Production facilities throughout the world rely on refractometers and polarimeters for quantity, compliance, and quality control. No matter what the make or type of instrument, results are only as good as the calibration regime behind the measurement. This philosophy led Bellingham + Stanley to seek accreditation by The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) against the international standard ISO/IEC 17025 – General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. Following a successful process, Bellingham + Stanley became UKAS accredited for the testing and calibration of materials for optical rotation and refractive index.
GLP dictates that instruments should be kept in good working order and be regularly calibrated using traceable standards. Bellingham + Stanley, a UKAS accredited calibration laboratory No. 0834, offers a choice of materials suitable for use with different instrument types and applications.
Depending on the instrument type, application and traceability requirement customers are able to make a choice from a range of Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) to verify almost any make of refractometer or polarimeter.
AG Fluids, Calibration Oils, Sucrose Solutions and RI Test Plates are available from Refractometer Shop, Bellingham + Stanley’s online store for handheld refractometers and refractometer calibration fluids.
AG Fluids are aqueous solutions that cover the range 1.33-1.40 RI (0-40 °Brix equivalent) and have a shelf life of 12-months. They are ideal for calibrating refractometers that have temperature control in both food and industrial applications as well as instruments that have AG Fluid temperature compensation, such as the OPTi digital hand held refractometers and RFM700 Series refractometers. Being aqueous, they are safe and easy to use and offer excellent traceability. AG Fluids are unique as they are low Brix, have a long shelf life and are UKAS certified showing traceability to ICUMSA and NIST. AG Fluids are available from Refractometer Shop, Bellingham + Stanley’s online store for handheld refractometers and refractometer calibration fluids.
Calibration Oils are organic compounds that cover the range 1.46 -1.56 RI and cover the top end of the Brix scale. Calibration Oils have a shelf life of 12-months. They are ideal for calibrating refractometers that have temperature control in both food and industrial applications. Having an RI above 1.54 RI, BSDD is ideal for chemical manufacturers working above the regular Brix scale. Calibration Oils are supplied with a UKAS certificate showing traceability to ICUMSA and NIST. Calibration Oils are available from Refractometer Shop, Bellingham + Stanley’s online store for handheld refractometers and refractometer calibration fluids.
AUS 32 standards are unique “RI equivalent” solutions specifically calibrated for certifying refractometers working with Aqueous Urea Solutions (AUS), sometimes known as DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluids).
Water is the most commonly used sample to calibrate zero. Available in 15ml bottle with a manufacturer’s certificate showing traceability to NIST. Certified Water is commonly used when validating critical instrumentation such as those used in the pharmaceutical industry.
Sucrose Solutions offer ease of use when calibrating instruments that do not incorporate temperature control but rely on temperature compensation. They are also preferred by beverage, sugar and food producers as their components typically match the product under test. However, Sucrose Solutions have a short shelf life, so customers tend to opt for a supply contract to ensure regular supply with minimal logistical expense. Sucrose Solutions are available in a number of values covering the range 0-60 °Brix and are supplied with a Manufacturer’s certificate showing traceability to ICUMSA and NIST. Sucrose Solutions are available from Refractometer Shop, Bellingham + Stanley’s online store for handheld refractometers and refractometer calibration fluids.
Solid Test Plates are sometimes used to calibrate refractometers where liquid samples are not ideal or where the instrument type dictates their use. Because of their low accuracy, Bellingham + Stanley supply a certificate of verification at point of order for all plates and offer recertification of silica test plates only. The certificates of verification are not covered by the UKAS scope and as such customers requiring a higher level of service should adopt liquid reference materials. Refractometer Test Plates are available from Refractometer Shop, Bellingham + Stanley’s online store for handheld refractometers and refractometer calibration fluids.
Verification Packs comprise a variety of AG Fluids and Calibration Oils. They are ideal for validating any make of laboratory refractometer where verification of results across the whole measuring range is required. Verification Packs are supplied with a UKAS Certificate of Calibration for each item and showing traceability to ICUMSA and NIST. B
Bellingham + Stanley offer a choice of Quartz Control Plates (QCP) for verifying and calibrating polarimeters. QCPs are made to the highest standard and may be supplied with an optional Certificate of Calibration, showing traceability to PTB. When used with an ADP polarimeter manufactured by Bellingham + Stanley, a thermal block may be used to provide mechanical contact to the instrument’s external temperature sensor, allowing the use of quartz temperature compensation for added accuracy.
As part of Good Laboratory Practice, it is recommended that Quartz Control Plates are sent to our UKAS laboratory at regular intervals determined by the user’s own Standard Operating Procedure for inspection and recertification.
Density meter reference fluid for verifying the performance of digital density meters including the DSG Series Density Meter from Bellingham + Stanley. Certified density meter reference fluid is supplied in a 10 ml single use, sealed glass ampoule with breakable nozzle to prevent contamination. Each purchase includes UKAS certification,a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and is supplied in a robust aluminium tube for protection during shipping and for safe storage.
