CALIBRATION INTERVAL: HOW TO

INCREASE THE CALIBRATION

FREQUENCY OF INSTRUMENTS
With the pandemic we are experiencing, affecting every industry in the world, one strategy to
avoid an overdue instrument and ensure an updated calibration program is to extend the
calibration due date or calibration interval of our instruments.
But doing this needs a planned strategy to still ensure confidence and reliability of our
instruments. This strategy is to implement a calibration interval analysis procedure.
Calibration interval or frequency of calibration is one of the most asked questions. Below are the
actual questions that I received:
1. Is a recalibration a requirement?
2. How can we do interval analysis and how long can we extend?
3. Is there a standard that controls the interval between each calibration process? 
4. Is there a standard guide that is set to be followed?
5. Is there a set of rules for the frequency of calibration of an instrument?
6. It is difficult to understand the logic behind the 12-month interval, shouldn’t this depend on the
number of usages?
I have read a lot of documents online, and honestly, most are complicated and very technical for a
beginner to understand.  I will present the simplest and the one that makes more sense to me and I
hope you can understand it as well.
In this post, I will present a simple method with an example that you can follow as a guide in
order to analyze and provide clear details about why you need to extend or reduce the calibration
interval of your instruments.
Furthermore, I will also present the following:
1. What is a calibration Interval?
2. Why Do We Need to Determine Calibration Frequencies of Instruments
3. How to Determine Calibration Interval of Instruments
a. 4 Major Objectives For the Implementation of Calibration Interval Analysis
b. How to Establish the Initial Calibration Interval
c. How to Determine the Fixed Calibration Interval
> Example of Calibration Interval Calculation of Pressure Test Gauge – Method Implementation
Procedure
4. References Guides that We can Use to Perform Other Methods of Analysis
5. Some Techniques that I observe others are doing in relation to calibration Interval
6. Conclusion
What is A Calibration Interval?
Calibration interval is also known as calibration frequency, calibration period, or simply
calibration due date is the number of days between scheduled calibrations.
Having a calibration interval is a must. But laboratories are not allowed to give a calibration
frequency. This is as per ISO 17025 standard, under clause 7.8.4.3, which states that  “A
calibration certificate or calibration label shall not contain any recommendation on the
calibration interval, except where this has been agreed with the customer.”
One of the reasons is that once the instrument is out of the lab, the lab has no control over it,
therefore the calibration interval is not guaranteed. 
The user should determine what are the Calibration Intervals needed for his instruments. This
will now become part of the In-house Calibration program that should be properly
documented.
Any instruments that will not fall under the calibration Interval analysis may fall
under ‘calibration-not-required’ status. Check my other post in this link >> calibration-not-
required implementation

Some Reasons Why Do We Need to Determine Calibration

Frequencies of Instruments
We need to determine the Calibration Frequency in order to satisfy below reasons:
1. To save cost. – by calibrating less frequently because of a longer calibration interval but
ensuring reliability.
2. To satisfy requirements of customer or regulatory bodies
3. The need to perform recalibration –The reason why we “calibrate” also applies to why we
“recalibrate”
a. The need to recalibrate.  Below are some technical reasons why we recalibrate:
> Because of drift
> To detect any calibration problems before it affects quality
> Exposure to harsh environment
> Over usage
> To assure accuracy and reliability
> To ensure traceability
4. Compliance to the Requirements of ISO Standards – under ISO 17025:2017 and ISO
9001:2015 Standards which  controls and requires calibration interval analysis
a. Calibration Frequency requirements  As Per ISO 17025;2017 Standards are for:
i. Establishing calibration program for calibrated Instruments
> As per clause 6.4.7 The laboratory shall establish a calibration program, which shall
be reviewed and adjusted as necessary in order to maintain confidence in the status of
calibration.
ii. Monitor Validity of results
 > As per clause 7.7.1 The laboratory shall have a procedure for monitoring the validity of results.
g) retesting or recalibration of retained items;
iii. For documentation  as part of Technical Records,
> As per clause 6.4.13 Records shall be retained for equipment that can influence laboratory
activities. The records shall include the following, where applicable: e) calibration dates, results
of calibrations, adjustments, acceptance criteria, and the due date of the next calibration or the
calibration interval;
b. Related Calibration Interval Requirements under ISO 9001:2015, as per clause
7.1.5.2 Measurement traceability
i. When measurement traceability is a requirement or is considered by the organization to be an
essential part of providing confidence in the validity of measurement results, measuring
equipment shall be: a) calibrated or verified, or both, at specified intervals, or prior to use,
against measurement standards traceable to international or national measurement standards; 

ii. The organization shall determine if the validity of previous measurement results has been
adversely affected when measuring equipment is found to be unfit for its intended purpose, and
shall take appropriate action as necessary
If you read these requirements, there are no specific guides or standards that are required to
follow for calibration interval analysis or method, therefore, any methods that work for you are
ok. But it is better to have published documents or guides as a reference like the ILAC G24 which
is free to download.

