George Schuetz Director of Precision Gages

13 Nov 2008

The Essentials Of Gage Calibration

Establishing and maintaining a regular program of gage calibration is necessary not only to maintain quality, but also for customer requirements.

14 Oct 2008

The Case Of The Sticking Test Indicator

There are few worse feelings for a manufacturer than having a product returned because the customer determines it is defective. Not to say that things are always perfect, but the vast majority of manufactured products meet their design requirements. So when a large number of the same product is returned by one user, it tends to raise eyebrows.

29 Sep 2008

Production Part Staging For Surface Finish

In designing gages to make dimensional measurements in a production environment, speed and high precision are the names of the game. Thus accounts for the popularity of instruments such as snap gages for ODs and air plugs for IDs. They are designed to measure a single size, require virtually no operator involvement and provide precise results in some of the toughest conditions.

20 Aug 2008

Approximating Geometry Measurement

We have all run across cases in which matching parts that measure “okay” don’t seem to quite fit together. This often happens with ID and OD parts that tend to have very tight clearances, typically within a few 0.0001 inch.

26 Jul 2008

Getting The Most From Your Classics

If you are thinking of ways to economize these days, you may want to consider coaxing more performance out of your existing gages. Many of the gages being built today are refinements of gages built 50 years ago. They may have originally been designed for use with a 0.0001-inch indicator, but over the years it

Measurement 23 Jul 2008

Data Collection Goes Wireless

About 25 years ago, the concept of data collection for process control took a major leap forward. This was about the time that a combination of electronic technology and economics allowed gaging to became digital. With a digital signal available, transferring information via cable directly from a gage or digital in

1 Jun 2008

Levers And Gears: Anatomy Of A Dial Indicator

Dial indicators are highly sensitive instruments.

Toolholders 29 May 2008

Measuring Taper For Toolholders And Spindle Applications

Companies concerned about strict quality requirements regularly check toolholder tapers for wear or inaccuracy because these conditions can jeopardize the results of a critical operation. However, a shop can check tapers quickly and reliably with air gages. These devices can be used effectively without special operator training. For measuring taper in a production environment, few other methods can match the speed and performance of air, as multiple-circuit air jets can be placed in very small taper gages.

1 May 2008

Surface Finish Measurement Errors

The aim of any measurement is to provide the best results possible. The same is true for surface finish measurement. The goal of surface finish metrology is to provide a measured value that is as accurate as possible.

2 Apr 2008

More On Staging For Gaging

Before designing a fixture gage, the engineer must understand what specifications need to be inspected. In many respects, the design of the gage reflects not only the design of the part, but also the manufacturing processes that produced it.

1 Mar 2008

Details Differentiate Snap Gages

Snap gages are most frequently used in production environments where precise diameter or thickness measurements need to be made quickly and repeatedly. They can be hand held or mounted on frames.

1 Feb 2008

Vertical Straightness—At Least One Reference Required

Many parts manufactured today have functional requirements to mate with parts that have either a rotational or linear motion. When the design engineer builds these requirements into a part, tolerances are specified for straightness, roundness or even cylindricity, which is the combination of the two.