Westborough, Mass. – October 29, 2026 -- KPM Analytics has released UCAL 5, a near-infrared (NIR) calibration platform for SpectraStar XT Series analyzers that checks every calibration against ASTM E1655 and ISO 12099 recommendations as the user works. The patent-pending guided workflow takes users from KPM calibration libraries to a published calibration for their own products in four steps. A 30-day free trial of UCAL 5 Pro is available now to current SpectraStar XT users.
UCAL Insight flags weak calibrations with green, yellow and red marks
UCAL Insight checks whether a calibration has enough samples, how well laboratory values cover the required range, and whether new samples confirm the calibration. Each point is marked green, yellow or red with an explanation. The marks are suggestions, and the user makes the final decision.
"Most calibrations do not fail because the math is wrong," said Yuegang Zhao, President of KPM Lab Solutions and Chief Commercial Officer at KPM Analytics.
UCAL Autopilot builds a second calibration from the same data
With UCAL Autopilot switched on, the software tries several methods and presents the best one next to the user's own calibration. It lists every setting that differs. After validation, the user compares the two property by property and chooses which to publish.
Fifteen built-in lessons cover how a calibration is judged and why calibrations go wrong. A separate introduction helps UCAL 4 users move over. No previous calibration experience is needed.
KPM's web store offers more than 250 calibrations for food, feed and agriculture
The calibrations are built and maintained by KPM's application laboratories and range from alfalfa hay and canola meal to cheddar cheese. They are sold by property measured, such as moisture or protein, or in one of 15 bundles. Each loads onto one SpectraStar XT analyzer or onto a full fleet as a single file. Buyers can also purchase the calibration library with its spectra, open it in UCAL 5 and add their own samples.
The four steps are data collection, cleaning and building in the Workbench, validation against unseen samples, and publishing. Every adjustment is saved apart from the original files, so any decision can be reversed. KPMLink cloud-based management software can push a finished calibration to every connected SpectraStar XT analyzer in an organization.
Three editions split the market by user type and sample limits
- Lite: included with new SpectraStar XT analyzers. It offers four calibration methods and up to 500 samples per calibration from the user's own files, with no limit on KPM library files. Other SpectraStar XT owners can buy it at an introductory price, and it upgrades to Pro with a license key.
- Pro: 18 calibration methods, including Modified PLS and three neural networks. It adds tools for sample selection and instrument standardization, and places no limit on samples.
- Enterprise: Pro installed on a company server and used through a web browser. It is licensed per user, keeps data on the organization's network, and lets each project be private or shared.
UCAL 4 users can open their files directly and upgrade to Pro at a discount
UCAL 5 opens UCAL 4 files directly, and calibrations already on SpectraStar XT analyzers give the same results. Pro and Enterprise licenses include yearly maintenance for new versions. All editions are available in 11 languages.
Lite licenses, calibrations and the Pro trial are available now to current SpectraStar XT users. Pro and Enterprise licenses are available from KPM Analytics and its authorized distributors.