Contents

Overview

Calibrations are completed and updated from within each equipment item located under the Equipment node. A generic calibration worksheet is provided that will caption calibration values used in test calculations for use in test screens when the equipment is selected. Some examples of equipment items with calibration values are: proctor hammers, density molds, proving rings, nuclear density gauges and strain gauges.Tasks can also be set up that do not update calibration values, for example for once-off checks or to perform cleaning/maintenance

Starting a Calibration 

Once the Details section of the equipment item has been completed as described in Configuring Calibrations, a calibration is started by selecting the applicable task from the list showing in the Calibrations and Checks frame and then clicking  at the bottom of the screen.

Performing a Task

To perform a calibration task:

1. Clicking the Start Calibration button will begin the task and open a new copy of the associated document. An example of a generic calibration document is shown below:
   
2. Fill out the document details as required. Once finished, click the Finish Calibration button. If the document can't be completed yet a warning will pop up saying "You cannot mark this task as complete until all required fields have been entered". Otherwise the task is now complete.
   
   
3. Once the document is complete, the parent task does a number of things:
   
   1. The task updates the Last Date performed, and the next Due Date. If the task was created to be a once-off task there is no new due date, otherwise the recurrence details are used to calculate the next due date.
   2. Equipment calibration values will be updated/added to this this equipment's calibration details if the task was configured to do so.
   3. The History frame is updated with the document's date of calibration, who performed the calibration and any remarks entered during the calibration.

Attaching Documents to Equipment Calibration Records

Users can attach documents to equipment items. This functionality is most often used to attach certificates from third party calibration companies. Under the Details container, at the Worksheet prompt, use the drop-down to select  External Calibration Worksheet. Inside the External Calibration Worksheet, click Browse to upload a new file to select your Document.

Calibration Values  

Some equipment items maintain a set of calibration values, accessible via the Calibration Values tab on the equipment screen. These values are used by test screens to perform calculations, etc. These values are read-only and cannot be edited from this tab. These values are updated by calibration worksheets and will be modified or added to as needed.

Task History

Viewing Historical Documents

The entire calibration history associated with a task for an equipment item can be viewed.  A list of historical documents is shown in the navigation tree, under the equipment item's task name. The documents are identified and ordered in the tree by the date performed and includes the name of the calibration worksheet used. The documents are read-only and display the values entered on that date.

Equipment Reports

Equipment Reports can be attached to equipment items to display the history of tasks related to that equipment. To add one of these reports do the following:

1. Select the equipment item to which the report is to be added.
2. Once the equipment item is selected,  click the Add Document  button in the toolbar.
   
   
3. Select the Equipment History Report, and then click "OK".
   
4. Select the report in the navigation tree to view it.

Equipment Reminders for Due and Upcoming Tasks

QESTLab has several methods by which it advises the user when an equipment item contains a calibration task that is due or upcoming. Equipment items are displayed in red when any of its tasks are due, whether the task is a calibration or a check.

On the Equipment Reminder Window

When a user with both Calibrate Equipment rights, and rights to the Laboratory containing the equipment item due for calibration logs into QESTLab, a notification window will be displayed with a list of equipment items that are overdue, due today or are within the "Reminder Displayed from" date set from the Task Details section for each equipment item.  Items due today or overdue will be displayed in red. 

On the Equipment Item Screen

The Due on field in the Details frame is highlighted in red if the equipment item is due today or overdue.

On the Equipment Item Calibration and Check Frame

The task name will display *** DUE *** next to it, if the task is due today or overdue.

On the Equipment Item in the Navigation Tree

An equipment item will be highlighted in red in the navigation tree under the Equipment node, if it has an equipment calibration task that is overdue.

On Test Method Worksheets

If an equipment item with an overdue calibration is select on a test method worksheet, the equipment item will be highlighted in red. A pop-up window will appear notifying the user the equipment is out of calibration and ask the user if they are sure they wish to select this equipment item.