Calibration services, sometimes called instrument calibration services, are an essential part of the upkeep of any measurement device or instrument. Calibration services’ purposes are to take a measurement of the precise output of a device, usually in terms of its power, and compare this reading with the manufacturer’s standards to find out if the device is running both safely and efficiently. 

Throughout the th century, calibration services proved themselves essential to a number of industries, especially the oil and gas industry. In the s, concerned parties formed two of the most powerful and important standards organizations, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Those who carry out calibration services rely heavily on the literature put out by IEC and ISO to keep them informed on up-to-date standards of alignment and metrology, or the science of measurement.

Calibration services offer customers a number of benefits. First, regular calibration is the best and only sustainable method for maintaining instrument accuracy. In fact, in many industries, leaders not only recommend regular calibration, but require it to meet safety and efficiency standards. In addition, by maintaining instrument accuracy, calibration services help hold up fair trade and honest business practices around the world. By eliminating a large portion of the margin of error for important measurements, like those related to pollutants and allergens, calibration services also help keep society safe and healthy.

Outrageously, while king between and AD, Henry of England made up a new unit of measurement–the yard–and said that it equaled the distance between his outstretched thumb and the tip of his nose. Finally, in the late s, people began standardizing measurements. First, in , English lawmakers established the Assize of Measures, a code of length measurements. Then, in , the writers of the Magna Carta included in that document standard wine and beer measurements.

Electronic technology has served to dramatically improve the ability of calibration services. Most sensors and transducers can now provide more accurate measurements than ever before. These tools are also more versatile than they were in the past, and some are even capable of measuring different types of instruments in multiple locations for comparison. This high degree of precision was never possible when workers used manual calibration methods. Advances in electronic technology have made it possible to gauge exact numbers on high tech equipment to maintain high quality performance.