Linear Measuring Instruments

Calipers
 Callipers do physically duplicate the separation between the
reference point and measured point.
 They do the job of transferring a dimension only, but not
measuring instruments on their own.

Calliper being used to transfer a dimension 5

 Surface Plate
 Solid and horizontal flat plate
used as the reference plane
(datum) for precision inspection
and setups.

 Glass, Cast Iron and Granite (Pink

or Black).
Surface Plate
 Surface plate is used as the datum plane for
measurements, hence it should be finished to a high
degree of flatness (geometrical feature).
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Wide range of instruments are available for linear measurements,
right from purely mechanically operated instruments to digital
electronics instruments.

Mechanical

Digital
Mechanical Digital

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 Vernier Caliper
Clamping Screws Beam
Divider Setting Holes

Depth Measuring Blade

Fine Adjustment Clamp
Fixed Jaw Movable Jaw Vernier Scale Plate

Nibs for Inside Measurement

Fine adjustment wheel is used for finer movement of the slide.

This ensures firm but delicate contact with the surface of the job
(e.g. aluminium component).
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 Vernier Instruments
 A steel rule can measure accurately up to 1 mm or at best up to
0.5 mm.
 Instruments based on the vernier scale principle can measure
up to much finer degree of dimension.
 Vernier scale provides least count up to 0.01 mm or less,
improves the measurement accuracy.

Main Scale

Vernier Scale
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 Digital Calliper
Digital callipers are extremely economical and accurate
measuring instruments. They usually have a resolution of 10
µm with an accuracy of 30 to 40 µm.

Capacitive Linear Encoder

Linear encoder is a sensor paired with a scale that encodes

position and works on optical, magnetic, inductive, capacitive
and eddy current principles.
 Construction of Digital Calliper
• Digital callipers use multiple plates to form a capacitive array
that can senses motion accurately.
• There is a stator and slider plates in a digital calliper.

• The stator is embedded in the

metallic ruler on which
electronic housing slides.

• The electronic housing contains

the slider.

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 Micrometer Instruments
 The first ever micrometre screw was invented by William Gascoigne of Yorkshire,
England in the 17th century and was used in telescopes.

 Micrometre can provide better least counts than vernier caliper and better
accuracy, because it conforms with the Abbe’s law.

Abbe’s Law: Maximum accuracy may be obtained in a measuring

instrument only when the standard is in line with the axis of the part
being measured.

Micrometer 35
 Outside Micrometer

 The ratchet ensures a ‘feel’ while taking a reading and prevents

application of excessive force on the job.
 Range of micrometers is normally 0-25 mm, 25-50 mm or 0-50
mm. The max range is limited to 500 mm. 36
Vernier Micrometer
Up to LC of 0.001 mm

39
 Reading Vernier Scale on Micrometer

The thimble has 50 divisions and the

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vernier scale has 5 divisions. Smallest
dimension that can be read from main
scale is 0.5 mm.

Least Count
Least (LC)(LC)
Count = 0.002
= ? mm

5 x 0.002 = 0.01 mm, 0.01 x 50 = 0.5 mm

 The thimble has crossed the 12.5 mm mark on the barrel scale.
 The reference line is between 24th and 25th divisions on thimble.

Reading?
Reading: 12.5 + (0.01 x 24) + (0.002 x 4) = 12.748 mm
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 Digital Micrometer
 The digital micrometer is very popular in shop floors due to
ease and accuracy of measurement.

 Any position of the spindle could be set to zero and

instrument can be used to inspect a job within specified
tolerance.

Can use as a Comparator

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 Slip Gauges (End Standard)
 Slip gauges, also called gauge blocks can provide high degree
of accuracy as end standards.

 Slip gauges are a direct link between the measurer and the
international length standards.

 The length between measuring surfaces, flatness and surface conditions

of measuring faces are the most important requirements of slip gauges.

 Generally slip gauges are made of hardened alloy steel having 30 mm by

10 mm cross section.
 Stabilized by heating and cooling successively in stages to
remove residual stresses.

 After hardening process slip gauges are carefully finished by

high grade lapping.

Slip Gauges are generally used to

 Get high accuracy on the measurement.
 Check the accuracy of vernier calliper, micrometer and such
other measuring instruments (calibration).
 Measure the angle of work piece (using Sine Bar).
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 Classification of Slip Gauges

Based on the accuracy Slip Gauges are classified as

1. AA Master Slip Gauges. Has accuracy of ± 2 microns per

meter.
2. A Reference Slip Gauges. Has accuracy of ± 4 microns
per meter.
3. B Working Slip Gauges. Has accuracy of ± 8 microns per
meter.

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 Wringing of Slip Gauges
 Wringing is the phenomenon of adhesion of flat and smooth
surfaces of the slip gauges.
 Surfaces are in such close proximity that there is molecular
adhesion of high magnitude which creates a high adhesion force.

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 88 Piece set of Metric Gauge Blocks
0.001 mm series 9 blocks
1.001 1.002 1.003 1.004 1.005 1.006 1.007 1.008 1.009

0.01 mm series 49 blocks

1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09
1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18
1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27
1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36
1.37 1.38 1.39 1.40 1.41 1.42 1.43 1.44 1.45
1.46 1.47 1.48 1.49
50
 0.5 mm series -19 blocks
0.5 1.0 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5

10 mm series (9 blocks)
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Two (2mm ) wear blocks.

These two blocks are called as protector gauge blocks and marked with
mark “P” on their measuring surfaces.

9 + 49 + 19 + 9 + 2 = 86 + 2 = 88
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Metric Set has 88 Gauge Blocks (in mm)

Exercise: 41.125 mm
Accuracy of the Slip Gauges is affected by:
1. Dimensional instability of material.

2. Wear during operation or use.

3. Damage during storage and handling.

4. Change in parallelism.

To reduce errors and improve accuracy :

1. Periodical inspection and calibration is required.
2. Select the least number of gauge blocks for a given or required size
(this helps reducing accumulative errors).
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