Why is there a need to do calibration?

Answer 1

Initial calibration removes and gain and offset errors caused by variances in the manufacturing process. i.e. component tolerances

Routine calibration ensures detection and removal of error in the instrument . Gain and offset errors may be introduced by: abuse, mechanical wear, electrical spikes, component failure and drift. electro chemical Sense element contamination, temperature extremes. To name a few.

Many errors occur gradually or with slight effects so as to not attract notice across daily use. Routine calibration detects , documents and eliminates through calibration instrumentation errors

Answer 2

You have to make sure your machines are working properly before you use them to take measurements. If a machine is calibrated correctly, the measurements you take could be off for the whole project, but you wouldn't notice it until you actually tried to build it.

Answer 3

To ensure whatever measurement an instrument shows (displays) correspond to actual measurement of the entity being measured.

If an instrument is not caliberated, it might display erronious measurement. For example, if my weighing balance is not caliberated (it is off from the 0gm mark by 5 gms due to reasons such as difference in the weight between weighing pans) and I am weighing say gold, then there might be an error in the measurement say of 5 grams.

Eventhough I gave an example of mechanical instrument, the same concept is used in all areas of scientific measurement such as chemistry, physics etc.

Answer 4

To make sure measures taken are accurate and consistent.

Answer 5

to ensure the item is serviceable and meet the requirement standard.