After months of hard work and dedication, Cirrus Research is now a UKAS-accredited calibration laboratory No. 10148, capable of verifying sound level meters, sound calibrators and octave band filters to the highest level of accuracy and highest quality, from any manufacturer. We have become one of only three UKAS-accredited acoustic calibration labs in the country to be able to calibrate to the very latest standards, and one of only five in the UK to be accredited to UKAS standards for the calibration of sound level meters and sound calibrators.
With over 40 years’ experience, attaining UKAS-accreditation feels like a natural step for us in furthering our position as one of the world’s leading manufacturers, suppliers and calibrators of noise measurement equipment, and will provide all of our clients with added peace of mind, knowing that their instruments will provide them with information that is supremely accurate and reliable.
What is UKAS-accredited acoustic calibration?
UKAS-accredited calibration is the highest possible standard of instrument verification. It means that all of our test equipment has been officially verified by a metrology institute, and that the accuracy of your equipment’s calibration is second-to-none. Many organisations now insist that their instruments are UKAS calibrated, meaning that we are in a position to help more and more people with their instrument verification needs, in turn, assisting them in their efforts to protect people from the dangers of exposure to excessive noise levels.
What can Cirrus calibrate to UKAS standards?
The great thing about the UKAS-accredited calibration service that Cirrus offers, is that it’s not just Cirrus products that can be verified. We can calibrate products from all major manufacturers, so long as they meet the applicable standards, as outlined below:
- Any sound level meter manufactured to IEC 61672:1-2002 or IEC 61672:1-2013
- Any sound calibrator manufactured to IEC 60942:2003 or IEC 60942:2017
- Octave band filters to IEC 61260:1995
The following is a full list of what is tested during UKAS-accredited calibration, and the standards to which they apply:
Acoustic noise floor
Electrical noise floor
Acoustical signal tests of a frequency weighting
Electrical signal tests of a frequency weighting
Frequency and time weightings at 1 kHz
Level linearity on the reference level range
Level linearity including the level range control (if available)
Toneburst response
Peak C sound level
Overload indication
Acoustic noise floor
Electrical noise floor
Acoustical signal tests of a frequency weighting
Electrical signal tests of a frequency weighting
Frequency and time weightings at 1 kHz
Long-term stability
Level linearity on the reference level range
Level linearity including the level range control (if available)
Toneburst response
Peak C sound level
Overload indication
High-level stability
Frequency
Output level
Total distortion
What are the benefits of UKAS-accredited calibration?
There are multiple benefits to having your instruments calibrated to UKAS standard, including:
- Guaranteeing the accuracy and reliability of your data
- Having data that will stand up to scrutiny in legal proceedings
- Ensuring the accuracy of your instruments
- Having peace of mind, knowing that your instruments have been fully tested and verified using equipment that has been approved by a government-approved metrology institute
A full calibration is more than simply attaching a sound calibrator to the end of a microphone (known as field calibration). Full calibration involves both acoustic and electrical testing of the instrument, as well as verifying every component and function, as stated in the standards.
To find out more information about UKAS-accredited calibration or to book your instruments in with us, please contact our team.
