Industrial Sensors & Instrumentation worked example

Instrument Accuracy Score with accuracy severity rating of 15 1-10: a worked example

What does the result look like when accuracy severity rating reaches 15 1-10? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. Use this when conducting a measurement system risk assessment, comparing instruments for critical vs. non-critical loops, or deciding which measurement points justify higher-accuracy devices.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Accuracy severity rating: 15 1-10 (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 6)
  • Accuracy occurrence rating: 3 1-10 (unchanged)
  • Accuracy detection rating: 4 1-10 (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Accuracy risk score = severity rating x occurrence rating x detection rating) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 8.05 score for accuracy risk priority score, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 15 score for accuracy severity rating.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 3 score for accuracy occurrence rating.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 4 score for accuracy detection rating.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where accuracy severity rating sits at 6 1-10 and the headline result is 4.45 score, this scenario comes in 80.9% above the baseline at 8.05 score.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when accuracy severity rating is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. Like any RPN, the score is ordinal and subjective, so equal scores can mask different risk profiles and ratings depend on reviewer judgment.

Results at a glance

  • Accuracy risk priority score: 8.05 score (headline result)
  • Accuracy severity rating: 15 score
  • Accuracy occurrence rating: 3 score
  • Accuracy detection rating: 4 score

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Instrument Accuracy Score calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.