Frequenty Asked Questions
What does Bonner do?
Instrumentation Services including Calibration, Maintenance and Temperature Mapping and Supply of Instrumentation Products for Measurement and Control.
What is your experience in calibration services?
Over 45 years of experience providing our Clients with the highest levels of service and solutions for all their instrumentation and calibration requirements.
Are you accredited or certified by any recognized bodies or standards?
Bonner is accredited to ISO 9001:2015 and is audited annually by the NSAI.
Are you accredited to ISO17025?
We are not ISO17025 Accredited. All our calibrations are traceable to National Standards and all Bonner test equipment is ISO17025 certified annually.
Do you offer on-site calibration services or only in-house?
Bonner offers both on-site and in-house calibration services.
Where does Bonner provide services?
Is Bonner just Dublin & Cork based?
Our calibration service team is located nationwide to provide your site with quick availability to fit your schedules. Bonner has our main office in Dublin and a 2nd office located in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork.
What is your turnaround time for calibration services?
In-House we aim to provide a 2 to 3 day turnaround
On-site Calibration is generally provided as part of a scheduled plan and we will contact our Clients prior to their calibration due date to schedule a suitable time for the site visit.
We do have inclusion for an emergency turnaround as part of SLA’s with clients.
Do you have a QMS system in place?
Bonner has a QMS system in place which demonstrates its ability to consistently provide services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, and enhance customer satisfaction.
What calibration standards or procedures do you follow?
Bonner has its own comprehensive list of calibration procedures which are reviewed annually.
What is your process for handling out-of-tolerance equipment?
Based on a critical calibration failure and client agreement level, a reverse traceability report is generated.
This report identifies all equipment calibrated using the failed test equipment from the date of last calibration for the client.
QA reviews the tolerance for calibrated equipment against the failed test equipment parameters.
The requirements for any potential calibrating recall are determined.
On a case by case a full/partial recalibration is conducted using calibrated equipment based on predefined risk factors.
Do you provide paper calibration certificates?
Bonner provides digital calibration certificates using our calibration management software. These certificates are available though a secure client portal fo rnew certificates and historical.
Can you accommodate urgent or expedited calibration requests?
Absolutely and we would pride ourselves on providing quick turnaround times for our Clients when they need it most.
Do you offer any service agreements or contracts for recurring calibration needs?
Bonner can offer Annual Contracts, Single Quote Contracts, Service Level Agreements and Quality Technical Agreements to meet any Client requirements.
What measures do you have in place for data security and confidentiality?
Documented information is held electronically, and is regularly backed up to prevent loss or damage.
Our IT infrastructure is secured by an external contractor under contract, and protects data from unauthorised access, deterioration or loss.
All personal data is held in accordance with GDPR requirements
Do you perform Internal Audits?
An Audit Schedule is prepared annually and the audit schedule shows the topics for audit, frequency of audits and responsibilities (assigned internal auditors).
We perform Internal Audits to gather information and to demonstrate that:
- The Company is conforming to its own QMS
- The QMS meets the requirements of ISO 9001:2015
- The QMS is effectively implemented and maintained
- To identify opportunities for improvement
What is your process for handling and managing customer complaints?
The Senior Management Team are responsible for the review of customer satisfaction data and the implementation of improvement actions.
The Operations team is responsible for reviewing all customer complaints.
The Senior Management Team is responsible for the investigation and resolution of customer complaints.
Do you have a Safety Statement?
The company has a documented health and safety system including a safety statement which is reviewed annually and communicated to all employees.
Risk assessments, method statements are complted for and are regularly reviewed for continued risks and mitigation.
What is your process for Accident reporting?
All incidents, accidents and near misses must be reported to the Safety Representative immediately. The Safety Representative will undertake an investigation and retain records. The Safety Representative will report the incident/accident/near miss to the client if it occurred on a client site and HSA if any loss to injury has occured.
Improvement/Corrective Actions are implemented as appropriate.
Incident/Accident performance is monitored.
Can you be on hand to assist your Clients during Audit periods?
Bonner Service Manager, Quality Manager & Site Lead Technician will make themselves readily available during any Client’s Audit.
General Calibration FAQs
How often should industrial instruments be calibrated?
Calibration frequency depends on the instrument, application and manufacturer recommendations. Most industrial instruments are calibrated every 6–12 months, although critical applications may require more frequent calibration.
Why is instrument calibration important in manufacturing?
Calibration ensures measurement accuracy, supports product quality, reduces waste and helps maintain compliance with industry standards and audits.
