Digital Colony Counter Calibration SOP

1.0 OBJECTIVE:

To lay down the calibration procedure of Digital Colony Counter to provide a system to calibrate, control and maintain the equipment used for inspection measuring and test equipment in order to ensure the correctness of measurement and test status.

2.0 SCOPE:

This shall be applicable to the Digital Colony Counter installed in Microbiology area of Quality Control Laboratory.

3.0 RESPONSIBILITY:

3.1 Technical Assistant/ Helper.

3.2 Q.C Analyst/ Microbiologist.

4.0 ACCOUNTABILITY:

4.1 Manager-Quality Control.

5.0 MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENT:

5.1 Digital Colony Counter.

6.0 PROCEDURE:

6.1 Ensure that all the connections of instrument are proper.

6.2 Operate the instrument as per the operating instructions i.e. SOP .

6.3 Place an empty petri plate on the illuminating surface; adjust the magnifying glass to view the clear petri plate.

6.4 Press the tip of marker pen 5 times till audio button indicates BEEP song and then check the number displayed on screen, it should be ‘0005’.

6.5 Press the ‘RESET’ button, the digital display will show ‘0000’ again.

6.6 Press the marker pen 10 times on surface of petri plate.

6.7 Repeat the same procedure by pressing the marker pen 15 times, 20 times, 25 times, 50 times and 100 times.

6.8 Calibration of colony counter is valid if the number displayed on screen is equal to the number of time of marker pen pressed.

6.9 After completion of work, press the ‘RESET’ button.

6.10 Switch ‘OFF’ the mains.

6.11 Precautions:

6.11.1 Do not open the lid of petri dish.

6.11.2 Press the marker pen on petri plates till the audio buzzer indicates beep song.

6.12 Acceptance criteria:

6.12.1 Calibration of digital colony counter is valid if the number displayed on screen is equal to the number of time of marker pen pressed.

6.13 Frequency:

6.13.1 Once in a month.

6.14 Record the result on the “Calibration Record”, “Calibration Log Book” & paste the “Calibration Status Sticker” on Digital Colony Counter.

7.0 REVISION LOG:

Revision No.	Effective Date	Reason
00		New SOP

8.0 REFERENCES:

8.1 Not Applicable.

9.0 ANNEXURES:

Annexure 1: Calibration record of Digital Colony Counter.

Annexure: 1

Calibration record of Digital Colony Counter.

CALIBRATION RECORD OF DIGITAL COLONY COUNTER

SOP Reference: _____________________

Calibration date	Date of last calibration done	Next due for calibration

Instrument details
Instrument name	Instrument make	Instrument identification No.

Location:
Frequency:
Mark better option for calibration of instrument
Visibility through magnifying glass:	Clear	Not clear
Illumination grid:	Clear	Not clear
wolffhuegel glass:	Clear	Not clear
Audio buzzer:	Clear	Not clear
Auto marker pen:	Clear	Not clear

OBSERVATIONS

Sr.#	Surface pressed	Number displayed on screen
1.	5 times
2.	10 times
3.	15 times
4.	20 times
5.	25 times
6.	50 times
7.	100 times

Remarks: The colony counter is working satisfactorily/ not satisfactorily, requires/ does not require maintenance.

Calibration by/date:	Checked by/date:

10.0 ABBREVIATIONS:

Abbreviation	Expanded Form
SOP	Standard operating procedure
&	And
No.	Number
Ltd.	Limited
Q.C	Quality control
Q.A	Quality assurance
QCE_B	Quality control equipment calibration
F	Format