed rectangular probability distribution. If the uncertainty is less than 0.000167 mV/V as in this
Gain Stability Negligible Gain stability is not a factor if calibrated on a
simulator at the time of substitution as the gain
example, the substitution is permitted.
error is incorporated in the transducer simulator
uncertainty.
X3. Uncertainty Analysis for an Electronic Force Indicating Instrument for Class AA Load Range using a Measurement Uncertainty
Determination in Accordance with NIST Tech Note 1297
X3.1 Following the method in Appendix X2, an analysis is negligible for this indicator (less than 1⁄5 of the largest error
performed for a Class AA electronic force indicator for a source).
system with a 10% lower load limit and a 2mV/V sensitivity at
maximum force. X3.3 The Combined Uncertainty based on the error sources
evaluated is,
Simulator uncer- uc= 10 ppm Includes the ratio uncertainty
tainty Combined Uncertainty u 5 ~uc `2 1 unl `2 1 ut `2! `.5
Indicator Non- unl= 58 ppm For 0.005% non-linearity and an assumed rect-
5 60 ppm of Rdg.
linearity angular probability distribution, 0.005/(3)`0.5 3
2.0. Where a factor of 2 is specific to a particu- and the Expanded Uncertainty is,
lar indicator and shall be determined by test to
reflect the error over the full range of indicator Expanded Uncertainty U 5 6 0.012% of Reading in the range of 0.2
use. 2 2.0 mV/V
Temperature Ef- ut= 12 ppm For temperature coef. of 5 ppm/°C, 6 2°C,
fect on Gain Assumed rectangular probability distribution. Expressed in mV/V units the uncertainty is 0.000024 mV/V
at the 0.2 mV/V level.
X3.2 Errors from the other potential sources are found to be The expanded uncertainty defines an interval within which
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