Description: An introduction into calibration, find out how it works and the different types of calibration available.
The first use of the words "calibration" and "calibrate" can be traced back to the American Civil War. During this period, the words officially entered the English language in artillery descriptions. Back then, early examples of measuring devices were perceptive and relatively easy to verify.
The actual term "calibration" was first used when describing the exact division of linear distance and angles – using a dividing engine and the calculation of gravitational mass using weighing scales. These measurement types were used for practically all technology developments and commerce – from the first fledgling civilizations until approximately 1800AD.
With the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, indirect measurement techniques were used much more frequently. During this period, recorded instances of the measurement of pressure can provide us with a good example of how indirect measurement processes were used. Previously, the hydrostatic manometer was a more commonly used pressure measurement device – a device that was less than ideal when measuring high pressures. The need for high pressure measurement was practically addressed by Eugene Bourdon with the