CalibrationWorld 2007-03 ENG

8/12/2019 CalibrationWorld 2007-03 ENG

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WORLD03 2007

Beamex corpora te magaz ine ww w.beamex .com

Traceable andefficient calibrations

in the process industry

How often shouldinstruments becalibrated?An analysis will tell you.

Customersuccess storyGeorgia Power, Plant Yates (USA)


2/28

Dear Calibration Professional, the main articles in this issue of

CALIBRATION WORLD deal with traceable and efficient calibrations in

the process industry, optimum frequency of calibrations, and improving

power plant performance through calibration.

The primary reason for calibration is based on the fact that even the best

digital measuring instruments lack in absolute stability, they drift and lose

their ability to give accurate measurements. However, there is a wide range

of different ways to plan, manage and complete the needed calibration tasks,

starting from the most inefficient and prone to error pen & paper method, using

simple measuring devices. Many times the need of calibration is considered

to be motivated only by viewpoints concerning measurement accuracy and/or

regulations. Those are real requirements and they must be met, but ultimately the

greatest motivation to have a closer look at the entire calibration process should

be the fact that, in most cases, calibration on the whole is a very potential source

for improving profitability of a business. When done in a smart way, calibration

can provide financial benefits.

Finally I would like to encourage you, Dear Reader, to give your feedback

and ideas to further develop the Calibration World. We have got a lot of positive

feedback about this magazine and I am very proud of the work our team and

contributors have done. However, I also believe that nothing is perfect and there is

always room for improvement.

Enjoy your reading!

Raimo Ahola

Managing Director, Beamex Group

MDs letter

Calibrate for profitability

2 CALIBRATION WORLD 03 2007 www.beamex.com/calibrationworld


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Calibration World 03/2007

MDs letter

Traceable and efficient calibrations in the process industry 4

Improving power plant performance through calibration 12

How often should instruments be calibrated? 16

Customer Success Story: Georgia Power, USA 20

Beamex News 22

Using the BeamexMC5 fieldbus calibrator with Emersons AMS Suite

Free demo for BeamexCMX Light Calibration Software

The BeamexMC5-IS gets updated certification

John Adeimy appointed as president of Beamex, Inc.

Beamex provides a corporate-wide calibration system

for Scottish and Southern Energy

Beamex provides a calibration solution to the worlds

largest straw fired power station

The managing director of Beamex appointed as chairman

of Finnish Metrology Advisory Commission

Beamex in Brief 27

Beamex Products and Services 27

CALIBRATION WORLD Beamex corporate magazine 03/2007Published by Beamex Oy Ab, Ristisuonraitti 10, FI-68600 Pietarsaari, Finland

Phone +358 10 550 5000, Fax +358 10 550 5404, [email protected], www.beamex.com

Address details and subscript [email protected]

LayoutStudio PAP PrintFram 2007

www.beamex.com/calibrationworld CALIBRATION WORLD 03 2007 3


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Traceable and effiin the process ind



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cient calibrationsustry



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1. Introduction

Todays modern process plants,production processes and qualitysystems, put new and tight

requirements on the accuracy of processinstruments and on process control.

Quality systems, such as the ISO9000and ISO14000 series of qualitystandards, call for systematic and well-

documented calibrations, with regardto accuracy, repeatability, uncertainty,confidence levels etc.

Does this mean that the electriciansand instrumentation people shouldbe calibration experts? Not really,but this topic should not be ignored.Fortunately, modern calibrationtechniques and calibration systems havemade it easier to fulfill the requirementson instrumentation calibration and

maintenance in a productive way.However, some understanding of the

techniques, terminology and methodsinvolved in calibration must be knownand understood in order to perform

according to International QualitySystems.

2. What is calibration andwhy calibrateCalibration can be briefly described asan activity where the instrument beingtested is compared to a known referencevalue, i.e. calibrator. The keywords hereare known reference, which means that

the calibrator used should have a valid,traceable calibration certificate.

To be able to answer the question whycalibrate, we must first determine whatmeasurement is and why measuring isnecessary.

WHAT IS MEASUREMENT?

In technical standards terms the wordmeasurement has been defined as:

A set of experimental operations for

the purpose of determining the valueof a quantity.

What is then the value of quantity?According to the standards the truevalue of a quantity is:

The value which characterizes aquantity perfectly defined during theconditions which exist at the momentwhen the value is observed. Note: thetrue value of a quantity is an idealconcept and, in general, it cannot be

known.

Therefore all instruments display

false indications!

3. Why measure?

The purpose of a process plant is toconvert raw material, energy, manpowerand capital into products in the bestpossible way. This conversion always

involves optimizing, which must bedone better than the competitors.In practice, optimization is done bymeans of process automation. Anyhow,regardless of how advanced the process

automation system is, the controlcannot be better than the quality ofmeasurements from the process.

4. Why calibrate

The primary reason for calibrating isbased on the fact that even the bestmeasuring instruments lack in absolutestability, in other words, they driftand lose their ability to give accurate

measurements. This drift makesrecalibration necessary.

Environment conditions, elapsed timeand type of application can all affectthe stability of an instrument. Even

Calibration in the process industry

Traceable and efficient calibr

Fortunately, modern

calibration techniques

and calibration

systems have madeit easier to fulfill

the requirements on

instrumentation

calibration and

maintenance in a

productive way.

HIERARCHY OFACCURACY

TRUE VALUE

Process instrumentation

Instr. Departments

House and working standards

Authorized

Laboratories

International

National standard

EVERYTHING IS BASED

ON MEASUREMENTS

PROCESSProductionFactors

Products

MEASUREMENTS

MEASUREMENTS

CONTROLS

ADJUSTMENTS

PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM

INSTRUMENTATION



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instruments of the same manufacturer,type and range, can show varyingperformance. One unit can be foundto have good stability, while anotherperforms differently.

