Pneumatic probes: Calibrate every 6 months (or after 500 hours of use).

Pressure scanners: Quarterly for high-accuracy models; annually for industrial grades.

Temperature sensors (thermocouples, RTDs): Biannually, plus after exposure to >200°C.

Aligning these intervals reduces downtime. For example, calibrate probes and scanners together if their schedules overlap—you’ll only need to shut down the test rig once.

Traceability is non-negotiable:

Use a single reference standard (e.g., a master probe calibrated by NIST) for all devices.

Log calibration certificates in a shared database (e.g., Google Sheets or dedicated software like Calibration Control). Note: “Calibrated by X lab on Y date” isn’t enough—include uncertainty values (e.g., ±0.05% FS).

Cross-validation step: After calibrating individual devices, run a joint test. For example:

Use a calibrated fan to generate a 50 m/s flow.

Check that the probe, scanner, and sensor all report values within 1% of each other.

If they don’t, recheck the scanner’s zero offset or the sensor’s wiring—small discrepancies multiply in analysis.

Pro hack: For large fleets, color-code devices by calibration date (e.g., green = valid, yellow = due in 30 days). It’s low-tech but prevents accidental use of expired equipment.

Need help building a schedule? Share your equipment list (e.g., 3 probes, 2 scanners, 5 sensors) in the comments, and we’ll draft one.