Three Ways to Calibrate Your NI Hardware Faster

Calibrating your test and measurement equipment regularly is critical to ensuring quality measurements and minimizing downtime. Depending on your hardware and the nature of your application, NI recommends calibrating your hardware anywhere from once every six months to once every two years. This can be determined based on the following factors:

• NI recommended calibration interval for your specific product 
• Reliability and accuracy requirements for your application
• Environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity and vibration
• Frequency and intervals of usage

Figure 1. Regular calibration of your NI measurement hardware is critical to ensuring accurate measurements

Depending on your schedule, it may or may not be convenient to send your hardware to a service center and wait for several days before the calibrated hardware is returned. National Instruments recognizes that this is a challenge, and is constantly looking for ways to improve its service offerings to maximize your convenience while minimizing cost. Beyond the standard incident-based calibration service, NI provides several options at different price points for faster turnaround times.

Figure 1. NI offers incident-based calibration services for when purchasing a service program membership isn't the most practical option.

NI Service Programs are designed to save you time and money when planning for long-term maintenance of your NI hardware and systems. In addition to receiving a 15% or 25% discounts for all calibration services included with 3 or 5-year memberships, respectively, NI Service Programs provide ease of service with no purchase order delays. Simply call us to schedule your calibration service—no budget approval needed. 

Figure 2. A service program membership eliminates the time and hassle of creating purchase orders (POs)

When you sign up for a Premium Service Program (PSP) membership, not only do you receive a 15% to 25% discount on calibration, but NI will also expedite your calibration service. Expedited Calibration is the newest addition the NI calibration services portfolio. It includes faster calibration service in addition to expedited return shipping, in order to reduce your calibration time to as little as nine days. 

Figure 3. Expedited Calibration services include faster calibration service and expedited return shipping

PSP for hardware and systems includes additional services that help you protect your investment long-term and minimize downtime. Services include 3, 5-year warranties, replacement parts shipped to you within one business day upon receiving your request, custom assembly and configuration, and the ability to return your systems to NI fully assembled. 

The fastest and most convenient way to calibrate your hardware is on-site calibration. NI will send a certified calibration technician to your facility to perform the calibration on-site, anywhere, anytime. On-Site Calibration may be purchased on an incident basis, or it can also be included with the PremiumPlus Service Program (PPSP) membership for hardware and systems. 

Within a PPSP membership NI provides additional services to help you maximize uptime including the delivery of loaner systems. When it's time for your system to be calibrated, you will have a single-point of contact from NI who will generate and deliver a system identical to the system needing calibration. You can send us your system at your convenience, and we will make sure that always have the equipment you need at your facility. 

Figure 4. The fastest and most convenient way to perform calibration is with on-site service

NI provides fast and efficient ways for you to calibrate your hardware and ensure confidence in your measurements and minimize downtime. For more information on calibration services, contact your NI sales representative.