FAQ/info section

Within Europe, for items not using fast shipment, we use DHL. Our Capacitance or Resistance Standards e.g. ship for a flat rate of 8 € net within Germany and for 20 € net within Europe (mainland, e.g. islands not included). Shipment for cable accessories is 6 € net withing Germany and 10 € net within the EU mainland (by registered letter, with insurance.)

All items shipping to business customers will usually be shipped fast service (UPS) and costs be determined on a case by case basis.

For other items, we will be glad to advise shipping costs. For e.g. higher weight test equipment, the rate depends on the details of the equipment, some may have to ship on a pallet, and we will be glad to let you know.

 

To the US (lower 48 states) , we ship by DHL or UPS, depending on the value of the products or speed required. Our Capacitance or Resistance Standards e.g. ship for a flat rate of 40 € at a value of up to 250 € (DHL, standard service). Accessories ship for 20 €, insurance up to a value of 250 € included.

For other items, we will be glad to advise shipping costs.

 

International shipping costs to other locations will be determined on a case by case basis, please ask.

 

We only ship with insurance and tracking. So should there be a cheaper service that you would like us to use, but that does not have full value insurance,  we can only support you if you have your own shipping insurance.

 

 

First of, many vendors of used test gear also offer used 3458A DMMs. The sellers in most cases do that in line with procedures they apply for the other gear they sell, i.e. often not calibrated, and in as-is condition, with certain warranty terms. This may be the right approach for many users, depending on what they expect.

Our approach regarding the 3458A, one of the most precise meters available, is to only sell refurbished equipment. We owe this to the precision and expectation these meters deserve. As a measure of preventive maintenance, we replace parts that tend to have a lower reliability, compared to others, based on the experience we have gained throughout the years we have spent on working with the 3458A, and of which we have maintained, repaired and sold many. The refurbishment process includes replacement of certain components, and in some cases also certain boards (as advertised).

Generally, we replace on all meters:

- NVRAMs / NVRAM batteries

- Selected bulk electrolytic capacitors

- Power input filter

- Y-capacitors

- Upgrade to option 001 (if SRAM is socketed)

- Fan (if noisy)

In addition, we adjust and calibrate the units as per the calibration manual (sample reports available on request). Also, we verify the A/D board drift rate. The A/D board has a known failure mode, such that one of its parts shows an exceptional drift, as described in a technical note from the manufacturer. We have seen units drift as much as two digit ppms a day (appr. 0,4ppm is acceptable). Since our personal experience is that this happens more often than one might expect, we are convinced that this verification is critical.

On a special request basis, we also do upgrades such as e.g. to the lower drift internal references (4ppm/a; option 002 or even 2ppm; option HFL) or preventive maintenance replacement of the A/D board. Selected units may, in addition, have other parts/boards replaced as a measure of preventive maintenance.

 

 

do You also service customer's 3458A?

Yes, we will service your 3458A, be it because of a failure or be it due to the need of calibration. Please contact us to discuss your specific requirements.

 

 

To customers within Europe, unfortunatelly, we cannot ship non-ROHS products. This is due to the applicable legistlation, and exemptions do normaly not apply for our gear. In certain cases, for a specific customer applications, exemptions may apply on an exceptional basis. If you think this is the case for you, please contact us. In all other cases, please use our ROHS-compliant products.

Note: Some products may not be available in a ROHS-compliant version due to parts availability.

 

 

Although our products are mainly intended for business customers, we do sell to end customers. Different regulations may apply on a case by case basis due to mandatory legal requirements.

 

 

Our focus in calibration is on higher accuracy DMMs, essentially from 7.5 (partly also 6.5) to 8.5 digits. This includes instruments such as the 3458A, 34420A the K2000 series (K2001, 2002, 2010, 2182A), the Solartron 7081 and 7071, the Datron 1281 and 1271, to mention just a few.

First of, it should be noted that calibration and adjustment are two separate things. This is sometimes causing confusion respectively is not clear to users. So depending on your requirements, we do prior adjustments, or not. It may sometimes be desirable to not adjust a meter, or a reference, e.g. in order to establish the drift rate. For the calibration of meters we use precision standards that we maintain, with traceability to national standards (PTB). Our focus is to have low uncertainties. Our core standards such as e.g. 10V or 10kOhm are calibrated to sub-ppm level (usually 0.1-0.2ppm). As a consequence, depending on the measurement, we often use our 8 digit calibrators only as a reference source, with calibration referred to more precise standards, which leads to a better measurement uncertainty. This requires manual work, and few companies therefore do it that way. Further details of how a measurement is done is given in our calibration reports.

Also, we do precision calibrations on other gear like e.g. coaxial capacitors, voltage or resistance standards, calibrators and more. We usually apply a confidence level of 95%.

Please note that although our standards are traceable to national standards, we are not certified to, nor do we claim compliance with DIN/ISO/DAkkS. Do not use our calibration services or data if your application requires such compliance.

If you need more detailed information regarding the calibration of a specific item, please let us know.

 

 

DO You OFFEr A UNIVERSITY/EDUCATIONAL DISCOUNT?

Yes, for our standards, cables and accessories we do offer a 15% discount on request if the items are ordered by an educational organization. For potential discounts on test equipment and calibration, please contact us.