Note on Beckhoff calibration certificates

Basically every Beckhoff analogue device (input or output) will be justified i.e. will be calibrated during production. This procedure won’t be documented unique. This documentation as a calibration certificate is only provided for devices that are expressly delivered with a certificate.

The calibration certificate (or German: “Kalibrierschein”) entitles the residual error after compensation/adjustment to the used standard (reference device). The calibration certificate (as a PDF document) is to be assigned to the device via a unique number. It is therefore not a statement about a device class such as e.g. an approval, but always only applies to a single, named device. It is available for download.

The calibration certificate documents the measurement accuracy at the time the certificate was issued and contains, among other things, information on the ambient conditions and the reference instrument used. It does not contain statement about the behavior or the change of the measuring accuracy in the future. A calibration certificate acts as a backtracking view to the previous time of usage. By reiterated certification procedures over years (without justification) it allows making conclusions about its ageing behavior, so called calibrate history.

Performance levels of the calibration certificates

Different "qualities" of a calibration certificate are common:

• Beckhoff calibration certificates
  Such IP20 terminals can be usually identified by the product suffix -0020. The certificate is issued in Beckhoff production as PDF.
  The terminals can be obtained from Beckhoff and recalibrated by the Beckhoff service department.
• ISO17025 calibration certificates
  Such IP20 terminals can be usually identified by the product suffix -0030. The certificate is issued by a service provider on behalf of Beckhoff as part of Beckhoff production and delivered by Beckhoff as a PDF.
  The terminals can be obtained from Beckhoff and recalibrated by the Beckhoff service department.
• DAkkS calibration certificates (German: "Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle GmbH")
  Such IP20 terminals can be usually identified by the product suffix -0030. The certificate is issued by a accredited service provider on behalf of Beckhoff as a part of Beckhoff production and delivered by Beckhoff as a PDF.
  The terminals can be obtained from Beckhoff and recalibrated by the Beckhoff service department.

Unique device number

Depending on the device, the following numbers are used for identification:

• EL/ELM terminals up to year of manufacture 2020: the ID number which is lasered on the side.



• From year of manufacture 2021 onwards, the BTN number (Beckhoff Traceability Number) will gradually replace the ID number, this is also lasered on the side.

Beckhoff produces a wide range of analog input/output devices as IP20 terminal or IP67 box. A selection of these is also available with factory/ISO/DAkkS calibration certificates. For specific details and availability, see the technical data of the devices or contact Beckhoff Sales.

Linguistic note In American English, "calibration" or "alignment" is understood to mean compensation/adjustment, thus a modifying effect on the device. "Verification", on the other hand, refers to observational determination and documentation of the residual error, referred in German language use as “Kalibrierung”.