Calibration 4.0 – Information system for usage of digital calibration certificates

¹ INEGI, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 400, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
² IPQ, Instituto Português da Qualidade, Rua António Gião, 2, 2829-513 Caparica, Portugal

^* Corresponding author: mmarques@inegi.up.pt

Abstract

The main goal of this study is to operationalize the emission, exchange and use of digital calibration certificates, through structured information and the specification of a system of information. The purpose of digital calibration certificates, is not only the transformation of a physical format to a digital one, but mainly the application of the real digitalization concept, i.e., the use of digital technologies to change a business model and supply new opportunities with added value. Besides the easiness in the exchange of calibration results, the future development of a system to exchange digital calibration certificates will allow customers to receive and analyze certificates faster, reducing execution times and costs associated to the metrological confirmation process, as well as to avoid human error and their consequences. The application of a system adapted to calibration certificates, and the implementation and testing at a National Measurement Institute as IPQ, based on XML, with examples from different areas will be presented. This study will then result in the creation of national working group in Portugal for the digitalization of calibration certificates to a broader market, with the first trial cases implemented in these two laboratories, INEGI-LAC and IPQ-LNM.