8588A Reference Multimeter
Key features
- Digitizing multimeter designed specifically for calibration laboratories.
- More than 12 measurement functions; digitize voltage, digitize current, and external shunts for DC and AC current, consolidating into a single instrument.
- Intuitive user interface with color display and easy-to-navigate menu structure for all configuration.
- Supports minimum of 100,000 readings per second at 4.5 digits across GPIB, USB or Ethernet.
Product overview: 8588A Reference Multimeter
Priority Gold Instrument CarePlan
Make sure to ask your account manager about the Fluke Calibration Priority Gold CarePlan
A Fluke Calibration Priority Gold CarePlan puts you in control of your downtime and in control of your business, with calibration services and other offerings.
Stability, simplicity and performance by design
The 8588A incorporates exceptional linearity, low noise and stability in the design. This best-in-class long-scale digital reference multimeter guarantees superior 3.5 ppm one-year dc voltage relative accuracy and long-term stability over a wide measurement range and functions.
The 8588A contains the world’s most stable voltage references and attenuators custom crafted at Fluke Calibration. These precision components eliminate the need for daily internal self-calibration to compensate for drift when less-precise components are used. Autozeroing also becomes unnecessary because the amplifier offsets are ultra-stable. The 8588A achieves an exceptional 8.5-digit resolution reading in one second, two times shorter than the next best in class, which amounts to considerable productivity improvements.
The 8588A is easy and intuitive to use. It is the ideal lab multimeter for metrologists and calibration laboratory managers who expect and appreciate a straightforward setup that quickly achieves the maximum performance of the instrument.
- 2.7 µV/V (95%), 3.5 µV/V (99%), 1 year relative accuracy, dc voltage without internal self-calibration or auto-adjustments
- 0.5 µV/V (95%), 0.65 µV/V (99%), 24 hour stability, dc voltage
- 7 µΩ/Ω (95%), 9 µΩ/Ω (99%), 1 year, resistance
- 2.02x full scale stretches lower noise floor to higher signal levels to maximize higher accuracies from the instrument
- 200 ns to 100 s aperture setting allows the industry's widest flexibility to control data capture window
Accuracy, offset and stability provide excellent ac performance
The 8588A provides the most accurate true ac rms measurement available in a Fluke Calibration multimeter.
With a 5 mega-samples-per-second sampling analog-to-digital converter and an extraordinarily stable dc analog path, the 8588A achieves remarkable ac rms measurement performance that is ten times faster, two times less noisy, and more sensitive for low level signals than other instruments in this class. It utilizes digital rms calculations to maintain full resolution of a wide dynamic range of digitized signals, so you can see a wide range of measurements clearly.
Rapid digital filters are more effective than their analog equivalents for faster settling. The digital filters eliminate the dielectric absorption on analog filters, commonly associated with residual slow-tail characteristics. The digital filters effectively shorten settling time to within 6 cycles of the filter frequency and less than 1 ppm of the fully settled value.This is up to 10 times faster than other long scale precision digital multimeters at low frequencies.
Low noise is achieved from averaging the collected high-resolution digitized data and the inherently stable signal path. De-coupling low level signal sensitivity from temperature drift enables the 8588A to make higher accuracy low-level ac measurements. Therefore, temperature drift, offsets, and long-term instability typically associated with an analog rms converter are eliminated.
- 60 µV/V (95%), 77 µV/V (99%), 1 year relative accuracy, for the most accurate ac voltage measurement
- 250 µA/A (95%), 323 µA/A (99%), 1 year relative accuracy, ac current
- 15 ms settling time at 1kHz ac filter form 10x faster ac voltage measurement
- 2.02x full scale Vpp, 1.2x full scale rms
- Up to 30 A for peak ac current greatly extends ac current measurement range
AC voltage measurement
AC voltage measurement settings
Usability designed for metrologists by metrologists
The 8588A is the ideal lab multimeter. It streamlines the measurement process while eliminating misunderstandings, with an easy-to-access user interface in English, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Spanish. An intuitive graphical display lets you easily visualize trends, histograms, complex waveforms, and statistics and perform routine metrology tasks quickly. You can perform both real-time and post-capture analysis for short-term and long-term stability, identifying and quantifying drifts, run-around noise and uncertainty analysis without the need for an external computer or software. You can also quickly visualize post-processed frequency domain signals of fundamental and harmonic amplitude and phase content.