Other good reasons for calibrationare:

To maintain the credibility ofmeasurements

To maintain the quality ofprocess instruments

at a good-as-new level Safety and environmental

regulations ISO9000, other quality

systems and regulations

The ISO9000 and ISO14000 can assist inguiding regular, systematic calibrations,which produces uniform quality andminimizes the negative impacts on theenvironment.

5. Traceability

Calibrations must be traceable.Traceability is a declaration statingto which national standard a certaininstrument has been compared.

6. Regulatory requirementsfor calibration

6.1 ISO9001: 2000

The organization determines themonitoring and measurements to beperformed, as well as the measuringdevices needed to provide evidence ofa products conformity to determinedstandards.

The organization establishes theprocesses for ensuring that measurementsand monitoring are carried out andare carried out in a manner consistent

with the monitoring and measurementrequirements.

Where necessary, to ensure validresults, measuring equipment is calibratedor verified with measurement standardstraceable to national or internationalstandards at specified intervals. If nosuch standards exist, the basis used forcalibration or verification is recorded;adjusted or re-adjusted as necessary;identified for the determining of the

calibration status; safeguarded againstadjustments that would invalidate themeasurement result; protected fromdamage and deterioration duringhandling, maintenance and storage.

In addition, the organization assessesand records the validity of the previousmeasuring results when the equipment isfound not to conform to requirements.The organization then takes appropriateaction on the equipment and anyproduct affected. Records of the

calibration and verification results arethen maintained.

When used in the monitoring and

ations

C1C7 CALIBRATIONS

PURCHASE

QP PURCHASED QUALITY

QZM ZERO MAINTAINED QUALITY

QM MAINTAINED QUALITY

QUALITY

Q3

Q2

Q1

C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6QP

QM

QZM

T1 T2 T3 TIME

LOWER

TOLERANCE

GOOD AS NEW

QUALITY MAINTENANCE

C7

International

standards

National

standards

Reference

standards

Working

standards

Process

standards

SI-UNITS



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measurement of specified requirements,the ability of computer software tosatisfy the intended application isconfirmed. This is done prior to initialuse and reconfirmed as necessary.

NOTE: See ISO 10012 for further

information.

6.2 PHARMACEUTICAL (FDA, U.S. Food

and Drug Administration)

Any pharmaceutical company that sellstheir products in the USA must complywith FDA regulations regardless wherethe products are manufactured.

Calibration records must bemaintained.

Calibrations must be done accordingto written, approved procedures.

Each instrument should have amaster history record.

All instrumentation should havea unique ID; all product, processand safety instruments should bephysically tagged.

A calibration period and errorlimits should be defined for eachinstrument.

Standards should be traceable tonational and international standards.

Standards must be more accuratethan the required accuracy of theequipment being calibrated.

All instruments used must be t forpurpose.

There must be documented evidencethat personnel involved in the

calibration process have been trainedand are competent.

Documented change managementsystem must be in place.

All electronic systems must complywith FDAs regulation 21 CFR Part11.

All of the above should beimplemented in conjunction withfollowing regulations: 21 CFR Part 211: Current Good

Manufacturing Practice for FinishedPharmaceuticals 21 CFR Part 11: Electronic

Records; Electronic Signatures

Software systems need features such asElectronic Signature, Audit Trail, UserManagement, and Security System to be




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able to comply with these regulations.In such a system, the Electronic

Signature is considered equivalent toa hand-written signature. Users mustunderstand their responsibilities oncethey give an electronic signature. TheAudit Trail is required for changemanagement. It must be a tool thatrecords all modifications, which add,edit, or delete data from an electronicrecord.

7. Definitionsof metrological terms

Some metrological terms in associationwith the concept of calibration aredescribed in this section.

Quite a few of the following termsare also used on specification sheetsfor calibrators. Please note that thedefinitions listed here are simplified.

CalibrationAn unknown measured signal iscompared to a known reference signal.

Validation

Validation of measurement and testmethods (procedures) is generallynecessary to prove that the methods aresuitable for the intended use.

Non-linearity

Non-linearity is the maximum deviationof a transducers output from a definedstraight line.Non-linearity is specified by theTerminal Based method or the Best FitStraight Line method.

Resolution

Resolution is the smallest interval that

can be read between two readings.

Sensitivity

Sensitivity is the smallest variation

in input, which can be detected as anoutput. Good resolution is required inorder to detect sensitivity.

Hysteresis

The deviation in output at any pointwithin the instruments sensing range,when first approaching this pointwith increasing values, and then withdecreasing values.

Repeatability

Repeatability is the capability of aninstrument to give the same outputamong repeated inputs of the same valueover a period of time. Repeatability isoften expressed in the form of standarddeviation.

Temperature coefficient

The change in a calibrators accuracycaused by changes in ambienttemperature (deviation from referenceconditions). The temperature coefficientis usually expressed as % F.S. / C or %of RDG/ C.

Stability

Often referred to as drift, stability isexpressed as the change in percentage inthe calibrated output of an instrument

over a specified period, usually 90 daysto 12 months, under normal operatingconditions. Drift is usually given as atypical value.

Accuracy

Generally accuracy figures state thecloseness of a measured value to a knownreference value. The accuracy of thereference value is generally not includedin the figures. It must also be checkedif errors like non-linearity, hysteresis,

temperature effects etc. are included inthe accuracy figures provided.

Accuracy is usually expressed % F.S.or % of RDG + adder.

The difference between these two

expressions is great.The only way to compare accuracy

presented in different ways is to calculatethe total error at certain points.

Uncertainty

Uncertainty is an estimate of the limits,at a given cover factor (or confidencelevel), which contain the true value.

Uncertainty is evaluated according to

either a Type A or a Type B method.Type A involves the statistical analysisof a series of measurements. In this case,uncertainty is calculated using Type Auncertainties, i.e. the effects of thesecomponents include measurementerrors, which can vary in magnitudeand in sign, in an unpredictable manner.The other group of components, Type B,could be said to be of a systematic nature.Systematic errors or effects remainconstant during the measurement.