What happens if a pressure transmitter is out of calibration?
An inaccurate pressure transmitter can affect process control, product quality and safety, even if it continues operating without generating a fault.
Can calibration reduce production downtime?
Yes. Regular calibration identifies measurement issues before they lead to equipment failures, helping reduce unplanned downtime and maintenance costs.
What industries require regular instrument calibration?
Industries including food, dairy, pharmaceutical, medical devices, manufacturing, chemical processing and utilities all rely on regular calibration to maintain quality and compliance.
How do you know when a sensor needs recalibration?
Sensors may show unstable readings, inaccurate measurements or failed quality checks. However, many sensors drift gradually, making scheduled calibration the best approach.
What’s the difference between calibration and adjustment?
Calibration measures an instrument’s accuracy against a certified reference. Adjustment corrects the instrument if it is found to be outside specification.
Can instruments drift without showing a fault?
Yes. Many instruments continue operating normally while gradually becoming less accurate, making routine calibration essential.
Temperature Calibration FAQs
How do you calibrate a PT100 temperature sensor?
A PT100 sensor is calibrated using certified temperature reference equipment to compare its readings against known temperatures.
What is full-loop PT100 calibration?
Full-loop calibration verifies the complete measurement chain, including the sensor, transmitter, PLC and HMI, rather than testing only the sensor.
Why should you calibrate the complete temperature loop?
Errors can occur anywhere in the measurement loop. Full-loop calibration ensures the temperature displayed matches the actual process temperature.
How accurate should a temperature sensor be?
Required accuracy depends on the application, but calibration confirms the sensor remains within the required tolerance.
What causes temperature sensors to drift?
Ageing, thermal cycling, vibration, contamination and harsh operating conditions can all cause sensor drift over time.
Can temperature transmitters drift over time?
Yes. Like all electronic instruments, transmitters can gradually drift and should be included in routine calibration programmes.
How often should RTDs and thermocouples be calibrated?
Most are calibrated every 6–12 months, depending on process criticality and manufacturer recommendations.
What’s the difference between sensor calibration and loop calibration?
Sensor calibration tests only the sensor, while loop calibration verifies the complete measurement system from sensor to display.
Pressure Calibration FAQs
How do you calibrate a pressure transmitter?
A pressure transmitter is tested against a certified pressure reference to verify accuracy across its operating range.
What causes pressure transmitter drift?
Normal ageing, vibration, pressure cycling and harsh process conditions can all affect measurement accuracy over time.
How often should pressure gauges be calibrated?
Most pressure gauges should be calibrated annually, although critical applications may require more frequent testing.
Can pressure sensors fail without generating an alarm?
Yes. A pressure sensor may continue to operate while providing inaccurate readings, making regular calibration important.
Why is pressure calibration important for process control?
Accurate pressure measurements improve process stability, product quality, equipment protection and regulatory compliance.
Flow Measurement FAQs
How often should flow meters be calibrated?
Flow meters are typically calibrated every 6–12 months, depending on the application, operating conditions and required accuracy.
What affects flow meter accuracy?
Wear, contamination, incorrect installation, process conditions and sensor drift can all affect flow measurement accuracy.
Can inaccurate flow measurement increase production costs?
Yes. Inaccurate flow measurement can lead to wasted product, higher energy costs and inconsistent production.
What’s the difference between verification and calibration?
Verification checks whether an instrument appears to be operating correctly, while calibration measures its accuracy against certified standards.
Which industries require flow meter calibration?
Flow meter calibration is widely used in food, dairy, pharmaceutical, chemical, water treatment and manufacturing industries.
Manufacturer-Specific Calibration FAQs
Can BONNER calibrate Endress+Hauser instruments?
Yes. We regularly calibrate Endress+Hauser process instrumentation as part of our industrial calibration services.
Do you calibrate WIKA pressure gauges?
Yes. Our engineers calibrate WIKA pressure instrumentation along with many other leading pressure instrument manufacturers.
Can you calibrate Mettler Toledo balances?
Yes. We calibrate weighing equipment from Mettler Toledo and other leading weighing equipment manufacturers.
Do you calibrate Vaisala humidity probes?
Yes. BONNER provides calibration services for Vaisala humidity instrumentation used throughout pharmaceutical, laboratory and industrial applications.
Can you calibrate Testo temperature instruments?
Yes. We calibrate Testo measuring instruments together with a wide range of temperature and environmental monitoring equipment.
