Product Category
Calibration Lab Equipment
Granite surface plates, gauge block sets, and calibration standards from Mitutoyo, Trimos, Mahr, Starrett, and Zeiss. New, Refurbished, Absolute Certified, or Surplus, for in-house metrology rooms and ISO 17025-accredited calibration laboratories.
What is Calibration Lab Equipment?
Calibration lab equipment provides the stable physical reference and working surface against which every other measuring instrument in a facility is ultimately checked. A granite surface plate offers an extremely flat, stable reference plane immune to the warping and thermal drift of cast iron; gauge blocks and other reference artefacts provide traceable length standards. Together they form the metrology "bench" that CMMs, height gauges, hand tools, and other instruments are calibrated against, either informally in-house or formally within an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory.
Calibration Lab Equipment We Supply
Granite Surface Plates
- Inspection-grade granite plates: Precision-lapped black or pink granite in Grade A, AA, or B flatness classes (ASME B89.3.7 / DIN 876), ranging from small bench plates to large multi-tonne floor plates used as the reference for height gauges, roundness testers, and manual layout work.
- Granite comparator stands & angle plates: Companion granite fixtures for holding indicators, comparators, and parts square to the reference plane.
Gauge Blocks & Reference Standards
- Gauge block sets: Steel or ceramic precision-ground length standards in graded sets (Grade 0, 1, 2, K per ISO 3650), the primary traceable reference for calibrating calipers, micrometers, and height gauges.
- Ring, plug, and setting standards: Fixed diameter references used to verify bore gauges, snap gauges, and internal micrometers.
- Step gauges & ball bars: Extended-length or geometric artefacts used specifically for CMM and machine tool volumetric requalification per ISO 10360.
Environmental & Support Equipment
- Temperature-stabilized cabinets, vibration-isolation mounts, and environmental monitoring equipment that keep reference standards and precision instruments within the controlled conditions their certificates assume.
Accuracy & Specification Considerations
Granite plate flatness is specified by grade over the plate's working area (Grade AA is roughly twice as flat as Grade A, which is roughly twice as flat as Grade B) — match the grade to the tightest work you actually perform on it, since over-specifying a large floor plate can be a significant unnecessary cost. Gauge blocks are graded by permissible deviation and parallelism (Grade 0 tightest, Grade 2 coarsest, per ISO 3650), and require periodic recalibration since even hardened steel or ceramic blocks are subject to wear and, in steel blocks, very slow long-term dimensional creep. All reference equipment should be used and stored at, or corrected to, 20 °C per international convention, since gauge blocks and granite plates are specified at that reference temperature.
Calibration Equipment Brands We Supply
| Brand | Parent / Origin | Key Products | Typical Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitutoyo | Mitutoyo Corporation, Japan | Gauge block sets, granite plates, ring/plug gauges | General calibration labs, workshops |
| Trimos | Trimos SA, Switzerland | Height gauge references, comparators | Accredited calibration laboratories |
| Mahr | Mahr GmbH, Germany | Gauge blocks, setting rings, reference standards | Precision manufacturing, cal labs |
| Starrett | L.S. Starrett Company, USA | Granite surface plates, gauge blocks | General manufacturing, education |
| Zeiss | Carl Zeiss AG, Germany | CMM reference artefacts, step gauges, ball bars | CMM requalification, high-accuracy labs |
Condition Tiers for Calibration Lab Equipment
Factory New
Freshly lapped granite and factory-graded gauge blocks with full manufacturer warranty and initial calibration certificate.
Refurbished
Granite plates re-lapped to restore flatness, gauge blocks inspected for wear and re-lapped/re-graded where required, stands and fixtures serviced.
Absolute Certified
Flatness remapped against a certified reference and gauge blocks measured on an interferometer or comparator, with a full calibration certificate and uncertainty statement issued.
Surplus / As-Is
Decommissioned plates and sets sold as-is — a cost-effective way to add bench capacity or expand a gauge block set for non-critical use.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know what granite plate grade I actually need?
Match the grade to the tightest flatness-dependent work you perform on the plate, not to the tightest tolerance in your shop overall. Grade B is generally sufficient for general layout and fixturing; Grade A suits most precision inspection with height gauges and indicators; Grade AA is reserved for the most demanding calibration and reference work. Buying a larger plate than needed in a higher grade than needed adds significant cost without practical benefit for most shops — we're happy to advise based on your actual use case.
Can a used gauge block set still be trusted for calibration work?
Steel gauge blocks can and do wear or creep dimensionally over years of use, so a used set should not be assumed to still meet its original grade without verification. Our Refurbished tier includes inspection and re-lapping where needed; our Absolute Certified tier goes further, measuring each block on an interferometer or comparator against a certified master and issuing documented values — the right choice when the set will underpin other calibration work in your lab.
Do you supply equipment suitable for an ISO 17025-accredited lab, not just informal in-house use?
Yes. Our Absolute Certified tier is specifically built around traceable recalibration with documented uncertainty, which is the foundation accredited labs need — though accreditation itself is granted to your lab's quality system, not to the equipment. We can supply equipment with the calibration documentation and traceability chain your accreditation body will expect to see.