Examples of systematic effects includeerrors in reference value, set-up of themeasuring, ambient conditions, etc.Type B uncertainty is used when theuncertainty of a single measurement isexpressed.

It should be noted that, in general,errors due to observer fallibilitycannot be accommodated within thecalculation of uncertainty. Examples ofsuch errors include: errors in recordingdata, errors in calculation, or the use of

inappropriate technology.

Type A uncertainty

The type A method of calculation canbe applied when several independentmeasurements have been made underthe same conditions. If there is sufficientresolution in the measurement, therewill be an observable difference in thevalues measured.

The standard deviation, often called

the root-mean-square repeatabilityerror, for a series of measurementsunder the same conditions, is used for



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calculation. Standard deviation is usedas a measure of the dispersion of values.

Type B uncertainty

Type B evaluation of uncertaintyinvolves the use of other means tocalculate uncertainty, rather thanapplying statistical analysis of a seriesof measurements.

It involves the evaluation of

uncertainty using scientific judgementbased on all available informationconcerning the possible variables.Values belonging to this category maybe derived from:

Experience with or general

knowledge of the behavior andproperties of relevant materialsand instruments

Ambient temperature Humidity

Local gravity Atmospheric pressure Uncertainty of the calibration

standard Calibration procedures Method used to register

calibration results Method to process calibration

results

The proper use of the availableinformation calls for insight based on

experience and general knowledge. It isa skill that can be learnt with practice.A well-based Type B evaluation ofuncertainty can be as reliable as aType A evaluation of uncertainty,especially in a measurement situationwhere a Type A evaluation is basedonly on a comparatively smallnumber of statistically independentmeasurements.

Expanded uncertainty

The EA has decided that calibrationlaboratories accredited by membersof the EA shall state an expandeduncertainty of measurement obtainedby multiplying the uncertainty by

a coverage factor k. In cases wherenormal (Gaussian) distribution can beassumed, the standard coverage factor,k=2, should be used. The expandeduncertainty corresponds to a coverageprobability (or confidence level) ofapproximately 95%.

For uncertainty specifications, theremust be a clear statement of coverprobability or confidence level. Usuallyone of the following confidence levels

are used:1 s = 68 %2 s = 95 %3 s = 99 %

8. Calibration managementMany companies do not pay enoughattention to calibration managementalthough it is a requirement e.g. inISO9001: 2000. The maintenancemanagement system may alert when

calibration is needed and then opensup a work order. Once the job has beendone, the work order will close and themaintenance system will be satisfied.

Unfortunately, what happens betweenopening and closing of the work order isnot documented very often. If somethingis documented, it is usually in the formof a hand-written sheet that is thenarchived. If the calibration results needto be examined at a later time, findingthe sheets requires a lot of effort.

Choosing professional tools formaintaining calibration records anddoing the calibrations can save a lot oftime, effort and money. An efficientcalibration management system consistsof calibration management software anddocumenting calibrators.

Modern calibration managementsoftware can be a tool that automatesand simplifies calibration work at alllevels. It automatically creates a list ofinstruments waiting to be calibrated in

the near future. If the software is ableto interface with other systems thescheduling of calibrations can be donein the maintenance system from whichthe work orders can be automatically

loaded into the calibration managementsoftware.

When the technician is about tocalibrate an instrument, (s)he simplydownloads the instrument details fromthe calibration management softwareinto the memory of a documentingcalibrator; no printed notes, etc. areneeded. The As Found and As Leftare saved in the calibrators memory, andthere is no need to write down anything

with pen.The instruments measurement

ranges and error limits are defined inthe software and also downloaded tothe calibrator. Thus the calibrator is ableto detect if the calibration was passedor failed immediately after the lastcalibration point was recorded. Thereis no need to make tricky calculationsmanually in the field.

All this saves an extensive amountof time and prevents the user from

making mistakes. The increase in workproductivity allows for more calibrationsto be carried out within the same periodof time as before. Depending on whatprocess variable is calibrated and howmany calibration points are recorded,using automated tools can be 5 to10 times faster compared to manualrecording.

While the calibration results areuploaded onto the database, the softwareautomatically detects the calibrator that

was used, and the traceability chain isdocumented without requiring anyfurther actions from the user.

Calibration records, including the fullcalibration history of an instrument, arekept in the database; therefore accessingprevious results is also possible in just afew seconds. When an instrument hasbeen calibrated several times, softwaredisplays the History Trend, whichassists in determining whether or not thecalibration period should be changed.

One of todays trends is to movetowards to a paperless office. If thecalibration management softwareincludes the right tools, it is possible tomanage calibration records on computer




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without producing any papers. If papercopies of certificates are preferred,printing them must, of course, bepossible. When all calibration relateddata is located in a single databasethe software is obviously able tocreate calibration related reports anddocuments.

Todays documenting calibrators arecapable of calibrating many process

signals. It is not very uncommon tohave a calibrator that calibrates pressure,temperature and electrical signalsincluding frequency and pulses. Inaddition to the conventional mA outputof a transmitter, modern calibrators canalso read HART, Foundation Fieldbus orProfibus output of the transmitters, andthey can be even used for configuringthese smart transmitters.

Implementing a modern calibrationmanagement system benefits

everybody who has anything to dowith instrumentation. For instancethe maintenance manager can use itas a calibration planning and decision-making tool for tracking and managing

all calibration related activities.When an auditor comes for a visit,

QA will find a calibration managementsystem useful. The requested calibrationrecords can be viewed on screen with acouple mouse clicks. If a calibrator driftsout of its specifications, it is possible touse a reverse traceability report toget a list of instruments that have beencalibrated with that calibrator.

Good calibration tools help technicianswork more efficiently and accurately.If the system manufacturer has paidattention usability, the system is easyto learn and use. When many tasks areautomated, the users can concentrate ontheir primary job.

Transferring to a new calibrationsystem may sound like a huge task andit can be a huge task. There are probablythousands of instruments that need tobe entered into the database and all the

details must be checked and verifiedbefore the system is up and running.Although there is a lot of data involved,it does not mean the job is an enormousone.