How to Determine Calibration Interval of Instruments

There are 2 types of calibration interval that we need to complete here, these are the:

1. Initial Calibration Interval

2. Final or Fixed Calibration Interval

4 Major Objectives For Implementing Calibration Interval Analysis

1. To designate Initial Calibration Interval – this is the starting calibration interval based
on experience and recommendations.
2. Use to extend interval of calibration – this means that a given calibration interval will
be extended for a specific period until a fixed interval is reached. This is also applicable
like for example during this pandemic where calibration is difficult to access and we want
to extend a little more temporarily.
3. Use to reduce interval of calibration – this is applicable when we encounter out of
tolerance where calibration is reduced as per implementation rule. See below example
presentation
4. Use to determine the fixed calibration interval (final interval) – this is the main
calibration interval that we need to achieve based on actual use which should be
adequately justified.
How to Establish the Initial Calibration Interval
Initial Calibration Interval means an interval that we used initially as per the decision of
the expert, this should not be the final calibration frequency to be used, this is just our
starting point. Since we do not have yet data to justify this interval (in most cases for start
up), it is known as ‘Engineering Intuition’.

I will quote this statement from ILAC G24, It states that:

“The so-called “engineering intuition” which fixed the initial calibration intervals, and a
system which maintains fixed intervals without review, are not considered as being
sufficiently reliable and are therefore not recommended. “
The decision on where to base the initial calibration interval depends solely on you as the
user. These could be based on below criteria:
1. Manufacturer Requirements – recommended by manufacturer
2. On the frequency of use – the more it is used, the shorter the calibration interval
3. Required by the regulatory bodies (example: required by the government)
4. Past experience of the user with the same type of instrument
6. Based on the criticality of use. – more critical instruments have higher accuracy or
very strict tolerance, therefore shorter calibration interval
7. Customer Requirements
8. Conditions of the environment where it is being used.
9. Published Documents

Initial calibration intervals in some cases could become the ‘fixed/final calibration interval’,
considering that we already have evidence to justify why we decide this calibration interval for a
specific instrument. I will share 1 method to be used for justification.. Just continue reading.
Remember that the above choices are the basis for an initial interval, our job is not finished here
yet. The next move is to determine or to establish the final or ‘fixed Interval of calibration’ using
a specific method or procedure. And this is where the method that I will present here will be used.

How to Determine the Fixed Calibration Interval 

My purpose here is to present and help you understand the calibration interval analysis procedure
that you can implement if it suits your needs.
 A disclaimer should be noted. These are my implementation based on my understanding and
experience, it may be different with your situations so a proper review should be given. It is your
responsibility as the user to evaluate the effectiveness of this method if you implement and take
responsibility for the consequences of the decisions taken as a result of using this method. 

I will present here a modified method based on the principle of a control chart and a calendar-
time method as per ILAC G24 (OIML D 10:2007). I will call this method the ‘Floating Interval
Method’ because it can increase or decrease in a given condition.
To establish a fixed interval, below is the calibration interval analysis procedure:
1. Gather historical records of the instrument using its calibration report for the past 2 years or
more.
2. Choose at least 3 readings that are mostly used, for example, the min, middle, and max to
determine stability or drift. 
3. Use excel to summarize the readings.
4. Using the specifications and the calibration results, create a chart with control limits  (a control
chart)-see below the table using excel (there are many tutorials about control chart in Google that
you can follow).
5. Understand and analyze the trend.
> Based on the trend, you can decide whether to increase or decrease the calibration interval
based on the Implementation Rule that you created for the Floating Interval Method. (See below
presentation)
a. Implementation Rule #1: 100% Increased on the next calibration interval after the 2 years  if
results are within 80% – Max 24 months interval

b. Implementation Rule #2:  50% reduced on the next calibration interval every time As-Found
results are within warning interval or OUT-OF-TOLERANCE (and adding back the 50% after
passing on the next recalibration) –see the flow below second scenario.
6. Determine the final interval.

