Jorge M.E. Saffar, Claudio A. Koch, Eunice M. Ferreira Marques, Renata W. Rocha, Rafael S. Oliveira, Ademir R. Chagas, Rodrigo F. Guilherme
Qualification of force standard machines
The 5.2 kN (id. Mgl) and the 50 kN (id. Mnz) force standard dead-weight machines of the Isaac Newton Laboratory of CETEC, Minas Gerais, Brazil, underwent a process of requalification by INMETRO. The process was based on an inter-comparison programme in which the reference values were generated by the 100 kN dead-weight / 1 MN lever amplification machine of INMETRO Force Laboratory – LAFOR. The 5.2 kN machine was verified for compressive forces of 2 and 5 kN, and the 50 kN machine was verified for 2, 5, 20, and 50 kN compressive forces. Calibration activities were carried out in November, 2006 and in August, 2007. Relative deviations and estimated best measurement capabilities are within the expected range for machines of the type. Considered the eight-year time span since the first qualification programme, the Laboratory has significantly improved its best capability values and the relative deviation of the forces it realises.