Nowadays most companies haveinstrumentation data in some type ofelectronic format: as Excel spreadsheets,Maintenance databases, etc. The vendorof the calibration system is most likelyable to import most of the existingdata to the calibration database saving

months of work.

ConclusionnA good, automated calibration

system reduces workload because

it carries out tasks faster, more

accurately and with better results

than what could be reached witha manual system. It assists in

documenting, scheduling, planning,

analyzing and finally optimizing the

calibration work.

References

[1] ISO9001: 2000 Quality

Management Systems.

Requirements

[2] 21 CFR Part 11: Electronic

Records; Electronic Signatures

[3] 21 CFR Part 211: CurrentGood Manufacturing Practice for

Finished Pharmaceuticals

that the Beamex Integrated

Calibration Solution with Beamex

multifunctional calibrators and

calibration software is the most

integrated, automated calibration

system available. Using the system

results in improved efficiency and

quality.

For more information or a quotation,complete the request form at

www.beamex.com/request

DID YOU KNOW?



12/28

Calibration helps a power plant inmaintaining or even improvingsafety, as well as in meeting

national and international standards.However, calibration is also a matterof profitability. By using high-accuracycalibration equipment, the accuracy ofvital measurements can be maintainedat required levels and plants canincrease their annual power productioncapability.

Power and Energy Operations

Electric, natural gas, oil, and otherenergy meters directly influencerevenue. Because of rising energy costs,power and energy operations carefullyscrutinize these devices to ensure thatthey accurately account for their energy

and bill correctly. Calibration issues that

arise in the power and energy industriesare also similar to those faced in powerand energy consumer industries.Although not directly billable, internalenergy consumption and its allocationcan make or break a seemingly viableproduct. Proper instrument calibrationhelps ensure that these measurementsare performed accurately, especiallybecause annual billing can exceed 1billion US dollars in many plants.

Instrumentation is used to measure

energy flow within power and energyoperations in order to monitor andimprove operations. While these

Improving power plant perfor

Uncertainty need is

also one of the most

important issues

when specifying the

calibration period.



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instruments are not directly usedfor billing purposes, their properoperation is often key to identifying andpreventing energy losses that can havelarge economic consequences. Failureto properly calibrate these instrumentscan lead to significant economicconsequences.

Instruments typically calibratedin power plants include transmitters,switches, gauges, transducers, frequencydevices and pulse counters to ensureproper operation and safety. Failureto properly calibrate these devices can

significantly affect process operation.Calibrating instruments properly in atimely manner is an important aspect ofensuring the environmental integrity ofthe process that can reduce the numberand severity of environmental issues.

Calibration Requirements

for Increasing Plant Productivity

and Safety

Accurate measurements can allow

increased energy production. Therefore,high-accuracy calibrators such asthe Beamex MC5 MultifunctionCalibrator, have a significant role inimproving plant productivity. For

instance, reducing the measurementuncertainty in a nuclear power plantcan potentially increase electricalproduction up to nearly 2 percent (seeCNA case story).

The economic consequence ofthis seemingly small power increasetypically increases revenues by manymillions of dollars because the totalvalue of power and energy flows caneasily be over a billion dollars per

year. Therefore, seemingly smallmeasurement errors caused by poorcalibration techniques can potentiallyresult in major revenue losses. Withthese improved measurementscomes the additional requirement ofmaintaining calibration equipment andtechniques that are comparable with theimproved instrument performance withtraceability to national and internationalstandards, such as NIST, ISO 9001 andISO 17025.

Safety is based upon never exceedingestablished operating limits such asreactor power and cooling capacity.A byproduct of improved calibrationis an improvement in safety andfewer problems because instrumentsperiodically calibrated to more accuratestandards reduce the risk associatedwith these measurements. In addition,improved calibration standards can beused to detect instrument degradationsooner.

Power and Energy Industry

Calibration

Field calibration allows the in-situcalibration of instruments that measureelectrical parameters such as voltage,current and power some of which maybe used for billing purposes in a powerplant. The performance of natural gasand oil flow measurement systems canalso influence billing. In particular,

the calibration of flowmeters used tocheck the custody transfer flowmetersis important. Small variations betweenthese flowmeters can result in largebilling differences and could indicate

a problem with the custody transferflowmeter. Field calibrators allow thesecalibrations to be performed accuratelyand more efficiently, especially whenthe instrument is installed with poorpersonnel access.

Many electricity, steam, cogeneration,ethanol, bio-diesel, refinery and

other types of energy plants use thesemeasurements to develop process heatand material balances that describetheir processes. Heat and materialbalances can be instrumental in locatingopportunities that can save millions ofdollars of energy. For example, increasedsteam flow to a heat exchanger indicatesthat either the steam trap on the heatexchanger leaks (wasting steam), or thatthe process changed (wasting steam) andneeds to be investigated to reduce steam

consumption. Field calibrators helpensure that these instruments operateproperly and accurately, quantifyingenergy savings. In addition, instrumentsthat are regularly and accurately

Reducing the

measurement

uncertainty (with high-

accuracy calibrators) in

a nuclear power plant

can potentially increase

electrical production upto nearly 2 percent.

Case: Increasing AnnualProduction with High-Accuracy Calibrators

Central Nuclear de Almaraz (CNA),

Spain

Enhanced calibration equipment

performance makes it possible to

perform calibration operations

with better uncertainty levels, with

which it is possible to improveproduction results. This is achieved

by using the high-accuracy Beamex

MC5 multifunction calibrators for

calibration in the power plant.

By improving the measurement

of the parameters from 2% to 0.4%

(parameters associated with the

determination of reactor power),

enabled the power in each unit to

be increased by 1.6%. This has a

very significant effect on the annual

production.Read the case story at:

www.beamex.com/success



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calibrated often tend to improve plantsafety and reduce the probability ofequipment damage.

