When choosing new test equipment, the specification naturally comes first. Engineers need the right bandwidth, frequency range, channels, accuracy and functionality for the application.
But the initial specification is only part of the investment. Test equipment may remain in use for years across development, validation, troubleshooting and production, which means maintaining confidence in its measurements and protecting the equipment itself are important considerations too.
Across aerospace, automotive, healthcare and electronics manufacturing, increasingly complex designs and shorter development cycles leave less room for questionable measurements, repeat testing or unexpected equipment issues. Choosing the right instrument matters, but so does what happens to it after it has been put to work.
Maintaining confidence in your measurements
Test and measurement instruments can change over time as components age and equipment is used in different environments. Calibration compares an instrument’s measurement performance against reference standards, helping establish whether it remains within specified limits. This matters because engineering decisions are often based directly on the measurements being taken.
An inaccurate measurement during development could result in unnecessary troubleshooting or a design issue being overlooked. In production or validation, measurement error can contribute to incorrect pass/fail decisions and repeat testing. Where measurement results support quality or compliance processes, traceability becomes particularly important.
Calibration isn’t simply about obtaining a certificate. It provides documented information about the instrument’s measurement performance at the time of calibration and helps engineers maintain confidence in the measurements they use to make decisions.
Protecting the equipment behind the measurement
There is another side to equipment ownership: the instrument itself.
Professional test equipment can represent a significant investment and is often expected to remain in service well beyond the manufacturer’s original warranty period. If a fault occurs once that warranty has expired, the business may face an unexpected repair cost as well as disruption while the equipment is unavailable.
Looking at warranty protection alongside calibration therefore gives a more complete picture of the longer-term cost and management of new test equipment.
The TestEquity calibration and warranty offer
TestEquity is offering additional calibration and warranty protection on qualifying new test and measurement equipment from Tektronix, Keysight and Rohde & Schwarz.
Customers purchasing eligible equipment receive:
A complimentary first calibration, redeemable within 36 months of purchase and carried out through TestEquity’s UKAS-accredited laboratory.
Two additional years of warranty cover beyond the manufacturer’s standard warranty.
The offer is available on qualifying equipment across six key categories:
- Oscilloscopes provide visibility into signal behaviour, timing and waveform characteristics.
- Data acquisition systems capture and monitor data from multiple sensors and measurement points.
- Power supplies provide controlled voltage and current during development and testing.
- Signal generators create known signals for testing and characterising electronic systems.
- Network analysers characterise RF and microwave networks and components.
- Spectrum analysers measure frequency-domain behaviour, helping engineers investigate signals, interference and spectral performance.
The two parts of the offer address different aspects of equipment ownership: calibration supports confidence in the measurement, while the extended warranty provides longer protection for the instrument.
Why calibration matters
Different instruments and applications have different calibration requirements. Factors such as how frequently equipment is used, the environment it operates in, manufacturer recommendations and an organisation’s own quality requirements can all influence when recalibration is appropriate.
Including a complimentary first calibration within 36 months gives customers the opportunity to plan that calibration into the ownership of the instrument from the outset rather than treating it as an unexpected future cost.
For calibration activities within its accredited scope, TestEquity’s UKAS-accredited laboratory provides measurement traceability through an unbroken chain of calibrations to appropriate reference standards. UKAS accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 provides independent recognition of the laboratory’s technical competence for the calibration activities covered by its accredited scope.
For engineers working in environments where measurement results support development, quality control, validation or compliance activities, that traceability can be an important part of the measurement process.
Why the additional warranty matters
Calibration addresses measurement confidence. Warranty cover addresses a different risk.
The useful working life of professional test equipment can extend well beyond its original manufacturer’s warranty. Adding another two years of cover provides longer protection against covered equipment faults and reduces exposure to unexpected repair costs once the manufacturer’s standard warranty has ended.
For organisations managing several instruments across an engineering lab, production environment or test facility, this also makes longer-term equipment costs easier to anticipate.
Looking beyond the purchase price
Whether an oscilloscope is being used to investigate an electronic design, a spectrum analyser to assess RF performance or a data acquisition system to capture measurements across a test setup, the value of the equipment depends on more than its specification on the day it is purchased.
Engineers need the right instrument for the application, confidence in the measurements it produces and a practical way of managing that equipment over its working life.
For qualifying new Tektronix, Keysight and Rohde & Schwarz equipment, TestEquity brings those considerations together by including a complimentary first calibration within 36 months and an additional two years of warranty cover beyond the manufacturer’s standard warranty, at no extra cost.
The specification determines whether an instrument is right for the application. Calibration helps maintain confidence in its measurements, while the additional warranty provides longer protection for the equipment itself.
Discover the eligible products and TestEquity calibration and warranty offer
