Posts Tagged ‘calibration’

Siborg Offers New Smart Tweezers Offset Calibration Board

// May 24th, 2017 // No Comments » // Devices, LCR-Reader, LCR-Reader Store, News, ST-5S, ST5S-BT, ST5S-BT2, Uncategorized

offsetboard_200Siborg has begun offering the Smart Tweezers Offset Calibration Board in the LCR-Reader Store.

This Calibration Board is a dummy PCB for actual offset values. The board uses holes that represent the size of components (0201, 0402, etc.).

To find the offset of the component being tested, set the Smart Tweezers or Colibri  to 10kHz and insert the tweezer tips into the holes of the corresponding component size. The device will show the actual offset capacitance value; this value can then be deducted from the value of the measured component.

Previously, users had to approximate the size of the component with the tips and note the value. This method was inaccurate and unsuitable for high accuracy.

The Offset Calibration Board is also useful for setting the automatic offset-subtraction value on Smart Tweezers models.

The Smart Tweezers Offset Calibration Board is available in the LCR-Reader Store in all Smart Tweezers Plus and Pro kits, as well as on its own.

Siborg Creates New Calibration Fixture and Calibration Certificates for LCR-Reader

// April 1st, 2016 // No Comments » // Distributors, LCR-Reader, LCR-Reader Store, News, ST-5S

Calibration Jig for Smart Tweezers and LCR-Reader

Calibration Jig for Smart Tweezers and LCR-Reader


Siborg has been working over the past year with the Institute of Automation and Electrometry at the Russian Academy of Sciences in creating a Calibration Fixture that will allow periodic calibration of all models of Smart Tweezers, and, most importantly, the LCR-Reader. The calibration fixture was then sent to Navair Technologies in Toronto, Canada to be verified. With this verification from Navair, Siborg will soon be able to include calibration certificates with LCR-Reader, which was a main hindrance in companies using the device.

The calibration unit utilizes a 4-wire connection which has been found to reduce noise between connections and the PCB within the calibration fixture.

Previous calibration fixtures used a 2-wire connector which worked well for older models of Smart Tweezers, including the ST-1, ST-2 and ST-3. The 2-wire connector was not able to handle the measurements within the LCR-Reader and Smart Tweezers measurement ranges. Due to parasitics, it could not measure lower values of capacitance and inductance and higher values of resistance. Therefore, the 2-wire calibration fixture was only able to measure mid-range values.

The calibration fixture uses 14 known components that lay within the range of measurements. When a device is connected, the fixture will signal a different component with each button push. The measurement values are instantly displayed on the LCR-Reader or Smart Tweezers’ display which can then be compared to the known values of the components to determine accuracy.

“The new fixture makes it much easier to provide periodic traceable calibration now that it has been certified by Navair Technologies. We have now completed two versions of the calibration fixture using both 4-wire and 2-wire connections. The 4-wire is best suited for newer models, including the recent LCR-Reader. The 2-wire is best for the older models, including the ST-1, ST-2, ST-3 and STIC. These older models used a 2-wire connecjigtion in the handles of the device and could not be properly tested with the 4-wire terminal. This new calibration unit will allow all models to be tested and calibrated.” says the Director of Research and Development at Siborg, Michael Obrecht.

Soon, the calibration certificates will be available in the LCR-Reader Store; there will be 2 types to choose from: a basic calibration certificate that ensures the device has been calibrated, or a more detailed format that shows the measurement results compared to the known values.

Siborg Finalizes Universal Calibration Jig

// July 31st, 2015 // No Comments » // LCR-Reader, News

With help from the Institute of Automation and Electrometry at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk, Siborg Systems Inc. has created a universal jig that can calibrate all models of Smart Tweezers and LCR-Reader LCR-meters. Siborg has sent the jig to Navair Technologies in Toronto, one of the leading calibration houses in Canada. Navair will be able to grant the jig its own NIST Traceable Calibration Certificate.

