Instrumentation specialist Endress+Hauser recently launched a new laboratory within its existing Wetzer facility that is dedicated to the calibration and documentation of the TMR 31 and TMR 35 compact thermometers.

The TMR 31 and TMR 35 compact thermometers are used mainly in the brewery and food and beverage industries and are capable of a temperature range of -50C to 200C.

Endress+Hauser's focus on value added services is nowhere more evident than its extensive testing and laboratory facilities. The Production Centre Wetzer in Nesselwang, Germany, is a temperature instrumentation testing centre, testing devices that are in use as well as newly developed products.

According to Endress+Hauser, Product Manager: Temperature, Trevor Fletcher, this facility is an added advantage for customers.

"All our temperature devices can be expertly calibrated and accreditation to this effect is supplied. Essentially what this means for, our customers, is that they are assured of receiving the best quality, most reliable devices for their applications. Not many companies have world-class resources like this so it is a definite benefit for customers.”

The new laboratory at Wetzer employs the comparison calibration technique whereby the device to be measured and an accurate reference thermometer are placed together in a closed volume or room. This provides a constant and homogenous environment where scientists can compare the values generated.

"The lab uses fixed points of measurement, cardinal points which are determined using either a lab standard or specific customer requirements. Once the points are determined, the product is tested using a medium and a reference device that compares the temperature of the product to the standard,” says Fletcher.

The Endress+Hauser laboratory utilises alcohol or silicon oil mediums, and a temperature calibration bath from Hart Scientific 7341 with ethylene glycol for the 20C - 90C range and a measurement security of >=50mK.

For temperatures of 70C - 660C Endress+Hauser uses a fluid powder bath with aluminium compensation blocks from Isotech, while temperatures from -80C - 1100C are tested at the fully accredited Endress+Hauser Sicestherm laboratory.