Precision measurement equipment laboratory
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory (PMEL) is a United States Air Force facility in which the calibration and repair of test equipment takes place. This practice is also known as metrology: the science of measurement. The Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) of airmen trained to work in the PMEL is 2P0X1 replacing 324x1 where "X" represents a variable number which denotes the level of expertise of the individual. There are also defense contractors and government civilians who perform this job.
[edit] Calibration Sections
Typically Electronic test equipment is maintained in different calibration sections (K-Sections). The technicians who work PMEL will often specialize in one of these sections. The K-Sections are based off the calibration procedure. This is based upon the calibration authority.
Most labs have three calibration sections that specialize in like test equipment. For example the K3 section will maintain Frequency counter (a K3 item) and power sensor but have another section such as K6 calibrate a pressure gauge.
The sections are as follows:
K1,K2,K8 DC/Electrical Standards Section
K3,K4 Frequency/RF Section
K5 Temperature/Humidity
K6,K7 Physical Dimensional Test Equipment
[edit] Roles of PMEL Technicians
The roles of technicians may vary from various locations but typically are divided by skill level. The 2P0X1 AFSC is broken down by skill levels. The five skill levels are 1,3,5,7,and 9. This skill level is determined by qualifications, rank and experience. The following are typacal roles for the various skill levels. More information can be found in the PMEL CFETP[[1]]].
| SKILL LEVEL | TYPICAL PMEL ROLE |
|---|---|
| 1 | Helper; Student |
| 3 | Apprentice ; Worker and Trainee |
| 5 | Journeyman; Worker and Trainer |
| 7 | Craftsman; Supervisor |
| 9 | Superintendent |
[edit] Links
[2] Air Force Metrology Homepage [3] Precision Measuring Corporation Homepage