The jig itself cannot create a calibration certificate, but is helpful for periodic calibration, or to troubleshoot devices that have malfunctioned or failed.

The jig utilizes a set of 14 known components of different types and within the Smart Tweezers measurement ranges. A previous version of the jig used a 4-wire Kelvin probe to connect to the LCR-meters; this has been changed to use a 2-wire connections. The 2-wire connection means that the jig can calibrate all models of Smart Tweezers ever made.  When the jig is connected to a device, it will cycle through the components; the measurement results are displayed on the Smart Tweezers’ display which can then be compared to the known values of the jig.

“We have also decided to create two versions of the Jig for both 4-wire and 2-wire terminals. The jig is helpful in that it can be used for periodical traceable calibration if the jig itself is calibrated. The 4-wire jig is best for models after Smart Tweezers ST-3, including the LCR-Reader. The 2-wire jig is used for models before and including the ST-3.” says the Director at Siborg, Michael Obrecht.

The 4-wire Kelvin probe that was initially used minimizes noise generated by the connections on the PCB, but does not cater to older models. The 2-wire jig is best suited for the Smart Tweezers ST-1, ST-2 and ST-3 where the 4-wire connection wasn’t used in the handles.

Along with the jig, Siborg sent 4 randomly selected LCR-Readers to Navair. The results that were sent back were better than expected; the LCR-Reader was thought to have a 1% basic accuracy, where as the measurement results showed closer to 0.5%.

Siborg Gets Results from Navair about Calibration Jig

// July 31st, 2015 // No Comments » // LCR-Reader, News, ST-5S, Uncategorized

Siborg Systems Inc., with help from the Institute of Automation and Electrometry at the Russian Academy of Sciences (Novosibirsk) have created a Calibration Jig for the Smart Tweezers and LCR-Reader models. This jig was sent to Navair in Toronto, Ontario, one of the leading calibration houses in Canada. The results have made their way back to Siborg with surprising results.

4 Randomly selected LCR-Reader units were sent for testing and calibration. Siborg had been claiming that the LCR-Reader had a basic accuracy of about 1%, which turned out to be underestimated; almost all the measurement values were closer to 0.5%. The only measurement to be out of the estimated range was the 1 Ohm, which was slightly higher because of parasitics between the tips. All the measurement results can be seen on the LCR-Readers’s website.

The Calibration Jig does not in itself create NIST traceable certificate, and must have a certificate itself; but this device will allow users to sporadically check the accuracy of their devices or to troubleshoot in cases of failure or malfunctions.

Smart Tweezers and LCR-Reader Verification Tool for Distributors

// September 4th, 2014 // No Comments » // Distributors, LCR-Reader, News, ST-5S, ST5

Siborg Systems Inc. and the Institute of Automation and Electrometry of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk, Russia have developed a verification tool for Smart Tweezers and LCR-Reader.

“Although all Smart Tweezers PCBs are calibrated after the PCB is made, the verification jig is still a desirable tool for incoming control and troubleshooting devices returned due to a failure or malfunction. It can also be used for periodical traceable calibration if the jig is calibrated by a certified agency. The best thing about the jig is that it can be used for any model of Smart Tweezers after the ST-3 where, for the first time, the 4-wire connection was utilized.” says Michael Obrecht, the Director of R&D at Siborg.

The jig uses 16 known components: 8 resistors, 4 capacitors and 4 inductors of different values in Smart Tweezers measurement range. The device being tested is connected to the jig using a 4-wire connection. When on, the jig connects to every component, with the results shown on the Smart Tweezers’ display allowing for comparisons to be made between the measurement values and the known values.

The 4-wire connection is an essential part of the jig; this connection reduces the noise generated by the connections on the PCB. The connections are controlled by a microprocessor and a set of 32 relays. After a switch, the micro-controller goes into the sleep mode in order to reduce the effect of the digital circuitry on the measurement.