Further, automated portablecalibrators can improve the calibrationprocess by automating the generation ofthe transmitter inputs and the recordingof the transmitter measurements. Thismakes the calibration process muchless time-consuming and improves theaccuracy with which data is collectedby reducing the probability of human

error.Expensive qualification requirements

often preclude the opening oftransmitters in nuclear power plants.In these applications, the calibrationprocess can be performed faster andmore accurately with an automatedcalibrator as compared to using existingmanual calibration techniques.

The BeamexMC5 MultifunctionCalibrators and the Beamex CMXcalibration software form an integrated,

automated calibration system.Calibrations performed using automatedfield calibrators and calibration softwarewith electronic documentation, result inmore uniform calibrations that are less

prone to human error. This automatedcalibration process is faster and morecomplete than the manual process. Asidefrom being more accurate, it also freesup significant amounts of time for thetechnician to perform other work. Theintegrated system with communicatingcalibrators and calibration softwareallow also easy upload of calibrations to aPC and produce easy-to-read calibrationcertificates showing the accuracy of theinstrument. It also allows the ability to

search for instruments that are due forcalibration.

Summary:Improving Power Plant

Performance through

Calibration

n An optimal calibration plan

executed well can improve both

safety and productivity of theplant.

Calibration improves safety

Calibration is carried out to

compare the quality and reliability

of the measurements by means of

traceability through national and

international standards (e.g. NIST,

ISO 9001, ISO 17025).

Plan safety is based on never

exceeding the established

operating parameters (e.g. reactorpower, cooling capacity).

Calibration improves

efficiency

Enhanced calibration equipment

performance results in better

uncertainty levels, with which

it is possible to improve annual

production levels.

With an integrated calibration

solution, such as the Beamex

calibrators and calibrationsoftware, plant can reduce

the amount of paperwork and

equipment that has to be taken

out in the field.

that the BeamexMC5 is a high-

accuracy, multifunctional calibrator

that replaces many individual

measurement devices. It meets

perfectly the requirements of

calibration in a power plant. For

more information or a quotation,complete the request form at

www.beamex.com/request

DID YOU KNOW?



16/28

Plants can improve their efficiencyand reduce costs by performingcalibration history trend analysis.

The analysis enables a plant to determinewhich instruments can be calibratedless frequently and which should becalibrated more frequently. Calibrationhistory trend analysis is only possiblewith calibration software that providesthis functionality.

Using Calibration History Trend

Analysis to Adjust Calibration

Intervals of Plant Instrumentation

Manufacturing plants need to beabsolutely confident that theirinstrumentation products temperaturesensors, pressure transducers, flowmeters and the like are performingand measuring to specified tolerances.If sensors drift out of their specificationrange, the consequences can be

disastrous for a plant, resulting in costlyproduction downtime, safety issues orpossibly leading to batches of inferiorquality goods being produced, whichthen have to be scrapped.

Most process manufacturing plantswill have some sort of maintenanceplan or schedule in place, which ensuresthat all instruments used across thesite are calibrated at the appropriatetimes. However, with increasingdemands and cost issues being placed

on manufacturers these days, the timeand resources required to carry out thesecalibration checks are often scarce. Thiscan sometimes lead to instruments beingprioritised for calibration, with thosedeemed critical enough receiving therequired regular checks, but for othersensors that are deemed less criticalto production, being calibrated lessfrequently or not at all.

But plants can improve theirefficiencies and reduce costs by using

calibration history trend analysis, afunction available within BeamexCMX Calibration Software. Withthis function, the plant can analyzewhether it should increase or decrease

the calibration frequency for all itsinstruments.

Cost savings can be achieved inseveral ways. First, by calibratingless frequently where instrumentsappear to be highly stable accordingto their calibration history. Second,by calibrating instruments more oftenwhen they are located in critical areas ofthe plant, ensuring that instruments arechecked and corrected before they driftout of tolerance. This type of practise

is common in companies that employan effective Preventive Maintenanceregime. The analyses of historical trendsand how a pressure sensor, for example,drifts in and out of tolerance over agiven time period, is only possible withcalibration software that provides thistype of functionality.

Current Practices in Process Plants

But in reality, how often do process plants

actually calibrate their instruments andhow does a maintenance manager or anengineer know how often to calibrate aparticular sensor?

In July 2007, Beamex conducted a

survey that asked process manufacturingcompanies how many instruments intheir plant required calibrating and thefrequency with which these instrumentshad to be calibrated. The surveycovered all industry sectors, includingpharmaceuticals, chemicals, food andbeverage, oil and gas, paper and pulp.

Interestingly, the survey showed thatfrom all industry sectors, 50% of therespondents said they calibrated theirinstruments no more than once a year.

However, in the pharmaceuticalssector, 42% said they calibrated once ayear and 42% said they calibrated twicea year.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, due to it beinga highly regulated industry, the studyproved also that the pharmaceuticalssector typically possesses a significantly

higher number of instruments per plantthat require calibrating. In addition,these plants also calibrate theirinstruments more frequently than otherindustry sectors.

How often should instrumentsAn analysis will tell you.

Plants can improve

their efficiencies and

reduce costs by using

calibration HistoryTrend Analysis, a

function available

within Beamex

CMX Calibration

Software.



17/28

be calibrated?

The History Trend Option of BeamexCMX Calibration Software

allows you to analyze the instruments drift over a certain time

period.

The BeamexCMX stores every calibration event into the database; the

history trend is made automatically without any extra manual work.

The BeamexCMX also indicates when new devices have been installed

and calibrated. This helps in comparing differences between devices.

The graphical display of the history trend helps in visualizing and optimizing

the calibration interval for the instruments.

View the

results on a

History Trend

report that

includes your

company logo.

