Service center: New facility offers flowmeter calibration, repair

By Control Engineering Staff December 21, 2006

When faced with a flowmeter that doesn’t work or needs calibration, there aren’t many choices for help outside of the original manufacturer. Flow Technology Inc . now offers an alternative with the opening of its new service facility in Tempe, AZ. This new center boasts state of the art equipment and one of the industry’s largest selections of primary standard flow calibrators.

Flow Technology says they can calibrate almost all kinds of industrial flowmeters, including turbine, Coriolis, magnetic, vortex, ultrasonic, positive displacement, and variable area. All calibrations are directly traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and comply with ANSI Z540 and ISO 9000 guidelines. Every meter calibration is accompanied by a standard or custom hard copy report and a history file is maintained in compliance with US FDA, ANSI, and ISO requirements.

The ability to repair various designs depends on their age and manufacturer, so it’s best to contact the vendor before sending an item. Mechanical designs such as turbine units can have new bearings installed, or transmitter circuitry can be fixed, but many designs are not always serviceable. “It’s like the engines in new cars,” says Ralph Duffill, VP of sales and marketing. “There isn’t always a lot you can get your hands on and actually service.”

Flow Technology promises 10-working-day turnaround for calibrations of sensors and transmitter electronics. This applies to all manufacturers, assuming they can obtain necessary parts from the OEM.

“Our new facility utilizes the most advanced primary standard calibration systems available, and is preferred by users with high precision meter applications, such as those found in aerospace, automotive, and metrology industries,” says Duffill.

Control Engineering Daily News Desk
Peter Welander , process industries editor