Contact
The Dial Tells It All
Dial indicators—you've seen one, you've seen them all. They are all over the shop, and as you walk around, they all look the same to you.
Read More
Say Hello to Mr. Abbé, Mr. Hooke And Mr. Hertz
Whenever you use a handtool or precision gage, you should be aware of typical pitfalls that prevent good gage performance. These include measurement errors resulting from environmental conditions (dirt and temperature), loose and/or worn gage parts, and operator misuse.
Read More
Feels Like A Go To Me
Once a QC manager came to me, confused and dissatisfied. He was spending money to buy quality masters, but his inspection process was not improving.
Read MoreWorking With Your Working Gage Blocks
The uses of working gage blocks are as varied as the number of gage blocks in a large set. The working blocks have an intermediate grade and are often used in the inspection or calibration lab, but they may also be found on the shop floor.
Read MoreSemi-Automatics—The In-Between Gages
The faucet has been opened a little, and you've just received a long-awaited contract to produce 10,000 large trunnion caps for a manufacturer of earth moving equipment. Despite the joy, you realize that you have a problem: The machines will be in place and ready to run the part shortly, but you haven't given much thought to the gaging.
Read More
The 'Issues' With Height Gages
Don't tell anyone, but there is something of a problem with height gages. The big issue that they have is what they measure: height.
Read More
The Real Dirt About Gaging
I'm not sure that any of us in the metrology business are very close to godliness, but I do know that cleanliness is the first step to approaching accuracy in gaging. Probably every machinist is at least nominally aware that dirt can interfere with the ability to take accurate measurements.
Read More
Fixtures Are A Common Source Of Gaging Error
As a gaging engineer, my concept of a gage includes both the measuring instrument and its fixture. Assuming you are dealing with a reputable supplier, and your instrument was engineered to do its job as intended, there is probably little you can do to improve its accuracy, aside from throwing it out and spending more money.
Read More
Choice Of Bore Gage Depends On The Application
Indicating bore gages come in two basic varieties: adjustable-capacity gages with interchangeable contacts or extensions and fixed-size gages with plug-type bodies. While indicating plug gages can measure closer tolerances with higher repeatability than adjustable ones, these are only two of several factors to consider when selecting a bore gage.
Read MoreYou Won't Err With Air
It is perfectly natural that machinists should have an affinity for mechanical gages. To a machinist, the working of a mechanical gage is both straightforward and pleasing.
Read MoreHoles Big Enough To Fall Into
Maybe you’re not in Texas, but suddenly you find yourself faced with a huge measurement requirement. You’ve been given the task of checking some large diameters—not your 6 inch variety—I mean those large enough to drive a herd of cows through.
Read More20 Questions To Help Select The Right Gage And Master
You will soon be going into production with a new component. There are six or eight ways you could measure the part and dozens of products that might do the job.
Read More
