Z540-1 Calibration Service Explained
Legacy Service for Older Government Contracts
Brief history
For many years, customers doing US government contract work were required, as part
of their contract, to calibrate their measurement and test equipment (M&TE), according
to MIL-STD-45662A. In 1994, as a cost saving measure the Department of Defense Free downloads
prohibited the use of all military standards in favor of commercial performance
standards. In response, NCSLI members quickly developed ANSI/NCSL Z540-1. Z540-1 • ISO Guide for
Expression of
was renewed several times until it was rescinded in 2007, after the newer ANSI/NCSL
Uncertainty of
Z540.3 was approved. Measurements
www.ukas.com
Measurement Uncertainty
• Guidelines on the
The traditional quality figure of merit for calibration measurements used in MIL-STD- Reporting of
45662A was Test Accuracy Ratio (TAR). This is a simple ratio of the [accuracy] Compliance with
specification of the lab standard to the specification of the instrument submitted for Specification
calibration. A ratio of 4:1 was considered desirable and adequate. Even today TAR ILAC-G8:03/2009
www.ilac.org
sometimes works well for simple comparisons such as length in gage blocks, or DC
Volts where electronic standards generally require only a single connection. • ILAC Policy for
Uncertainty in
However, when calibrating RF/MW instruments where calibration procedures often Calibration ILAC-
involve measurement paths with up or down conversion, attenuators, mismatch error, P14:12/2010
and frequency response corrections, TAR is insufficient to address multiple sources of www.ilac.org
error.
• Metrology technical
In the 1980s many metrologists began to experiment with using Test Uncertainty Ratio, papers
TUR, where the denominator, U, was a combination of the measurement errors www.keysight.com/
find/metrology
(uncertainties). The publication of the ISO Guide for Expression of Uncertainty of
Measurements (aka ISO GUM), in 1995, provided a formal method to combine multiple
uncertainties in the form of an international standard.
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Hewlett Packard, which had been using TUR at the time switched over to the ISO GUM for new product
introductions of most instruments by 1997. While Z540-1 does allow the use of TAR, later versions of the Z540-1
handbook recommend the use of the ISO GUM. ISO 17025 first published in 1999 references the ISO GUM as
does ANSI Z540.3 (see Figure 1).
How to Order Z540-1 Calibration
If you speak to someone from the Keysight Englewood call center and request a “Z540 calibration”, they will ask if
you mean Z540-1 or the newer Z540.3. Many customers still require Z540-1 and Keysight is happy to continue to
provide that level of calibration, even on legacy instruments. Choose from these two services:
• For newer instruments, we recommend “Keysight calibration + uncertainties”. This calibration service meets
both ISO 17025 and Z540-1, includes ISO GUM uncertainties, and an accreditation body symbol.
• For older legacy instruments, generally introduced before 1995 (the 1st publication of the ISO GUM),
Keysight offers “Z540-1 Cal service”, which includes TUR uncertainty, and complies with Z540-1. “Z540-1
Cal service” does not include the accreditation body symbol, as ILAC-P14 (published Dec 2010) only allows
the accreditation symbol when the measured results are also provided along with ISO GUM uncertainties.
Figure 1: HP / Keysight Adoption of Calibration Standards
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Z540-1 Accreditation and Calibration Certificates
Keysight Americas Service Centers are accredited by the A2LA1
or by ANAB2 to ISO/IEC17025:20053 and the additional
requirements for ANSI/NCSL Z540-1-1994 and ANSI/NCSL
Z540.3-2006.
Helpful Resources
• View Keysight’s entire portfolio of Calibration Services at
www.keysight.com/find/calibration
• Find Keysight’s 40 sites in 20 countries with ISO/IEC 17025
accreditation at www.keysight.com/find/accreditation
• Learn more about Laboratory Accreditation and Accreditation
Body Symbols on Calibration Certificates at
http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5991-0005EN.pdf
1
“American Association for Laboratory Accreditation”, www.a2la.org.
2
“ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board”, www. anab.org.
3
ISO/IEC 17025:2005 “General requirements for the competence of
testing and calibration laboratories”, International Organization for
Standardization/ International Electrotechnical Commission.
Learn more at: www.keysight.com
For more information on Keysight Technologies’ products, applications or services,
please contact your local Keysight office. The complete list is available at:
www.keysight.com/find/contactus
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This information is subject to change without notice. © Keysight Technologies, 201 9, Published in USA, August 8, 2019, 5990-8293EN
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