Calibration and Calibration Checks of Laboratory Balances

Revision 1
Revision Date: February 3, 2000
Original Issue Date: February 10, 1997

Reviewed by: Approved by:

I. INTRODUCTION
A. Purpose 1. This procedure is to be used in the calibration and daily calibration checks of all laboratory balances. B. Procedure Outline 1. Balances are calibrated using internal weights (if available) and calibrated weights. C. Requirements 1. A calibration procedure for a balance is required: a) At least every three months; b) Whenever the balance is moved (however slight); c) Whenever the level of the balance has been changed; or d) Whenever excessive temperature variations have occurred. 2. A calibration check procedure should be completed each day the balance is used, prior to use. a) More frequent calibration checks may be required by certain analytical and quality control procedures. b) Calibration checks shall be recorded in a laboratory notebook.

II. REQUIRED EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES

A. Equipment 1. Analytical balance 2. Calibrated weight set, ASTM Class 2, 1mg 100g 3. Calibrated weight, 2000 g

III. PROCEDURE
A. Documentation 1. Upon completion of a calibration, the analyst should attach a label, such as that shown in figure 1, to the balance. The label shall include the following information: a) The name of the person performing the calibration. b) The date of the calibration and the date the next calibration is due. (1) The calibration Due Date shall be three months from the calibration date (2) The range of weights used in the calibration.

2.

The results of all calibrations and calibration checks shall be recorded a laboratory notebook.

B. Mettler AE240 Balance 1. Calibration a) Ensure that the balance has been energized at least 60 minutes prior to calibrating. b) Verify that the balance is level by checking to ensure that the level indicator bubble is in the center of the circle. If not, adjust the leveling screws located behind the balance. c) Close all sliding doors on the balance. d) Turn on the balance display by pressing down on the control bar. e) Tare balance with an empty pan by again pressing down on the control bar. f) Press and hold the control bar until -CAL- appears in the display. Then release the bar. g) When CAL100 blinks on the display, open a sliding glass door. Using the tweezers, place a 100-g weight on the pan. h) The display should read 100.000, followed by CAL0 blinking. i) Using the tweezers, remove the weight from the pan and shut the sliding glass door. j) When the display changes to 0.0000, record the completion of the calibration in a laboratory notebook. k) Complete a calibration check on the balance. Record the results in a laboratory notebook. l) Complete a balance calibration sticker (Appendix B) and affix it to the side of the balance. 2. Calibration Check a) Results of all calibration checks shall be recorded in a laboratory notebook. b) Check to ensure that the level indicator bubble is in the center of the circle. If not, adjust balance and then perform a balance calibration. c) Shut the sliding glass doors and tare the balance by pressing down on the control bar. d) Complete a calibration check at least four of the weights listed in Table 1. (1) Weights selected for the calibration check should be within the range over which the balance will be used. (2) If the calibration check is being performed after a calibration, complete it using all of the listed weights. e) For each weight: (1) Using a tweezers, transfer the weight to the center of the balance pan. Shut the sliding glass door. (2) Allow the balance to stabilize for at least 8 seconds and then record the results. f) For weights less than 40 g, use the 40-g (0.00000) range of the balance. To switch ranges, press the control bar and hold until -rng- appears. Release the control bar and press it again briefly. g) If not all weights are within the required range, perform an instrument calibration.

C. Denver 220 Balance 1. Calibration a) Ensure that the balance has been energized at least 120 minutes prior to calibrating. b) Verify that the balance is level by checking to ensure that the level indicator bubble is in the center of the circle. If not, adjust the leveling screws located in the back center and front left and right of the balance. c) Close all sliding doors on the balance. d) Turn on the balance display by pressing the On/Off button e) Tare balance with an empty pan by pressing the Zero button. f) Open the sliding glass door. Using the tweezers, place a 100-g weight on the pan and shut the door. g) Press Calibrate button. h) The display should read CAL-100. i) When the display reads 100.0000, open the glass door. Use the tweezers to remove the weight from the pan and shut the sliding glass door. j) Record the completion of the calibration in a laboratory notebook. k) Complete a calibration check on the balance. Record the results in a laboratory notebook. l) Complete a balance calibration sticker and affix it to the side of the balance. 2. Calibration Check a) Results of all calibration checks shall be recorded in a laboratory notebook. b) Check to ensure the level indicator bubble is in the center of the circle. If not, adjust and then perform a balance calibration. c) Shut the sliding glass doors and tare the balance by pressing the zero button. d) Complete a calibration check at least four of the weights listed in Table 2. (1) The weights selected for the calibration check should be within the range over which the balance will be used. (2) If the calibration check is being performed after a calibration, complete it using all of the listed weights. e) For each weight: (1) Using a tweezers, transfer the weight to the center of the balance pan. Shut the sliding glass door. (2) Allow the balance to stabilize for at least 8 seconds and then record the results. f) If not all weights are within the required range, perform an instrument calibration.

