A Generic DMM Test and Calibration
A Generic DMM Test and Calibration
A Generic DMM Test and Calibration
The Digital Multimeter or DMM is one of the most widely used electrical measurement
instruments and provides electrical traceability to many industrial users. However, it is
the nature of measurement products that they require regular checks to ensure that
they operate not only in a functional sense, but also within their specifications. Such
regular checks are known as calibrations and require a certain amount of knowledge
of DMM technology in order to calibrate them effectively. This application note seeks
to identify the important functional and calibration parameters and to offer a generic
guidance strategy for their routine verification.
F ro m t h e F l u k e D i g i t a l L i b r a r y @ w w w. f l u k e . c o m / l i b r a r y
DC voltage These contributions will be the effects of power dissipa-
combined to give a compound tion in the attenuators will give
Nearly all DMMs can measure dc specification expressed as ± a power law characteristic, the
voltage. This is because of the % Reading ± % Full Scale or severity of which will depend on
nature of the analogue to digital Range ± µV. In order that the the resistor design and indi-
converter (ADC) used to convert performance of the instrument vidual temperature coefficients.
from a voltage to (usually) timing can be verified by calibra- Knowledge of the design and
information in the form of clock tion, the above effects must be inter-dependence of the DMM’s
counts. The most common way isolated. That is to say, it is not functional blocks can greatly
of doing this is to use technique possible to measure Linearity assist the development of effec-
known as dual-slope integra- for example until the effects of tive test strategies.
tion. This method involves Offset and Gain errors have been
applying the input signal to an removed. Figure 1 shows these DMM functionality tree
integrator for a fixed period and basic parameters.
then discharging the integra- A DMM’s functionality and range
The ADC is common to all dependence is quite logical and
tor capacitor and measuring the ranges of all functions, therefore
time taken to do so. This basic is generally designed to get the
its characteristic errors will affect maximum use out of a minimum
dual slope method is used in low all functions. Fortunately, this
resolution DMMs, but longer scale means that the basic dc linear- of components through the use
length instruments require more of common circuits wherever
ity need only be verified on possible. As an example the ADC
complex arrangements to ensure the basic (usually 10 V) range.
good performance. DMMs are will be used for all functions,
The manufacturer’s literature the current sensing resistors
available with up to 8½ digits should indicate which is the
Resolution and these usually will be used for both ac I and
prime dc range. If this is not dc I, the ac rms converter will
employ multi-slope, multi-cycle stated directly, it can be deduced
integrators to achieve good be used for both ac V and ac I.
from the dc voltage specifica- A typical functionality “tree” is
performance over the operat- tion i.e. the range with the best
ing range. An ADC is usually a given in figure 2.
specification in terms of ± % R,
single range circuit, that is to say ± FS and ±µV will invariably be
it can handle only a narrow volt- the prime range. Other ranges DC voltage calibration
age range of say zero to ± 10 V, e.g. 100 mV, 1 V, 100 V and
strategy
however, the DMM may be speci- 1 kV will have a slightly worse For a new DMM, the manufac-
fied from zero to ± 1000 V. This performance because additional turer will test every aspect of
necessitates additional circuits in circuits are involved. At low the instrument’s performance.
the form of amplifiers and atten- levels on the 100 mV and 1 V However, for routine repeat cali-
uators to scale the input voltage ranges, the dominant factor will brations, the number of tests can
to levels that can be measured be noise and voltage offsets. be dramatically reduced if one
by the ADC. In addition, a high For the higher voltage ranges, accepts that instruments can be
input impedance is desirable Figure 1 DMM Offset, Gain and Linearity
such that the loading effect of the
DMM is negligible. Each amplifier
and attenuator or gain-defining
component introduces additional
errors that must be specified. Indicated Full Scale
The contributions that affect the Value
specifications for dc voltage are Slope = Gain
given below together with their
typical expression in parenthesis.
Contributions to dc V
Linearity is Expressed as
specifications
the Residual Errors
• Reference Stability (% of After the Removal of
reading)
• ADC linearity (% of scale) Offset and Gain Errors
• Attenuator stability (% of
reading)
• Voltage offsets (Absolute) Zero Offset True
• Input bias current (Absolute) Value
• Noise (Absolute) Zero
• Resolution (Absolute)
Figure 1. DMM offset, gain and linearity
0.1 A
Functional tests
RMS
AC voltage ranges It is a good idea to carry out
essential functional testing
1A 0.1 V 1V 10 V 100 V 1k V before committing valuable
time and effort to a potentially
lengthy calibration process.
