To what extent can the calibration process be automated?

Automation of the pressure calibration process has many potential benefits, including increasing productivity, ensuring better pressure measurements, minimizing human bias from calibration process, standardizing calibration procedures, eliminating data collection and transcription errors and reducing safety and ergonomic concerns.  Fluke Calibration products offer features to enable automation to the extent allowable by the device under test (DUT).  In cases in which the DUT has electronic output (remote communications or an electrical signal that can be read by a DMM), Fluke Calibration provides solutions for completely unattended calibration, even at the highest levels of measurement performance (primary standards):
 

Equipment TypeAutomation FeaturesNotes
PG7000 Piston Gauges
(PG7601, PG7102, PG7202, PG7302,PG9000)
Remote interfaceRS-232 and IEEE-488 standard on all models
Automated pressure controlOptional with PPC pressure controllers
Automated mass handlingOptional with PG7000-AMH automated mass handlers
Pressure calculationStandard with onboard sensors and metrological values
Automation softwareCOMPASS for Pressure optional to enable completely unattended tests with test procedures, data collection, reports, automated mass handling, and automated pressure control
2400 Piston Gauges
(2465, 2468, 2470, 2485)
Remote interfaceDynamic data exchange (DDE) with WinPrompt software
Automated pressure controlOptional for 2465 and 2468 with Autofloat Controller
Automated mass handlingNot available
Pressure calculationOptional with WinPrompt software (included with Autofloat Controller or 2456A piston gauge monitor)
Automation softwareWinPrompt software to calculate pressure and run Autofloat Controller – also has special pressure crossfloat assistance features
COMPASS for Pressure software optional for test procedures, data collection and reports
FPG8601 Force-Balance Piston GaugeRemote interfaceDynamic data exchange (DDE) with FPG Tools software
Automated pressure controlPressure control standard with VLPC pressure controller
Automated mass handlingNot applicable, no mass changes required
Pressure calculationStandard with onboard sensors and metrological values
Automation softwareFPG Tools software standard enables completely unattended tests with test procedures, data collection, reports and automated pressure control
COMPASS for Pressure optional to provide additional features and standardize software with other systems
2482 Differential Piston GaugeRemote interfaceDynamic data exchange (DDE) with WinPrompt software
Automated pressure controlStandard automated control for differential pressure
Automated mass handlingNot available
Pressure calculationIncluded.  Standard with WinPrompt software
Automation softwareWinPrompt software standard to calculate pressure and run automated fine control to test point
COMPASS for Pressure software can be used for test procedures, data collection and reports
Deadweight Testers
(P3010, P3020, P3030, P3100, P3200, M3800)
Remote interfaceNot available
Automated pressure controlNot available
Automated mass handlingNot available
Pressure calculationOptional with PressCal software (included with 0.008% measurement option)
Automation softwarePressCal software optional to calculate pressure with corrections to reduce uncertainty
COMPASS for Pressure software can be used also, and includes test procedures, data collection and reports
PPC Pressure Controllers
(PPC4, PPC4E, PPCH, PPCH-G)
Remote interfaceRS-232 standard on all models.  IEEE-488 standard on PPCH, PPCH-G and PPC4E, optional on PPC4
Automated pressure controlStatic (passive) and dynamic (active) automated pressure control standard on all models
Onboard automation featuresCreate, store and run onboard test routines with tolerance testing (to nominal pressure) and data collection.  PPC4 also calculates reference uncertainty of delivered pressure.
Automation softwareCOMPASS for Pressure optional.  Enables completely unattended tests with test procedures, data collection, reports, and automated pressure control
7000 Pressure Controllers
(7250, 7250i, 7250xi, 7252, 7252i, 7250LP, 7350, 7615)
Remote interfaceRS-232 and IEEE-488 standard on all models.  Utilizes SCPI protocol
Automated pressure controlStatic (passive) and dynamic (active) automated pressure control standard on all models
Onboard automation featuresCreate, store and run onboard test routines
Automation softwareCOMPASS for Pressure optional.  Enables completely unattended tests with test procedures, data collection, reports, and automated pressure control
LabView drivers available for 7250, 7252
Met/Cal procedures available
RPM4 Reference Pressure MonitorRemote interfaceRS-232 and IEEE-488 standard
Automated pressure controlAvailable only when RPM4 is used as an external pressure reference with a PPC pressure controller
Onboard automation featuresCreate, store and run onboard test routines with tolerance testing (to nominal pressure) and data collection.  External pressure control required.
Automation softwareCOMPASS for Pressure optional.  Enables test procedures, data collection and reports
7050 Reference Pressure MonitorRemote interfaceRS-232 and IEEE-488 standard.  Utilizes SCPI protocol
Automated pressure controlNot available
Onboard automation featuresOnboard test routines not available
Automation softwareCOMPASS for Pressure optional.  Enables test procedures, data collection and reports
LabView drivers available
E-DWT Electronic Deadweight TesterRemote interfaceRS-232 standard
Automated pressure controlNot available
Onboard automation featuresCreate, store and run onboard test routines with tolerance testing (to nominal pressure) and data collection.
Automation softwareCOMPASS for Pressure optional.  Enables test procedures, data collection and reports
Fluke handheld process calibration toolsRemote interfaceAvailable on some models
Automated pressure controlNot available
Onboard automation featuresAvailable on some models
Automation softwareCOMPASS for Pressure optional.  Enables test procedures, data collection and reports