Digital Calibration Certificate (DCC) – What is it and why should you care?

The main benefits of the Digital Calibration Certificate (DCC)

Here is a short summary of the benefits of the DCC. For the full list, please download the White Paper.

1. DCC makes it easier to analyze calibration data and create digital twins that help improve efficiency and safety in the process industry.
2. DCC supports digital transformation by allowing contractors and labs to easily connect to a digitized calibration system with centralized management.
3. DCC uses a standardized approach to data entry, making it easier to compare and harmonize data from different sources.
4. DCC makes it easy to manage and search for calibration data and instrument devices, even for large-scale operations.
5. DCC enables preventive maintenance by alerting when instruments need checking instead of relying on fixed intervals, leading to better risk-based approaches to maintenance and calibration.
6. DCC increases traceability by replacing inefficient paper-based processes with easy digital search capabilities.
7. DCC is flexible, allowing customers to use their preferred calibration processes and still generate easily shareable and searchable digital certificates.
8. DCC is secure, with cryptographic protection to ensure authenticity and data integrity.

Another source discussing the DCC benefits is the Benefits of network effects and interoperability for the digital calibration certificate management by the 2021 IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for Industry 4.0 & IoT.

An emerging global standard

Efforts are happening right now to create a global DCC standard. A team of key players, including Beamex, is working together to define requirements, create guidelines and software, and promote awareness and training.

This DCC meets the requirements of DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018-03. The Gemimeg II project is currently leading the way in DCC development, thanks to investments from the German government and involved companies.

Another project, SmartCom, was focused on improving the traceability and handling of metrological data through the creation of DCC with set standards. 

In addition, other projects and initiatives have also been taking place to enable the uptake of DCC to improve the traceability and handling of metrological data.

Such projects include for example EMPIR 17IND02 SmartCom, EURAMET TC-IM 1448, and Digital NIST.

Together, these initiatives are building a DCC standard that is already being tested in industrial applications.

Due to their key role in the metrology infrastructure, the National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) will also play an important role in ensuring widespread adoption of the DCC standard.

Keep calm and adopt the DCC!

The DCC has the potential to transform the process industry. Instead of relying on error-prone and labor-intensive paper-based processes, digital calibration data could be easily searched, shared, and analyzed. This would not only make audits more efficient, but it could also allow data to be used to create digital twins of processes to find efficiency and safety improvements.

At Savok, we have been digitalizing calibration processes for over 40 years and we see the DCC as a natural extension of these efforts. We believe that cooperation between standards-setting institutions, labs, vendors, and major players in the industry will be needed to make the DCC happen.

That’s why we are keen to encourage other industry players to join us in these initiatives and contribute to supporting the implementation of the DCC across industries.

At Savok we have run several successful proof of concept projects with the DCC and have seen that the DCC is really working in practice.

When you choose Savok, you are choosing a future-proof solution that is ready to support digitalization efforts and make processes safe, secure, and efficient. Our products are designed to be compatible with whatever DCC standard evolves.