The
operation of laboratories and other medical firms which has to meet the
standards of safety, cleanliness and proper functioning needs to be validated
and calibrated.
Calibration
is the procedure of operation under special conditions, establishing a relation
between quantity value with measurement standard provided and by using the
information to maintain a relationship to
obtain the measurement result from an indication. Calibration is the process of
comparison of referred values with standards.
On
the other hand, Validation is the process
of testing or checking a product, service, and
system whether they are meeting the standards and are fulfilling the specified
purpose. Here arises bit confusion between calibration and validation and to
clear the same it’s better to know what the
differences between validation and calibration are.
Calibration
is the process of comparison of the performance of an instrument or system with
the references provided whereas validation does not require any reference
standards. Calibration assures the
measurement results produced are correct and apt.
On
the other hand, validation provides
documented proofs stating the device or system are producing a standard result. Periodic performance of the
measurements of the device to find the faults and to make sure the measurements
are accurate, but validation does require any periodic performances modifications
are done when changes happen or when reaching the validation period.
Calibration
involves checking and adjusting machinery on a technical level while validation
involves overall checking of the equipment.
Calibration
is an internal part of validation while validation is considered as
the formal process of checking the proper functioning of equipment, cleanliness, and results. Calibration is performed as per calibration standards and
validation are performed as per validation instructions.
Calibration
techniques can be manual and also automatic depending
on the systems used for calibration. Validation involves different types of validation being done for different
industries.
To
measure the quality value calibration is required while validation is done for
whole assessment.
Calibration
process are done while buying a new laboratory instrument, when a device has got repaired or damaged
and due to expiry of time period, before and after important measurement and
due to sudden changes in the weather, due
to specified requirement and when the instrument is not showing proper results but
validation is done only after expiry of time or due changes or modifications.
Calibration does not require any documentation whereas validation requires documentation. Validation involves checking and testing and calibration involves measurement.
Validation and Calibration may look like similar, but they are different altogether in the performances.