DRAFT RECOMMENDED PRACTICE

ISA-dRP105.00.01-201XCD4

Management of a Calibration Program For Monitoring And Control Systems

Approved xx month xxxx

ISA-dRP105.00.01-201X

Quality Management System for Implementation and Maintenance of an Industrial Calibration Program

ISBN:

Copyright © 201X by ISA, the International Society of Automation. All rights reserved. Not for resale. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the Publisher.

ISA
67 Alexander Drive
P.O. Box 12277
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
USA

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Preface

This preface, as well as all annexes, is included for information purposes and is not part of
ISA-dRP105.00.01-201X.

This document has been prepared as part of the service of ISA toward a goal of uniformity in the field of instrumentation. To be of real value, this document should not be static but should be subject to periodic review. Toward this end, the Society welcomes all comments and criticisms and asks that they be addressed to the Secretary, Standards and Practices Board; ISA; 67 Alexander Drive; P. O. Box 12277; Research Triangle Park, NC 27709; Telephone (919) 549-8411; Fax (919) 549-8288; E-mail: .

The ISA Standards and Practices Department is aware of the growing need for attention to the metric system of units in general, and the International System of Units (SI) in particular, in the preparation of instrumentation standards. The Department is further aware of the benefits to USA users of ISA standards of incorporating suitable references to the SI (and the metric system) in their business and professional dealings with other countries. Toward this end, this Department will endeavor to introduce SI-acceptable metric units in all new and revised standards, recommended practices, and technical reports to the greatest extent possible. Standard for Use of the International System of Units (SI): The Modern Metric System, published by the American Society for Testing & Materials as IEEE/ASTM SI 10-97, and future revisions, will be the reference guide for definitions, symbols, abbreviations, and conversion factors.

It is the policy of ISA to encourage and welcome the participation of all concerned individuals and interests in the development of ISA standards, recommended practices, and technical reports. Participation in the ISA standards-making process by an individual in no way constitutes endorsement by the employer of that individual, of ISA, or of any of the standards, recommended practices, and technical reports that ISA develops.

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ISA requests that anyone reviewing this Document who is aware of any patents that may impact implementation of the Document notify the ISA Standards and Practices Department of the patent and its owner.

Additionally, the use of this DOCUMENT may involve hazardous materials, operations or equipment. The DOCUMENT cannot anticipate all possible applications or address all possible safety issues associated with use in hazardous conditions. The user of this DOCUMENT must exercise sound professional judgment concerning its use and applicability under the user’s particular circumstances. The user must also consider the applicability of any governmental regulatory limitations and established safety and health practices before implementing this DOCUMENT.

THE USER OF THIS DOCUMENT SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THIS DOCUMENT MAY BE IMPACTED BY ELECTRONIC SECURITY ISSUES. tHE COMMITTEE HAS NOT YET ADDRESSED THE POTENTIAL ISSUES IN THIS VERSION.

The following people served as members of ISA Committee ISA105:

NAME COMPANY

This recommended practice was approved for publication by the ISA Standards and Practices Board on
______.

NAME COMPANY

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Table of Contents

1 Scope 9

2 Normative References 10

3 Definition of Terms and Acronyms 10

4 Establishing a Calibration Program 11

4.1 Calibration Program Concepts 11

4.1.2 Device Calibration 11

4.1.3 Loop Calibration 11

4.2 Calibration Program Planning 12

4.2.1 Calibration program development 12

4.2.3 Calculating theoretical loop accuracy 12

4.2.4 Establishing Required Loop accuracy 12

4.2.5 Calibration equipment requirements 13

4.2.6 Calibration personnel requirements 13

4.2.7 Loop Performance Verification 14

4.2.8 Verification Intervals (loop criticality) 14

4.2.9 Responsibilities 15

4.2.10 Records System 15

5 Calibration Program Activities 16

5.1 Concepts 16

5.1.1 Implementation 16

5.1.2 Program scope 16

5.2 Activities 17

5.3 Functions 17

6 Calibration Program Management 17

6.1 Control 17

6.2 Assurance 17

6.3 Improvement 17

7 Examples 17

AnnexA – Example Documentation 23

Calibration management

1.  Purpose

2.  Scope

3.  References

4.  Definitions

5.  Establishing a calibration program

5.1.  Calibration Program Concepts

5.1.1. Process requirements

5.1.2. Device calibration

5.1.3. Loop Calibration

5.2.  Calibration Program planning

5.2.1. Calibration Program Development

5.2.2. Calculating theoretical loop accuracy

5.2.3. Establishing Required Loop Accuracy

5.2.4. Calibration Equipment Requirements

5.2.5. Calibration Personnel requirements

5.2.6. Loop performance verification

5.2.7. Verification Intervals (loop criticality)

5.2.8. Responsibilities

5.2.9. Records Systems

5.2.10.  Measurement capabilities including measurement uncertainty

5.2.11.  Instrument specifications, accuracy requirements.

5.2.12.  Development of calibration specifications

5.3.  Calibration Documentation

5.3.1. Calibration Procedure – requirements

5.3.2. Calibration records – requirements

6.  Calibration Program, activities

6.1.  Procedures for calibration

6.2.  Calibration Record Forms

6.3.  Electronic / Paper-based program

6.4.  Measurement Standards

7.  Calibration Program Management

7.1.  Roles and Responsibilities

7.2.  Auditing of program

7.3.  Training

7.4.  Measurement Standards

7.5.  Change management

7.6.  Third party suppliers/contractors

7.7.  Review of calibration documentation

7.8.  Training Requirements

7.9.  Change Management

8.  Examples

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Introduction

Purpose

The purpose of this recommended practice is to provide the basic framework for developing and maintaining a consistent calibration program for industrial automation and control systems, including instrumentation used in safety instrumented systems. The recommended practice provides guidance for establishing a calibration program and establishes consistent requirements and methodologies related to verification and calibration of monitoring and control systems by considering the accuracy of each loop required by the process and then adjusting loop component(s) to achieve that loop accuracy.