History Trend

HISTORY TREND USER-INTERFACE IN BEAME X CMX

HISTORY TREND REPORT

The Benefits of Analyzing Calibration

History Trends

But regardless of the industry sector,by analysing an instruments drift overtime (ie. the historical trend) companiescan reduce costs and improve their

efficiencies. Pertti Mki is Area SalesManager at Beamex in Finland. Hespecialises in selling the BeamexCMXto different customers across all industrysectors. He comments: The largestsavings from using the History TrendOption are in the pharmaceuticalssector, without doubt, but all industrysectors can benefit from using thesoftware tool, which helps companiesidentify the optimal calibration intervalsfor instruments.

The trick, says Mki, is determiningwhich sensors should be re-calibratedafter a few days, weeks, or even years



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of operation and which can be leftfor longer periods, without of coursesacrificing the quality of the product orprocess or the safety of the plant and itsemployees. Doing this, he says, enablesmaintenance staff to concentrate theirefforts only where they are needed,therefore eliminating unnecessarycalibration effort and time.

But there are other, perhaps lessobvious benefits of looking at the

historical drift over time of a particularsensor or set of measuring instruments.As Mki explains: When an engineerbuys a particular sensor, the supplierprovides a technical specification thatincludes details on what the maximumdrift of that sensor should be over a giventime period. With CMXs History TrendOption, the engineer can now verifythat the sensor he or she has purchased,actually performed within the specifiedtolerance over a certain time period. If

it hasnt, the engineer now has data topresent to the supplier to support hisfindings.

But thats not all. The History Trendfunction also means that a plant can nowcompare the quality or performanceof different sensors from multiplemanufacturers in a given location orset of process conditions. This makes itan invaluable tool for maintenance or

quality personnel who, in setting up anew process line for example, can usethe functionality to compare differentsensor types to see which one best suitsthe new process.

Calibration software such as CMXcan also help with the planning ofcalibration operations. Calibrationschedules take into account the accuracyrequired for a particular sensor andthe length of time during which it haspreviously been able to maintain thatdegree of accuracy. Sensors that arefound to be highly stable need not bere-calibrated as often as sensors that

tend to drift.

The History Trend Function

within CMX

The History Trend Option, whichis available as standard in CMXEnterprise and as an add-on optionwithin CMX Professional, is basicallya utility for viewing calibration historydata. It is easy-to-use and is availableboth for Positions and Devices. The

data is displayed graphically and is alsoavailable in numeric format in a table.

The function enables users to planthe optimal calibration intervals fortheir instruments. Once implemented,

maintenance personnel, for example,can analyze an instruments drift overa certain time period. History Trenddisplays numerically and graphicallythe instruments drift over a given

period. Based on this information, itis then possible to make decisions andconclusions regarding the optimal

calibration interval and the qualityof the instruments with respect tomeasurement performance.

Users already familiar with CMX mayconfuse this function with the standard

Sensors that are found

to be highly stable need

not be re-calibrated as

often as sensors thattend to drift.

The function enables

users to plan the

optimal calibration

intervals for their

instruments.



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20/28

Georgia Power, Plant Yates (

Southern Company is a super-regional energy company withnearly 39,000 megawatts of electric

generating capacity in the southeastUnited States. It is one of the largestproducers of electricity in the UnitedStates. Southern Company suppliesenergy to a 120,000 square-mile serviceterritory spanning most of Georgia and

Alabama, southeastern Mississippi,and the panhandle region of Florida.FORTUNE magazine has namedSouthern Company the most admiredelectric and gas utility in America forthe last three years. Southern Companyis currently ranked number 178 on thelatest FORTUNE 500 listing of thelargest U. S. corporations. SouthernCompany reported earnings of $1.47billion in 2003. The company has

approximately 26,000 employees.Southern Company is the parent

firm of Georgia Power. One of thegenerating plants is Georgia PowersPlant Yates. Units 1 through 5 at PlantYates are some of Georgia Powersoldest fossil-fuel power plants. Theplant has seven generating units, witha total capacity of 1,250 megawatts.When Yates was completed in 1952,it was the largest steam generating

plant in Georgia. Over the years, PlantYates has been maintained to increasereliability, sustain efficiency and keep itsoperations compatible with increasinglystrict environmental standards.

The situation

The Instruments and Controlsdepartment is responsible formaintaining and calibrating allinstrumentation at Plant Yates,including transmitters and switches.

Jeff Cason is a Senior Instruments andControls Technician at Georgia Powers

Plant Yates.Calibration of process instruments

is considered essential at Plant Yates.Proper calibration ensures the bestpossible plant performance, increasesefficiency, and reduces risk of problems,

Jeff Cason states. It provides safety frompotential hazards due to undesirableoperating conditions, Jeff continues.

The main objectives achievedthrough calibration are increasedperformance, reliability, efficiency, and

safety. Transmitters, switches, gauges,transducers, frequency devices andpulse counters, among other things, arecalibrated at Plant Yates.

The solution and main benefits

We calibrate control instrumentationon a yearly basis, and indicationinstruments every eighteen to twenty-four months Jeff Cason explains.

At Plant Yates, they utilize Beamex

MC5 Multifunction Calibrators,vacuum calibration pumps, both highand low-pressure calibration pumpsand Beamex calibration software;the results have been very satisfying.Beamex equipment was chosen becausethe MC5 offered the most options as faras module ranges, devices that could becalibrated and put into the database,HARTcommunications, and databasefunctionality, Jeff Cason reveals.

The BeamexMC5 is very versatile,

powerful, and compact. All-in-onefunctionality means no need to carryseveral dif ferent gauges, manometers,and ammeter into the field, JeffCason describes. Also, the accuracy

of the MC5 modules is very good, Jeffcontinues. In addition, the calibrationsoftware has proven to be very efficient.The software makes it easy to send a listof instruments to be calibrated to theMC5 and then to work from that list,without needing to do paperwork out inthe field, Jeff Cason points out.

Using Beamexs calibration equipmenthas provided many benefits such assmooth, effortless calibrations. Easyupload of calibrations to a PC and easy-to-read calibration certificates show theaccuracy of the instrument, Jeff Casonexplains the benefits of the Beamexcalibration system. It also allows theability to search for instruments thatare due for calibration, Jeff adds.