Some popular system multimeters have complex menu structures and unintuitive commands, while others lack any user interface, presenting barriers to training and operation. By contrast, the 8588A/8558A feature an easyto- access configuration menu that makes it easy to train new users.
The front panel features many new usability improvements. Visual Connection Management™ output terminals light up to show which terminals are active, guiding the user to make the correct connections. The handles are over-molded for comfort and easy transport.
USB host ports are placed both on the front and rear of the instrument. Use the ports to export data to external memory devices or simplify firmware updates. For remote communication with a PC, choose from Ethernet, GPIB or USBTMC connectors on the rear panel.
The 8558A/8558A provide full emulation of the Fluke 8508A Reference Multimeter and command compatibility of the Keysight 3458A Digital Multimeter via SCPI commands, making it an ideal replacement for these older instruments.
- Graphical display that enables instantaneous visualization of trend plot, statistical analysis, histogram and FFT.
- GPIB, USBTMC, Ethernet allows industry standard selection of remote interface. • USB thumb drive enables quick and easy data transfer to PC in .csv format.
- SCPI compliant commands with 8508A and 3458A emulation mode simplifies and accelerates system upgrade process to 8588A/8558A
- Programmable front/rear input switching with scan measurement allows ratio, difference and deviation measurements between front and rear terminals in dc voltage, resistance, functions with state-ofthe- art linearity, noise performance, superb transfer uncertainties.
- Capacitance and RF power meter readout from Rohde & Schwarz NRP Series expands the utility of 8588A in calibrating multi-product calibrators for improved productivity in calibration labs.
Trend plot
Analyze: Histogram
The MET/CAL™ Calibration Management Software advantage
The 8588A and 8558A work with Fluke Calibration MET/CAL™ Calibration Software with native MET/CAL support or using 8508A emulation mode to increase throughput up to four times that of traditional manual and multi-product methods while ensuring calibrations are performed consistently every time. This powerful software documents calibration procedures, processes and results for ease in complying with ISO/IEC 17025 and similar quality standards.
Support and services when you need them
Fluke Calibration offers testing, repair and calibration services to meet your needs quickly and at a fair cost while maintaining the high level of quality that you expect. Our electrical calibration laboratories are accredited for conformance to ISO Guide 17025 and we maintain global calibration and repair facilities.
You can enhance warranty protection with a Priority Gold Instrument CarePlan service package.
A Priority Gold Instrument CarePlan includes an expedited annual calibration to reduce downtime by a week and extended warranty to help ensure the best long-term performance from your instruments. Choose from one-year, three-year or five-year CarePlans. (Note: Priority shipping times vary by country. Contact your local Fluke Calibration sales representative for details.)
Specifications: 8588A Reference Multimeter
8588A complete specifications
8558A complete specifications
Key feature and specification comparison | 8588A | 8558A |
DC voltage | 100 mV – 1000 V | 100 mV – 1000 V |
AC voltage | 10 mV – 1000 V, 1 Hz – 10 MHz | 10 mV – 1000 V, 1 Hz – 10 MHz |
Resistance, LoI, HV | 1 Ω - 10 GΩ | 1 Ω - 10 GΩ |
