How to Choose a Portable Vibration Calibrator
A practical buyer’s guide for reliability engineers, vibration analysts and instrument technicians: the three types of field calibrator, eight questions to ask, and how to match the specs to the sensors you actually test.
What a portable vibration calibrator does
A portable vibration calibrator is a battery-powered shaker with its own reference accelerometer. It vibrates your sensor at a known frequency and amplitude, so you can compare what the sensor reports with what it should report, without removing it to a lab.
The good ones use closed-loop control: the reference accelerometer measures the real motion and the electronics adjust the drive to hold the level you set, even as frequency or sensor mass changes. That reference is itself calibrated against a higher-level standard, which is what makes the result traceable.
Field calibrators are used to verify sensor sensitivity, check a complete monitoring channel from sensor to alarm, confirm wiring, and troubleshoot suspicious readings in condition monitoring systems.
The three types of field calibrator
Pocket-sized shakers that output one or a few fixed levels, often 1 g at 159.2 Hz.
Best for: quick go/no-go checks of accelerometers and data collectors.Variable frequency and amplitude across a wide range, with a traceable reference on screen. You read the sensor on your own meter or system.
Best for: loop checks and field calibration against a known input.A shaker plus sensor power and inputs. They read the sensor, calculate sensitivity, run automatic tests and produce certificates.
Best for: documented calibration of many sensor types on site.Eight questions to ask before you buy
1. Which sensors do you need to test?
List every output type you support: IEPE accelerometers, charge accelerometers, voltage and MEMS sensors, piezo or moving-coil velocity sensors, eddy-current proximity probes and 4–20 mA transmitters. Then check two things: can the calibrator vibrate them, and can it power and read them?
A calibrator with built-in sensor power (IEPE constant current, −24 V for probe drivers, +24 V for loop-powered transmitters) replaces a bag of supplies, charge amplifiers and meters.
2. What frequency range do your machines need?
5 Hz to 10 kHz covers most rotating machinery. Check the bottom of the range for slow-speed equipment, and the top for bearing and gear monitoring. Also check whether accuracy is specified across the whole range or only at a reference frequency.
3. How much amplitude, displacement and payload?
Maximum output falls as sensor and fixture mass rise, and low frequencies are limited by displacement. Ask for the amplitude-versus-frequency curve at your sensor’s weight. Proximity probes need enough displacement (mils peak-to-peak) at low frequency to test them meaningfully.
4. How accurate and how traceable?
Look for accuracy stated per frequency band, amplitude linearity and waveform distortion (THD). The calibrator’s own calibration should be accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 by a third party such as A2LA, and NIST traceable.
5. Do you need certificates and records?
If calibrations feed audits, quality systems or customer reports, choose a unit that runs automatic multi-point tests and exports PDF certificates and CSV data, ideally with a template you can brand.
6. Is it practical in the field?
Check battery chemistry, runtime and charge time, weight, and the case. LiFePO4 batteries last thousands of cycles and charge quickly; a sealed, crush-proof case survives the truck and the plant floor.
7. Can it be automated?
For production lines and repeat testing, network remote control matters: plain-text commands over TCP from Python or LabVIEW, or remote operation of the screen.
8. What happens after you buy?
Plan for annual recalibration. Ask about turnaround, warranty (does it cover drift and accuracy?), training and local support from a distributor.
Quick comparison
How Agate’s two Gen 2 calibrators answer those questions:
| Question | AT2030 portable calibration shaker | AT2040 portable vibration calibrator |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Portable shaker table | Smart calibrator / test set |
| Frequency range | 5 Hz – 10 kHz | 5 Hz – 10 kHz (simulation 1 Hz – 11 kHz) |
| Output | Up to 20 g pk, 20 in/s pk, 0.20 in pk-pk; 800 g payload | Same Gen 2 shaker platform |
| Reads the sensor | No: read it on your own meter | Yes: IEPE, charge, voltage, velocity, prox, 4–20 mA, MEMS (adapter) |
| Sensor power | — | 2–24 V, −24 V, +24 V loop |
| Accuracy | ±2.2 % (10 Hz – < 5 kHz); < 1 % THD typical | Live sensitivity, bias/gap and THD on screen |
| Certificates | — | Automatic tests, PDF certificates, CSV export |
| Traceability | A2LA ISO/IEC 17025, NIST | A2LA ISO/IEC 17025, NIST |
| Field use | 13 lb, LiFePO4, 1-hour charge | LiFePO4, rugged case |
| Automation | Network remote control | Network remote control, scripted autotests |
See the full specs: AT2030 portable calibration shaker · AT2040 portable vibration calibrator.
Which Agate calibrator fits?
Answer three questions
We’ll suggest the AT2030 or AT2040 and tell you why.
FAQ
What is the difference between a vibration calibrator and a shaker table?
The terms overlap. A portable shaker table generates a controlled, traceable vibration that you measure your sensor against. A vibration calibrator usually means a shaker plus electronics that also power and read the sensor and calculate its sensitivity for you.
What frequency range do I need?
Match it to the machines you monitor. 5 Hz to 10 kHz covers most rotating machinery and accelerometer checks. Slow-speed equipment needs good low-frequency performance, and high-frequency bearing and gear monitoring needs the top end.
Can a portable calibrator test proximity probes?
Yes, if it can produce enough displacement at low frequency and you have a probe mounting kit. A calibrator that also powers the probe driver (−24 V) and reads gap voltage lets you check both static and dynamic response on site.
How often should a portable vibration calibrator be recalibrated?
Typically once a year, by an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited lab, so its own reference stays traceable.
Do I need a calibrator that creates certificates?
If you calibrate sensors for records, audits or customers, yes. Automatic PDF certificates and CSV data save time and avoid transcription errors. If you only spot-check sensors against a known level, a reference shaker is enough.
More guides: How often should accelerometers be calibrated? · Accelerometer bias voltage troubleshooting · Proximity probe calibration: wobulator vs shaker
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