Figure 2 DMM Functional Blocks Some microprocessor-controlled
DMMs have a diagnostic self-
test function that can be used to
perform sophisticated internal
characterized according to their DC voltage calibration checks. If such a facility is not
technology, operating principles sequence available, each function and
and accumulated historical data. range should be selected and a
It will usually be necessary to 10 V Zero, +10 V Gain, -10 V Copper short, or known voltage,
calibrate each dc voltage range Gain resistance or current applied
in both polarities. The “prime 10 V Linearity: ±1 V, ±5 V,±15 V, to the DMM’s input. This will
range”, where there is neither ±19.9 V ensure that a stable reading
gain nor attenuation of the input 1 V Zero, +1 V Gain, -1 V Gain* can be obtained and that the
voltage will typically be 10 V. 100 mV Zero, +100 mV Gain, controls and displays are operat-
This will be the first range to -100 mV Gain* ing correctly. Functional checks
be measured, as its errors will may be extended to cover input
100 V Zero, +100 V Gain, -100
also be passed on to the other switching circuits, auxiliary
V Gain*
ranges. Calibration would then outputs and remote-control digi-
progress to the lower ranges of 1 kV Zero, +1 kV Gain, -1 kV tal interface if applicable. If an
1 V and 100 mV, then on to the Gain* IEEE-488 interface is fitted and
100 V and 1 kV ranges. These * Some DMMs may not have negative polarity the DMM is one of a type that
range adjustments
are left until last because of will be regularly calibrated,it
the effects of increasing power Careful analysis of the results may be worth writing a simple
dissipation on both the DMM can reveal much about the program to perform the func-
and the calibration source at the instrument’s performance. tional testing. If a functional
higher voltages. The order of the Changes in the error of the 10 V problem is found, a decision
tests might be as follows: range will also be passed on to must be made as to whether it
other dependent ranges. There- is safe to proceed with a pre-
fore if the 10 V range was found adjustment calibration check.
to have increased by +5 ppm This is desirable if historical
and the 100 V range showed no performance data is required,
change, it means that the 100 V but may also assist with fault
range had actually changed by diagnosis. However,if there is
-5 ppm but was compensated by any risk of personal injury, or
the 10 V range error. damage to the instrument, it is
This kind of evaluation can better to repair the instrument
be very useful if failures against before proceeding with the
specification are observed. If the calibration.
100 V range indicated a change
HF performance
determined by
VLF performance capacitive effects
determined by RMS LF performance
low -pass filter determined by gain
defining resistors
Error
From rectifier
V in V2 Vx To ADC
Log Anti- Low Pass
Log Vf Filter
Log
V out
+
Sum
+ -
Log Log
Vf
AC voltage calibration Various means maybe used to provides the square-root element
strategy trim the response e.g. variable of the computation and controls
capacitance trimmers or perhaps the gain of the circuit to give a
The ac functions have the software-controlled adjustment wide dynamic range. The low-
added dimension of frequency. of the high frequency gain. pass filter determines the low
This complicates calibration by The DMM manufacturer will frequency response of the instru-
introducing additional test points recommend certain adjustment ment. Some log-feedback DMM’s
for each amplitude range. In a points that will compensate for are capable of operating down to
typical DMM, the ac measure- LF gain and frequency response 0.01 Hz.
ment is made by an ac converter. for each range. These should There are two calibration
This module is must provide be strictly observed as they are adjustments that are peculiar to
gain and attenuation for a wide designed to give the best overall log-feedback, true-rms detectors.
range of signals from typically performance over the specified The first is dc Turnover, where
a few millivolts to 1 kV. DMMs frequency range. Figure 4 shows the gain of the precision recti-
are available with 6½ digit a typical response and control- fier is adjusted to be identical
100 mV ranges with a resolu- ling mechanisms. for both positive and negative
tion of 100 nV. This resolution The prime range of the ac excursions of the input signal.
is only meaningful down to an function is usually 1 V, with The second is Crest Factor,
input voltage level of perhaps other ranges being obtained by which can be affected by non-
1 mV, below this level, noise gain or attenuation of the input symmetry of the rectifier and
and linearity errors are likely to signal. From figure 2 it can also by the bias arrangements of
dominate the reading. It is likely be seen that all the ac ranges the analog multiplier. Analogue
that the limiting factor will depend on the rms converter. multipliers require very careful
be the noise of the calibration A true-rms converter consists matching of their semiconduc-
source, rather than the DMM. of a precision rectifier, Logarith- tors. In order to achieve this,
The gain of a DMM’s ac func- mic and Exponential amplifiers there may be bias adjustments in
tion will vary with frequency. that perform the function shown the circuit that will affect crest
This is known as its Frequency in figure 5. factor performance. These adjust-
Response and requires that The circuit performs an ments tend to be very interactive
measurements are made at key analogue computation of the and must be made in a strict
points throughout each ampli- rms value of the signal through order, and usually before the
tude range. At low frequencies, the use of logarithmic ampli- individual range gain adjust-
say from 40 Hz to 5 kHz, the fiers that effectively square and ments are performed. However, it
DMM’s gain is determined by square-root the input signal. The is not usually necessary to make
resistor networks, its ac to dc output of the multiplier Vx has a adjustments to the rms circuits
converter and dc reference. At dc ripple content that is aver- for routine calibrations. If these
higher frequencies, reactive aged (to obtain a Mean value) by adjustments are required and
effects, primarily capacitive, applying it to an active low-pass there is no requirement for pre-
will determine the flatness of filter. Vout is also used to provide adjustment data, the sequence
the DMM’s frequency response. the feedback signal Vf which would be as follows: