“Service, Excellence, and Empowerment”

ACCURACY AND
PRECISION

4/16/2019 1
Department of Education Aurora National Science High
 “Service, Excellence, and Empowerment”

The left image shows a target hit with a high degree of accuracy, but
low precision. The right image shows the target hit with high precision, but
low accuracy. DarkEvil / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

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Department of Education Aurora National Science High
 “Service, Excellence, and Empowerment”
Accuracy
- In math, science, and engineering, accuracy refers to
how close a measurement is to the true value.
- The ISO (International Organization for
Standardization) accepts data as accurate when the
measurement is true and consistent results. The ISO
definition means an accurate measurement has no
systematic error and no random error. Essentially, the
ISO advises the term accurate be used when a
measurement is both accurate and precise.

Precision
- is how consistent results are when measurements
are repeated.

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Department of Education Aurora National Science High
 “Service, Excellence, and Empowerment”

Mnemonic To Memorize the Difference

An easy way to remember the

difference between accuracy and
precision is:
• ACcurate is Correct. (or Close to
real value)
• PRecise is Repeating.
(or Repeatable)
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Department of Education Aurora National Science High
 “Service, Excellence, and Empowerment”

Factors affecting the accuracy of the

Measuring System
The basic components of an accuracy evaluation are the five
elements of a measuring system such as:

• Factors affecting the calibration standards

• Factors affecting the work piece.
• Inherent characteristics of the instrument.
• Factors affecting the person, who do the
measurement
• Factors affecting the environment.

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 “Service, Excellence, and Empowerment”

1. Factors affecting the

Calibration Standard:
• Coefficient of thermal
expansion
• Calibration interval
• Stability with time
• Elastic properties
• Geometric compatibility

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Department of Education Aurora National Science High
 “Service, Excellence, and Empowerment”

2. Factors affecting the Work piece:

• Cleanliness
• Surface finish, waviness, scratch,
surface defects etc.,
• Hidden geometry
• Elastic properties
• adequate datum on the work piece
• Arrangement of supporting work piece
• Thermal equalization etc.
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Department of Education Aurora National Science High
 “Service, Excellence, and Empowerment”

3. Factors affecting the inherent characteristics of

Instrument
• Adequate amplification for accuracy objective
• Scale error
• Effect of friction, backlash, hysteresis, zero drift
error
• Deformation in handling or use, when heavy work
pieces are measured
• Calibration errors
• Mechanical parts (slides, guide ways or moving
elements)
• Repeatability and readability
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• Contact geometry for both work piece and standard. High
Department of Education Aurora National Science
 “Service, Excellence, and Empowerment”

4. Factors affecting person:

• Training, skill
• Sense of precision appreciation
• Ability to select measuring instruments and
standards
• Sensible appreciation of measuring cost
• Attitude towards personal accuracy
achievements
• Planning measurement techniques for
4/16/2019
minimum cost, consistent with precision9
Department of Education Aurora National Science High
 “Service, Excellence, and Empowerment”

5. Factors affecting Environment:

• Temperature, humidity etc.
• Clean surrounding and minimum vibration
enhance precision
• Adequate illumination
• Temperature equalization between standard,
work piece, and instrument
• Thermal expansion effects due to heat
radiation from lights
• Heating elements, sunlight and people
• Manual handling may also introduce thermal High
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Department of Education Aurora National Science
 “Service, Excellence, and Empowerment”

The above analysis of five basic

metrology elements can be composed
into the acronym SWIPE, for
convenient reference where,
S –STANDARD W –WORKPIECE I –INSTRUMENT
P –PERSON E –ENVIRONMENT

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Department of Education Aurora National Science High