Utilizing the Beamex calibrationsystem has reduced the amount of

equipment and paperwork that has tobe taken out in the field, Jeff Casonconcludes.

Calibrating for plant performance

Customer success story

Southern Company, the

parent firm of Georgia

Power, is one of the largest

producers of electricity in

the United States.

Beamex equipment was

chosen because the MC5

offered the most options

as far as module ranges,

devices that could be

calibrated and put intothe database, HART

communications, and

database functionality,

Jeff Cason reveals.



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USA)

Case story in brief

Customer profile

Georgia Power, Plant Yates

USA

Business Situation

Southern Company, the parent firm of

Georgia Power, is one of the largest

producers of electricity in the United States.

The plant has seven generating units,

with a total capacity of 1,250 megawatts.

When Yates was completed in 1952, it

was the largest steam generating plant in

Georgia. Over the years, Plant Yates has

been maintained to increase reliability,

sustain efficiency and keep its operations

compatible with increasingly strictenvironmental standards. Calibration of

process instruments is considered essential

at Plant Yates. Proper calibration ensures

the best possible plant performance,

increases efficiency, and reduces risk of

problems.

Solution description

BeamexMC5 Multifunction Calibrators

BeamexCalibration Software

Beamex

PGV, PGM and PGXHcalibration pumps

Main benefits

Accuracy of Beamex calibrators

Beamex calibration system has reduced

the amount of equipment and paperwork

that has to be taken out in the field

Easy upload of calibrations to a PC and

easy-to-read calibration certificates show

the accuracy of the instrument

Proper calibration ensures the bestpossible plant performance, increases

efficiency, and reduces risk of problems



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Using the BeamexMC5 Fieldbus Calibratorwith Emersons AMSSuiten The AMS Device Manager fully

supports the Beamex MC5 Fieldbus

Calibrator. The calibration procedure

is simple. First you select the fieldbus

instrument(s) to be calibrated in AMS

Device Manager and set up in a route.Then you check out the route in AMS

Device Manager to the MC5. Once

this is done, you must select the

instrument in MC5 and press Edit to

edit the instrument. After this, select

the Instrument Output page in the

MC5 and edit the Output Method from

Keyed to FOUNDATION H1. Save the

instruments data and begin calibrating

as you normally would. After the

calibration is completed and results are

saved into MC5, results can be uploadedto AMS Device Manager by checking in

the route. Quick and simple!

For more information about the MC5

and AMS communication option,

contact [email protected]

n Does your plant already utilize

calibration software for managing all

calibration information and assets?

Now you can take the first step by

downloading and installing the Beamex

CMX Light software demo. The Beamex

CMX Light is easy-to-use calibration

software for a single workstation. It is the

calibration solution for all large and mid-

sized companies that wish for advanced,yet simple to use, calibration software. If

you need more advanced features, you

can go for the CMX Professional or the

CMX Enterprise.

Before purchasing BeamexCMX Light

we would have to record calibration

results on paper first, and then in a

document on our network. Using CMX

Light to directly download the results to

a computer, enables us to save time (and

money) by eliminating double recording

of calibration results.

Peter Vandenberg,

Senior Technical OfficerInstrumentation & Controls,

AGL Torrens Island Pty Ltd, Australia

To download the free Beamex CMX

Light software demo, as well as a user

guide and installation instructions, go to

www.beamex.com/calibrationsolution

News

Free demo for BeamexCMX Light

calibration software!



23/28

John Adeimyappointed

as presidentof Beamex, Inc.n John Adeimy has been appointed

as President of Beamex, Inc. (USA).

He started with Beamex on the 2nd

of July, 2007.

John holds a key position within

the Beamex Group as President

of the Beamexs US subsidiary, as

USA is one of the biggest marketsfor Beamex and a key focus area for

the company.

John has an extensive

background from managing sales

and marketing operations in the

automation industry. Before joining

Beamex, he was VP of Sales and

Marketing at Voith Automation.

Other companies he has worked

for include Honeywell, ABB and

Monsanto Company.

We are very pleased for theexperience and competence John

brings to the Beamex team. Our

operations in USA is expanding and

John has a key position in bringing

it to the next level, explains Raimo

Ahola, Managing Director of

Beamex Group.

John Adeimy, President

Beamex, Inc.

Tel. (ofce): 770-951-1927

Email: [email protected]: www.beamex.com

n The BeamexMC5-IS Intrinsically Safe

Multifunction Calibrators Ex certification

has been updated in June 2007. The main

benefit of the updated certificate is that

the new IECEx certificate for the MC5-

IS is officially approved in many newcountries. The ATEX certification of the

MC5-IS has also been updated.

IECEx member countries include 26

countries, such as Australia, Canada,

China, UK and USA. The complete list of

IECEx member countries can be found

at: http://www.iecex.com/countries.htm.

The MC5-IS certifcation body (VTT)

has received a status as an Approved

Certification Body in the IECEx scheme

program. The objective of the IECEx

Scheme is to facilitate internationaltrade in equipment and services for

use in explosive atmospheres, while

maintaining the required level of safety.

More information on IECEx can be found

at www.iecex.com.

The new certification is valid for all

Beamex MC5-IS calibrators that are

delivered after mid-June 2007.

Beamex

MC5-IS Intrinsically SafeMultifunction Calibrator is a high-

accuracy calibrator that can replace

several individual measurement devices

due to its all-in-one functionality. It is

designed for use in

potentially explosive

environments such as

offshore platforms,

oil refineries,

chemical and

petrochemical

plants whereinflammable

gases may be

present.

The Beamex MC5-IS Calibratorgets updated certification

Beamex provides a newcorporate-wide calibration system forScottish and Southern Energyn Beamex Limited (UK) made recently

a major contract to provide a new

corporate-wide software-based

calibration system for Scottish and

Southern Energy. The contract includes

several Beamex CMX Professional

Calibration Software licenses. The new

system will be used at 11 Scottish and

Southern Energy sites in the UK.