DC current | 10 uA – 30 A | 10 uA – 2 A |
AC current | 10 uA – 30 A, 1 Hz to 100 kHz | 10 uA – 2A, 1 Hz to 100 kHz |
Digitize V | 100 mV - 1000 V, 5 MSamples/s, up to 20 MHz BW | 100 mV - 1000 V, 5 MSamples/s, up to 20 MHz BW |
Digitize I | 10 uA - 30 A, 5 MSamples/s, up to 4 MHz BW | 10 uA - 2 A, 5 MSamples/s, up to 4 MHz BW |
Frequency (V, I, BNC) | 1 Hz to 10 MHz, 1 Hz to 100 kHz, 10 Hz to 100 MHz | 1 Hz to 10 MHz, 1 Hz to 100 kHz, 10 Hz to 100 MHz |
Temperature | PRT / Thermocouple (ext CJC) | PRT / Thermocouple (ext CJC) |
Capacitance | 1 nF – 100 mF | No |
RF power | R&S NRP Series | No |
Ext. dc current and ac current | A40B current shunt and other shunts | No |
Graphical display | Yes | Yes |
Visual Connection Management ® | Yes | Yes |
Programmable front/rear input switching | Yes | Yes |
Ratio difference, deviation - ohms, voltage, current | Yes | Yes |
External 10 MHz ref clock, 50 Ω/Hi-Z | Yes | Yes |
A40B and other shunt asset management | Yes | No |
GPIB 488.2, Ethernet, USB TMC | Yes | Yes |
SCPI command compatibility | Yes | Yes |
3458A emulation, 8508A emulation | Yes | Yes |
Volatile memory | 15 million | 15 million |
Level and other trigger | Yes | Yes |
FFT onboard | Yes | No |
Reading rates: 5 MS/s into memory, bus: 100 kS/s at 4.5 digits, 1 rdg/s at 8.5 digits | Yes | Yes |
Function | 8588A uX/X of reading + uX/X of range | 8558A uX/X of reading + uX/X of range | ||||
95% | 99% | 95% | 99% | |||
DC voltage | 10 V | relative | 2.7 + 0.05 | 3.5 + 0.06 | 4.0 + 0.06 | 5.2 + 0.08 |
absolute | 2.8 + 0.05 | 3.6 + 0.06 | 4.1 + 0.06 | 5.3 + 0.08 | ||
AC voltage | 10 V, 1 kHz | relative | 60 + 5 | 77 + 6.5 | 80 + 10 | 103 + 13 |
absolute | 64 + 5 | 83 + 6.5 | 90 + 10 | 116 + 13 | ||
Resistance | 10 kΩ | relative | 7 + 0.5 | 9 + 0.6 | 10 + 0.6 | 13 + 0.7 |
absolute | 7.2 + 0.5 | 9.2 + 0.6 | 10.3 + 0.6 | 13.3 + 0.7 | ||
DC current | 1 mA | relative | 6.5 + 4 | 8.4 + 5 | 9 + 5 | 12 + 6 |
absolute | 7.6 + 4 | 10 + 5 | 9.8 + 5 | 13 + 6 | ||
AC current | 1 mA, 1 kHz | relative | 250 + 50 | 323 + 65 | 300 + 100 | 387 + 129 |
absolute | 260 + 50 | 335 + 65 | 310 + 100 | 400 + 129 | ||
Frequency | BNC,1 kHz | relative | 0.5 uHz/Hz | 0.5 uHz/Hz | 0.5 uHz/Hz | 0.5 uHz/Hz |
Temperature | PRT 100 Ω | relative | ± 5 mK | ± 5 mK | ± 5 mK | ± 5 mK |
Capacitance | 1 uF | relative | 400 + 100 | 516 + 129 | N/A | N/A |
absolute | 406 + 100 | 523 + 129 | N/A | N/A |
95% 1 year relative specification. Fluke Calibration guarantees to 99% confidence interval k=2.58. For 99%, multiply by (2.58/2).
Looking for lower specs? See our other benchtop multimeters:
Bench Multimeter Selection Guide
Model | Resolution | Accuracy | Application |
8588A | 8.5 | 2.7 µV/V 95% confidence level, 1 year relative accuracy | Metrology |
8558A | 8.5 | 4.0 µV/V 95% confidence level, 1 year relative accuracy | High-Speed Automation |
8845A/8846A | 6.5 | Basic V dc accuracy of up to 0.0024 % | Bench |
8808A | 5.5 | Basic V dc accuracy of 0.015 % | Bench |
Models: 8588A Reference Multimeter
- Meter
- 8588A-LEAD KIT-OSP General purpose probe kit & pouch with 2x 4-way shorting PCB
- Meter
- 8588A-LEAD KIT-OSP General purpose probe kit & pouch with 2x 4-way shorting PCB
Manuals + resources: 8588A Reference Multimeter
- Improved verification of a 55XX Series Multi-Product Calibrator with an 8588A Reference Multimeter
- Inside the newest 8.5 digit Reference Multimeter
- Overview of 8588A and 8558A calibration support processes and equipment requirements
- Replacing analog null detectors with precision multimeters
- Verifying the capacitance function of the 8588A Reference Multimeter