Example of Calibration Interval Calculation of Pressure Test Gauge –

Method Implementation Procedure
To understand better, below is an example. The instrument is a Pressure Test Gauge. We will
establish its fixed calibration interval using the method ‘Floating Interval Method’ (I just made
this up, you can call it anything you want)
Assuming you have a test gauge that is calibrated every 6 months as an initial interval. Then after
2 years, you have generated a performance history of 6 calibration reports. 
We can now use the results to analyze the stability or drift. We will choose 3 test points, the min,
mid and max range. But in this example, I will plot only the mid- range using MS Excel (If you
have special software to perform this, it is much easier).
Again, for simplicity, I will use the manufacturer specifications as the tolerance limit.
A. For steps 1 to 3 above. The first four 6 months is the data for 2 years. These are the basis of
the fixed interval analysis. I only choose mid-range to simplify the presentation.
Tabulated results of the calibration performance history of the Test Gauge with specifications.
The first four calibration intervals (6 months) are the initial data. This will be analyzed more in a
chart.

CHART INTERPRETATION
B. For steps 4 to 7, see the below presentation. These will show on “HOW TO INCREASE OR
DECREASE A CALIBRATION INTERVAL’
This is the chart from the table above. It shows the stability trend of the Test Gauge with the
Implementation rule for Increasing a calibration Interval It shows the analysis in the FIRST
SCENARIO flow sequence table.
As a basis for increasing the calibration interval, if you observed that the readings are within the
control limits you specified, it means that the instrument is stable. Based on your history, the Test
Gauge is stable for 2 years, as per implementation rule, we can extend it for 1 year up to a
maximum of  24 months (this is as per my implementation rule, you can adjust it but don’t
overdo it.)
On the opposite side, if readings failed as per the As-found Data, then you need to decrease it. As
per my decision, I will decrease it by 50%. This is I believe the most suitable range. See below
presentation.

Thi
s is a Decreasing Calibration Interval Implementation as per the Implementation Rule. The
analysis of the chart is presented in the SECOND SCENARIO flow sequence table.
Please take note that this is not a one size fits all method. You can change or adjust based on your
own needs and implementation rule.
I also want to emphasize that I did not include the Measurement Uncertainty as part of
the Decision Rule to make the presentation much simpler.
This will tell us the importance of recording the history of the performance of our instruments for
this purpose. Past records are used to justify why we extend or reduce calibration intervals.

References Guides that Presents Other Methods

of Analysis
There are no specific standards  that provide the ‘exact’ interval to be followed as a basis for a
calibration interval of any instruments in a calibration lab. All publications and guides are only
recommendations and usually optional to follow or implement unless required by a regulatory
body.
For those who want to explore more regarding other methods, check on below free guides:

1. ILAC-G24 Guidelines for the determination of calibration intervals of measuring

instruments
2. GMP 11 Good Measurement Practice for Assignment and Adjustment of Calibration
Intervals for Laboratory Standards
3. 5 Best Calibration Interval Guides  

Some Techniques I Observe Others Are Doing in

Relation to Calibration Interval
1. They include a ‘calibration interval tolerance’. I smiled at first when I heard this but it’s
true, the calibration interval has a tolerance limit.   An example is a calibration interval of
1 year +/- 2  months.
2. An instrument that is being kept for a longer period and is calibrated only every time it is
used, or before it will be used for measuring. 
3. Some instruments have no calibration due date at all, considering that this kind of
instrument is calibrated before use in everyday operation.
4. There are calibration intervals based on the number of times the instrument is used. For
example, we will only calibrate an instrument after it used 500 times.
As you can see, there is no one exact solution that fits all, it all depends on the user. The
important thing is we have a procedure to follow that is properly planned with justifications or
proper documents as evidence why we choose such a method.
You can tweak or add additional details or criteria to suit your needs.  You can gather most
methods from reference guides and combine each of them. It is up to you on how you can create
the best calibration interval analysis program for you.
Conclusion
Determining the calibration interval is one of the main requirements when it comes to instrument
maintenance and quality control. And as per my exposure to different users, this is one of the
most asked topics even though there are a lot of guides out there.
In establishing a Calibration interval, there are 2 main steps that we need to follow, first is to
establish the Initial Interval, second is to determine the Final or Fixed Calibration Interval as we
progress. Either we choose the initial interval as the fixed interval or establish a new fixed
interval is ok, the important thing is we need to have data to justify our decisions. There should
be a method that we follow in order to implement this. I call the method in this post, the ‘Floating
Interval Method’.
In this article, I have presented:
1. What is a calibration Interval?
2. Why Do We Need to Determine Calibration Frequencies of Instruments
3. How to Determine Calibration Interval of Instruments
a. 4 Major Objectives For the Implementation of Calibration Interval Analysis
b. How to Establish the Initial Calibration Interval
c. How to Determine the Fixed Calibration Interval
> Example of Calibration Interval Calculation of Pressure Test Gauge – Method Implementation
Procedure
4. References Guides that We can Use to Perform Other Methods of Analysis
5. Some Techniques that I observe others are doing in relation to calibration Interval