French: calibrerEnglish translation: calibrate 
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French to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Metrology | | French term or phrase: calibrer | in fact, the question has to do with the distinction between "calibrer" and "étalonner" and how this distinction might best be expressed in English.
Thank you Merci
In a French pharma audit report:
...un testeur de marque Kraëmer ... qui est calibré trimestriellement et étalonné une fois l'an."
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| | | calibrate | Explanation:
Erm... it's 'calibrate' and 'calibrate', I'm afraid! It does depend a tiny bit upon EXACTLY how they are using the terms, but there are indeed 2 different kinds of 'calibration' that are done.
'étalonner' means 'to calibrate (against an objective standard)' — in the case of the test house where I used to work, this usually entailed sending the equipment away for calibration against national standards by a specialized calibration service authorized to certify the accuracy of the equipment.
The more frequent intervals for 'calibrer' suggest that this would be a local calibration, probably against in-house standards.
The problem is knowing exactly how each firm operates, as some might do both operations in house, or outsource both of them. And of course, what that calibration activity actually entails will eb depndednt on exactly what specific piece of equipment is involved.
You might find that 'calibrer' is best rendered by 'to check the calibration', and 'étalonner' by 'to perform full calibration on...' or 'to recalibrate', but as I say, the exact descriptions are goingto be company-procedure-specific |
| Selected response from:
 Tony M
France
| Note from asker to answererThanks again. I'm talking to the client and will probably go for someting like what you suggest in your last sentence
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer |
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10 mins confidence:   peer agreement (net): +1 |
| to calibrate
Explanation:
et pour étalonner ("to calibrate" aussi en général), "to set the standards for" conviendra peut-être (source : R&C).
| Jock
France
Native speaker of:  French
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| Notes to answerer
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| | Login to enter a peer comment (or grade) |
12 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +5 |
| calibrate
Explanation:
Erm... it's 'calibrate' and 'calibrate', I'm afraid! It does depend a tiny bit upon EXACTLY how they are using the terms, but there are indeed 2 different kinds of 'calibration' that are done.
'étalonner' means 'to calibrate (against an objective standard)' — in the case of the test house where I used to work, this usually entailed sending the equipment away for calibration against national standards by a specialized calibration service authorized to certify the accuracy of the equipment.
The more frequent intervals for 'calibrer' suggest that this would be a local calibration, probably against in-house standards.
The problem is knowing exactly how each firm operates, as some might do both operations in house, or outsource both of them. And of course, what that calibration activity actually entails will eb depndednt on exactly what specific piece of equipment is involved.
You might find that 'calibrer' is best rendered by 'to check the calibration', and 'étalonner' by 'to perform full calibration on...' or 'to recalibrate', but as I say, the exact descriptions are goingto be company-procedure-specific
| Tony M
France
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
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| Note from asker to answerer| Thanks again. I'm talking to the client and will probably go for someting like what you suggest in your last sentence |
| Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks for a quick and detailed answer that, I'm afraid, confirms my hunch
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The translation workplace 
