Short answer: Techmaster Electronics does not calibrate handheld or airborne particle counters of any make or model. Particle counters are not on our ANAB ISO/IEC 17025 scope (Certificate AC-1736). Send yours to the instrument’s manufacturer, its authorized service provider, or a laboratory whose accredited scope explicitly lists particle counters calibrated to ISO 21501-4. This guide shows how to find and verify one.
Who can calibrate a handheld particle counter?
Three kinds of provider can calibrate a handheld particle counter properly. In order of what most cleanroom and semiconductor users choose:
- The manufacturer. The OEM holds the proprietary calibration software, size-calibration setup and firmware for its instruments. Major handheld brands include Particles Plus, Lighthouse Worldwide Solutions, Particle Measuring Systems (PMS), TSI, Beckman Coulter (Met One) and Rion. Start with the service page or support line printed on your instrument or its last certificate.
- An authorized service provider. Many manufacturers authorize regional partners to calibrate their counters with the OEM’s procedure and software. Ask the manufacturer for its current authorized list.
- An independent ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory with particle counters on its scope. The lab’s published scope of accreditation must list particle counters (light-scattering airborne particle counters) and reference ISO 21501-4. A general “ISO 17025 accredited” claim is not enough, because accreditation only covers what is on the scope.
How do you verify a particle counter calibration provider?
Verify the provider’s scope before you ship the instrument. It takes about five minutes:
- Ask for the lab’s certificate number and accrediting body (ANAB, A2LA, NVLAP or another ILAC MRA signatory).
- Open the scope document from the accreditation body’s own directory, not a copy on the lab’s website.
- Search the scope for “particle counter” or “ISO 21501-4” and check the particle sizes and flow rates listed cover your instrument (for example 0.3 µm at 2.83 L/min, 0.1 CFM).
- Confirm the certificate you will receive carries the accreditation body’s symbol and the as-found and as-left results.
See how to read an accreditation scope for a worked example of steps 2 and 3.
What should the calibration certificate include?
For cleanroom classification under ISO 14644-1:2015, the counter must be calibrated to ISO 21501-4. The certificate should report the size-setting results, counting efficiency, size resolution, false count rate, sample flow rate and the maximum particle concentration, each with a measurement uncertainty. Our ISO 21501-4 requirements guide explains each test and its acceptance limit.
How often should a handheld particle counter be calibrated?
Annual calibration is the common default, and ISO 14644-1:2015 expects a current ISO 21501-4 calibration at the time of any classification test. Shorten the interval if the counter is used daily, travels between sites, or fails its zero-count check. The calibration interval guide covers the triggers in detail.
What can Techmaster do for a cleanroom program?
Techmaster Electronics is an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited calibration laboratory (ANAB Certificate AC-1736) for electronic, dimensional, thermodynamic and other test and measurement equipment. For cleanroom users we calibrate the instruments that sit next to the particle counter, such as differential pressure gauges, thermo-hygrometers and data loggers, and we perform ISO 14644 cleanroom testing and certification at our Vista, Santa Clara and Orlando locations. The counter itself goes to its manufacturer or an accredited provider as described above.
If you own a Particles Plus instrument and are unsure where to send it, you can send the request to us and, with your permission, we will forward it to Particles Plus. Read the full customer notice on particle counter calibration.
Frequently asked questions
Does Techmaster calibrate handheld particle counters?
No. Techmaster Electronics does not calibrate particle counters of any make or model. Particle counters are not on its ANAB ISO/IEC 17025 scope (Certificate AC-1736). Use the manufacturer, an authorized service provider, or a lab whose scope lists ISO 21501-4.
Does Techmaster repair particle counters?
Repair questions are covered in our particle counter repair article. Any calibration after a repair must still be done by the manufacturer or an accredited provider with particle counters on its scope.
Is a “NIST-traceable” particle counter calibration enough for ISO 14644-1?
Not by itself. ISO 14644-1:2015 requires the counter to be calibrated to ISO 21501-4. Ask for a certificate that states ISO 21501-4 and reports counting efficiency and size settings, ideally from an accredited lab.
How do I find an accredited particle counter calibration lab?
Search the directory of an ILAC MRA accreditation body such as ANAB or A2LA for scopes that list particle counters or ISO 21501-4, then confirm your instrument’s sizes and flow rate are covered.
What will Techmaster calibrate in my cleanroom?
Supporting instruments such as differential pressure gauges, temperature and humidity sensors and data loggers, plus ISO 14644 cleanroom testing. See the clean room calibration page.
References & industry standards
- ISO/IEC 17025 testing & calibration laboratory requirements
- NIST calibration services and measurement traceability
- NIST Time and Frequency Division
- A2LA / ANAB accreditation for calibration laboratories
External standards bodies. Techmaster Electronics is an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited, NIST-traceable calibration laboratory.
Khanh Nguyen is the Marketing Manager at Techmaster Electronics, a B2B marketing leader covering the test, measurement, and ISO/IEC 17025 accredited calibration industry in the United States.