Accurate, reliable, and repeatable operation of loops in monitoring and control systems is vital to maintaining the safety and reliability of a facility. A well-considered calibration program, properly implemented and maintained, can directly contribute to the assurance of the desired operation of the monitoring or control system for the facility. A calibration program establishes periodic assessments to be performed to monitor control system performance. Data acquired during these assessments not only aids in the establishment of future calibration intervals, but also is critical in the allocation of capital and operational resources. Clearly defined policy and procedures support the efforts of maintenance planners to schedule adequate labor and equipment for calibration both during and between facility outages. Calibration procedures reduce the likelihood of human errors due to improper practices, assure the desired results of the calibration effort, and promotes the proper operation of monitoring and control systems.

Workforce and other economic factors directly affect the maintenance levels in most industries. As a result, many facilities have increased the calibration intervals for monitoring and control systems and their components. In some cases, facilities have simply eliminated routine calibration checks. The result is decreased accuracy and increased failure rates, both of which negatively affect facilities’ operations in many ways, including safety.

In the process industries, more hardware faults occur in measuring instrumentation, transmitters, and control valves than in the logic systems itself. Reducing or eliminating calibration and maintenance of instrumentation and control systems increases the likelihood of system problems, including:

·  Reduced operator diligence in diagnosing failures of SIS equipment

·  Inability of maintenance personnel to respond to SIS failures in a timely manner

·  Increased errors in SIS equipment repair, calibration, inspection or testing

·  Reduced efforts in preventative maintenance

·  Reduced documentation of problem resolution

Maintenance practices for devices such as gauges and indicators, unfortunately, may occur only when the error in reading becomes large enough to be obvious to the operator or technician. Maintenance personnel routinely make decisions based on these devices. A faulty indication on such a device could lead to the release of energy. A well-considered calibration program that periodically measures actual loop accuracy should drive the calibration intervals for these devices.

Companies striving to maintain a safe working environment while ensuring the reliability of their facilities use calibration as a means of verifying the functionality and accuracy of their equipment.

In the coming years, companies that employ automation professionals will lose a great number of senior technical and engineering staff members. Outsourcing has also contributed to this problem, as many companies are no longer capable of producing qualified automation professionals. In fact, manufacturers and companies providing technical support are also facing a growing shortage of experienced automation professionals. Whether companies use internal resources or rely on contractors, following this recommended approach to developing a calibration program will enable them to capture critical knowledge on their automation instrumentation and systems. Like other aspects of maintenance, there are many things to consider when establishing a company calibration program. Certainly, this is the case with the calibration of monitoring and control loops in a control system. This document presents a recommended approach to developing, implementing and maintaining a calibration program that is intended to lead to increased accuracy and reliability of monitoring and control systems, decreased production costs, and quality control improvements. More important, this approach is also intended to lead to increased safety of operation.

This approach to calibration has proven successful when companies have adhered to the concepts set forth in these guidelines, enabling those companies to realize the full benefits from a standardized approach to calibration.

The intended audience for this document is any company or industry that utilizes instrumentation in the monitoring and control of a process or facility.

Organization

This recommended practice is organized ….

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1  Scope

General Applicability

The recommended practice detailed in this document defines a baseline definition and model of a quality management system that can be utilized to implement and maintain a calibration program for industrial monitoring and control systems. It is applicable to all industrial monitoring and control systems.

Calibration Programs

Industrial measurement and control systems have a direct impact on safety and operating performance, both being directly related to operating costs. When a measurement and control system is not meeting the operating accuracy needs of the process, safety risks and operating costs increase.

A calibration program for an industrial monitoring and control system formalizes a methodology to periodically verify the performance accuracy of the components in that monitoring and control system and, when necessary, make adjustments to those components to bring them within their manufacturer rated accuracy and the loop within its required performance accuracy.

Each user company/facility must establish a calibration program specific to its needs. This recommended practice discusses the essential features of a calibration program and provides guidance how to establish such a program.

This proposed approach to a calibration program for automation instrumentation and systems takes into consideration all known loop measurement errors and establishes calibration tolerances based on the process requirements. Successful implementation of this approach requires management commitment to make this a living process. Critical stesp in the process include:

·  Developing a comprehensive list of loops and instrumentation equipment requiring calibration

·  Establishing criticality ratings for each of those loops

·  Establishing loop tolerance requirements

·  Proper selection and use of field calibration equipment

·  Measuring loop accuracy

·  Maintaining calibration intervals

·  Using qualified staff to perform calibrations.

Exclusions

This document does not provide or recommend manufacturer-specific calibration procedures for specific instruments as these are established by the instrument manufacturer and are outside the scope of this document.

Regarding monitoring and control loops that are part of safety systems, these guidelines are intended to be supplemental to and not modify the requirements of ANSI/ISA 84 and all its parts.

How well a control loop performs its control task may be related to loop tuning, component design/application, etc. but is not related to or considered in this recommended practice on calibration. In other words, a final control element should be working properly to facilitate proper loop operation, but is it does not play a role in determining loop measurement accuracy. Proper operation of final control elements is critical to the proper operation of the entire facility and should be assured via a well-considered instrument maintenance program, which is outside the scope of this document.

2  Normative References

ANSI/ISA-84.00.01-2004 Part 1 (IEC 61511-1 Mod), Functional Safety: Safety Instrumented Systems for the Process Industry Sector - Part 1: Framework, Definitions, System, Hardware and Software Requirements.