George Schuetz Director of Precision Gages
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.
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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.
Read MoreDetails 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.
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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.
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Versatility With Test Indicators
 When we think about comparative indicators, we usually are referring to dial indicators. However, test indicators also provide comparative measurements.
Read MoreSkids And Probes For Surface Finish
The most commonly used—and perhaps the simplest—measure of surface finish is the Ra parameter, or roughness average. But like ordering a coffee at one of today’s deluxe cafes, it’s not exactly simple.
Read MoreMeasuring Big: Lessons From The Oil Industry
 In the world of oil drilling, there are some pretty big things. It's not just the rigs anchored out in the ocean that are huge: Everything that goes along with them seems to get supersized, including the need for gaging.
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Scribing For New Heights
 The need for long-range height measurements has been around since the principles of layout work became a fundamental requirement in machine shops. The first step in the manufacturing process is to lay out a piece by transferring a design or pattern to a workpiece.
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The Ins and Outs of Fixed Body Mechanical Plug Gages
Fixed body mechanical plug gages are one of the best ways to measure hole diameters. With this type of gage there is no rocking, as with an adjustable bore gage.
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Harmonic Analysis
Holes and cylinders are the most commonly produced forms in the modern machine shop. Usually, the diameter is the critical dimension to be measured, but when a part needs to interact with other parts, form and surface finish must also be taken into account.
Read MoreFinding Common Ground For Measurement Disagreement
When we think about making a simple measurement such as an outside diameter, many methods can be used. These would include calipers, micrometers, mechanical snap gages, air snaps, CMMs and special fixture gages, just to mention a few.
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The Value Of Conserving Measuring Range
Many people confuse the act of measuring a part with that of gaging a part. Although both operations are similar, understanding the subtle differences between the two can improve the accuracy and efficiency of both processes.
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