What are lab thermometers?
Organizations such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) calibrate laboratory thermometers and provide traceability. NIST provides calibration services for a variety of laboratory thermometers that cover a temperature range from -196 C to 550 C (-321 F to 1022 F). Submitted devices must pass a preliminary examination for fineness and uniformity of graduation as well as freedom from moisture, gas bubbles, and cracks. The thermometers to be calibrated are placed in a constant temperature bath along with an NIST-calibrated standard platinum resistance thermometer (SPRT) that is traceable to the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS90). Special tests may also be conducted on industrial-grade platinum resistance thermometers, digital thermometers, and thermistors. ASTM-certified laboratory thermometers must also pass rigorous testing requirements.
