Our Science
Transcat has made its reputation and built its business on a simple principle: never compromise on scientific rigor. As a result, Transcat can promise unmatched accuracy and calibration reliability, built on four pillars of scientific rigor:
Over 50 Years of Calibration Expertise
With over 50 combined years of laboratory experience, we understand the calibration of pipettes. Our calibration staff completes comprehensive annual training and proficiency testing, so your pipettes are always serviced by in-depth experts. We have accumulated over 25 years of repair expertise on all brands, so your repairs are performed correctly and without delay. We know the accuracy and reproducibility of your scientific work depends on the accuracy of your pipettes.
Metrology: The Science of Measurement
Every measurement known to science has a level of uncertainty associated with it. The lower the uncertainty, the better the measurement quality, and the greater the accuracy and reliability of the measurement process. Conversely, high measurement uncertainty signifies a poor measurement process, and a high level of “doubt” about the measurement itself.
To reduce measurement uncertainty, it’s necessary to identify the sources of that uncertainty, and to quantify these factors and report them along with the measurement result. This is the “measurement uncertainty” or MU value. In pipette calibration, factors like altitude, barometric pressure, air temp, air flow, vibration and humidity all affect MU. Dry conditions and high air flow, for example, increase evaporation rates and impact test equipment measurement capability. A test balance that cannot stabilize properly will produce poor measurement results. The more tightly these factors are controlled, the smaller the MU and the more accurate the resulting pipette calibration.
At Transcat, we understand in detail the impact these environmental factors have on pipette calibration measurement accuracy and uncertainty. That is why your pipettes are always calibrated in a tightly controlled laboratory environment, precisely designed to minimize all the influences that can affect MU, and therefore minimizing pipette inaccuracy and imprecision. As a result, our pipette calibrations are extremely accurate, thoroughly reliable and fully audit-ready for you.
Uniquely Compliant with ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and ISO 8655
ISO/IEC 17025:2005 is a written set of general requirements calibration providers must follow to have their management process be deemed “competent” by a suitable accreditation body. It requires calibration labs to document processes and systems and insure they are always followed. However, the standard has nothing to say about how good or effective those processes may be. Nor are the guidelines specific to any device; they apply equally well to a broad range of equipment requiring calibration, including not just pipettes, but also medical devices, communication equipment, electronic devices, weight scales, pressure meters, calipers, and many more.
ISO 8655, on the other hand, is a very detailed set of standards, methods and controls that a pipette calibration provider must follow to correctly and accurately calibrate piston pipettes. The specifications of ISO 8655 are rigorous and define in detail exactly what is required for a valid, trustworthy and reliable pipette calibration. View Transcat ISO certificates and accreditations.
Our controlled calibration lab meets or exceeds the requirements defined in ISO 8655, and we stock all the high-quality service tools, replacement parts, piston lubes and other service resources needed for compliant pipette calibration. That’s one way you can be sure our calibration, repair and preventative maintenance service is both comprehensive and complete.