Installing and utilizing this new

system will provide Scottish and

Southern Energy quality and efficiencyimprovements due to the possibility

to have a fully networked calibration

software solution that can be rolled

out across multiple geographically

dispersed sites. In addition to the

network capability, other reasons for

choosing Beamex CMX Calibration

Software were that the software

can communicate seamlessly with

documenting calibrators and that it

can be integrated with a maintenance

management system.

Scottish and Southern Energy is one

of the largest energy companies in the

UK. The company is involved in the

generation, transmission, distributionand supply of electricity; energy trading;

the storage, distribution and supply of

gas; electrical and utility contracting;

and telecoms.



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BeamexIntegratedSoftware-based calibration management Create, manage and store calibration data efficiently

Automate calibration work from start to finish

Share database with other plants worldwide

Integration into MMS (e.g. SAP, Maximo)

Paperless calibration data management

Regulatory compliance (e.g. ISO 17025, ISO 9001, FDA)

Seamless communication with documenting calibrators

Manual entry, Pocket PC interface and weighing instrument calibration

CORPORATE-LEVEL

Pressure Temperature

CALIBRATIONMANAGEMENT

BeamexMC5 Calibrator

Temperature bath / Pressure controller BeamexMCS100 Workstation Manual entry in BeamexCMX Pocket PC interface for BeamexCMX 3rdparty calibrator support

CALIBRATION AND DOCUMENTING TOOLS

INSTRUMENTS: Conventional

HART

Profibus PA

Foundation Fieldbus H1


25/28


26/28

News

n Beamex has recently been contracted

by EPR to supply their world-class

integrated calibration solution for EleanPower Station the worlds largest

straw burning power station creating

38MW from burning 200,000 tons of

cereal straw every year.

Beamex is proud to be part of this

fantastic project helping to create power

for the UK from a renewable source.

The integrated solution includes

the well-respected combination

of Beamex MC multifunction

documenting calibrators and Beamex

CMX Professional Calibration Softwareallowing the seamless and electronic

flow of calibration data from calibration

software to calibrator and back.

The seamless and electronic flowof data minimizes the error-prone

requirement for hand-written data entry

and accelerates the whole process

leading to savings in time and cost. The

system also documents automatically

all calibration results.

In addition to the time and cost

savings, other reasons for choosing

BeamexMC calibrators and Beamex

CMX Calibration Software are the

capability to communicate with and

calibrate HART

and FoundationFieldbus transmitters, operate within

a paperless environment, and be able

to share the calibration results across a

corporate network.EPR (Energy Power Resources) is at

the forefront of the renewable energy

market with one of the largest and

most diverse portfolios of plant in the

UK, generating some 10% of the UKs

renewable electricity.

Beamex provides an integratedcalibration solution to the worldslargest straw fired power station

Managing Director of Beamex

Group, Raimo Ahola.

n Managing Director of Beamex

Group, Raimo Ahola, has been

appointed as the chairman of Finnish

Metrology Advisory Commission for

the upcoming 3-year period. The

Metrology Advisory Commission

assists the Finnish Ministry of Trade

and Industry, Centre for Metrology

and Accreditation (MIKES) and

Safety Technology Authority (TUKES)

in matters concerning metrology

business, education and science. Inaddition to Raimo Ahola, the Metrology

Advisory Commission has 17 other

members covering different fields

of metrology. Being the chairman

of Metrology Advisory Commission

means having a key position in

developing and shaping the entire field

of metrology in Finland.

The managing director of Beamexappointed as chairman of FinnishMetrology Advisory Commission



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Portable calibrators

Beamexs range of portable MC calibrators for field

calibration is known for their accuracy, versatility and

also for meeting both high and uncompromised quality

standards.

MC5 Multifunction Calibrator

MC5-IS Intrinsically Safe Multifunction Calibrator

MC2 Series

Workstations

A workstation can be considered ideal when most of

maintenance and calibration tasks are performed in theworkshop.

MCS100 Workstation

MC5P Calibration Host Module

Accessories

Beamexs calibration accessories complete your

investment into calibration equipment.

External pressure modules

Calibration hand-pumps

Spare parts

Calibration softwarePlan, manage and document all your calibrations

efficiently and safely using Beamexs calibration

software.

CMX Light

CMX Professional

CMX Enterprise

Professional services

An essential part of a total calibration solution is

Professional Services service and re-calibration,

installation and training, software support, validation

services and integration services. Re-calibration and service

Installation and training

Software Service Agreement (SSA)

Validation services (pharmaceutical industry)

Integration services

Beamex productsand services

Beamex is a leading worldwide provider of calibration

solutions that meet even the most demanding requirements

of process instrumentation. Beamex offers a comprehensive

range of products and services from portable calibrators

to workstations, calibration accessories, calibration

software, industry-specific solutions and professional

services. Through Beamexs partner network, their products

and services are available in more than 60 countries.

Learn more about Beamex products and services:

www.beamex.com

Brochures, product demonstrations and quotations

[email protected]

www.beamex.com/request (online request form)

Software support

[email protected]

Re-calibration and service

[email protected]

Find your local Beamex sales office at:www.beamex.com/contacts

Interested in submitting an article

to CALIBRATION WORLD?

Contact: [email protected]

If you would like to remove your name

from our mailing list:

please visit www.beamex.com or send an e-mail to

[email protected]

Beamexin brief



28/28

Learn step-by-step how the

most integrated, automatedcalibration system works.

Register for a FREE multimedia CD-ROM at www.beamex.com/cdrom

The CD-ROM contains: Animated video

BeamexCMX Light Calibration Software demo

Brochures for calibrators and calibration software

Customer case stories

Calibration White Papers

User guides

b

Portable calibrators

Workstations

Calibration software

Professional servicesIndustry solutions

CalibrationWorld 2007-03 ENG

Documents

Transcript of CalibrationWorld 2007-03 ENG