D. Mettler PB5001 Balance 1. Calibration a) Ensure that the balance has been energized at least 30 minutes prior to calibrating. b) Verify that the balance is level by checking to ensure that the level indicator bubble is in the center of the circle. If not, adjust the four leveling screws located at the corner of the balance. c) Turn on the balance display by pressing the On switch briefly. d) Tare balance with an empty pan by pressing the O/T button. e) Have the 2000-g calibration weight ready. The weight should only be handled with power-free gloves. f) Press and hold the Cal/Menu button until CAL appears on the display. g) When the display begins blinking 2000 g, place the 2000-g calibration weight in the center of the pan. h) When the display blinks 0.0 g, remove the calibration weight. i) When the display reads 0.0, record the completion of the calibration in a laboratory notebook. j) Complete a calibration check on the balance. Record the results in a laboratory notebook. k) Complete a balance calibration sticker and affix it to the side of the balance. 2. Calibration Check a) Results of all calibration checks shall be recorded in a laboratory notebook. b) Check to ensure that the level indicator bubble is in the center of the circle. If not, adjust the leveling screws according to the technical manual and then perform a balance calibration. c) Tare the balance by pressing the O/T button. d) Complete a calibration check using at least four of the weights listed in Table 3. (1) Weights selected for the calibration check should be within the range over which the balance will be used. (2) If the calibration check is being performed after a calibration, complete it using all of the listed weights. e) For each weight: (1) Using a tweezers, transfer the weight to the center of the balance pan. (2) Allow the balance to stabilize for at least 4 seconds and then record the results. f) If not all weights are within the required range, perform an instrument calibration.

E. Denver XS-2100 Balance 1. Calibration a) Ensure that the balance has been energized at least 30 minutes prior to calibrating. b) Tare balance with an empty pan by pressing the ZERO button. The display should read 0.0. c) Press and hold the ZERO key until the word Calibrate is displayed. d) Place the 2000-g calibration weight in the center of the pan. The weight should only be handled with power-free gloves. e) When the display should read CAL 2000 and then CAL OK. f) Remove the calibration weight. g) When the display reads 0.0, record the completion of the calibration in a laboratory notebook. h) If the display reads NoCal, repeat steps c through h using the correct calibration weight. i) Complete a calibration check on the balance. Record the results in a laboratory notebook. j) Complete a balance calibration sticker and affix it to the side of the balance. 2. Calibration Check a) Results of all calibration checks shall be recorded in a laboratory notebook. b) Tare the balance by pressing the ZERO button. c) Complete a calibration check at least four of the weights listed in Table 3 of Appendix A. (1) Weights selected for the calibration check should be within the range over which the balance will be used. (2) If the calibration check is being performed after a calibration, complete it using all of the listed weights. d) For each weight: (1) Using a tweezers or gloves, transfer the weight to the center of the balance pan. (2) Allow the balance to stabilize for at least 4 seconds and then record the results. e) If not all weights are within the required range, perform an instrument calibration.

IV. UNCERTAINTIES
A. Calibration of the weights used. B. Intrinsic accuracy of the balance.

V. REFERENCES
A. Balance technical manuals.

Table 1. Calibration check weights and tolerances for the Mettler AE240 balance. Actual Weight 1mg 2mg 5mg 10mg 100mg 200mg 500mg 1g 2g 5g 10g 20g 50g 100g 150g Minimum Weight 0.00097g 0.00197g 0.00497g 0.00997g 0.09997g 0.19997g 0.49997g 0.99997g 1.99997g 4.99997g 9.99997g 19.99997g 49.9999g 99.9999g 149.9998g Maximum Weight 0.00103g 0.00203g 0.00503g 0.01003g 0.10003g 0.20003g 0.50003g 1.00003g 2.00003g 5.00003g 10.00003g 20.00003g 50.0001g 100.0001g 150.0002g

Table 2. Calibration check weights and tolerances for the Denver 220 balance. Actual Weight 10mg 100mg 200mg 500mg 1g 2g 5g 10g 20g 50g 100g 150g Minimum Weight 0.0099g 0.0999g 0.1999g 0.4999g 0.9999g 1.9999g 4.9999g 9.9999g 19.9999g 49.9999g 99.9999g 149.9998g Maximum Weight 0.0101g 0.1001g 0.2001g 0.5001g 1.0001g 2.0001g 5.0001g 10.0001g 20.0001g 50.0001g 100.0001g 150.0002g

Table 3. Calibration check weights and tolerances for the Mettler PB5001 and Denver XS-2100 balances. Actual Weight 1g 2g 5g 10g 20g 50g 100g 150g 2000g Minimum Weight 0.9g 1.9g 4.9g 9.9g 19.9g 49.9g 99.9g 149.8g 2000.2g Maximum Weight 1.1g 2.1g 5.1g 10.1g 20.1g 50.1g 100.1g 150.2g 1999.8g

Figure 1. Calibration label for laboratory balances.

Balance serial number: Calibrator: Calibration date: Calibration due date: Range of weight used: