Unit 1

Introduction to metrology
Metrology
Metrology is a science of measurements. It is concerned with numerous problems theoretical as well as practical,
related with the measurements, such as units of measurements and their standards, methods of measurement,
measuring instruments, accuracy of measurement and measuring instruments, etc. In broad sense, metrology is
not limited to measurements only, but is also related with industrial inspection and its various techniques.
Metrology includes the design, manufacturing and testing gauges of all kinds.

Accuracy:
The agreement of the measured value with the true value of the measured quantity is called accuracy. If the
measurement of a dimension of a part approximates very closely to the true value of tha dimension, it is said to
be accurate

OR
• Accuracy compares the measured value of a manufactured component with its true value.

• True value means the specified value of a component before start of production.

• Measured value is the reading obtained after inspecting the actually produced component.

• Therefore, accuracy is defined as, "the closeness of measured value of component produced with its true
value".

Precision
Precision is the repeatability of the measuring process. It refers to the group of measurements for the same
characteristics taken under identical conditions. It indicates to what extent the identically performed
measurements agree with each other. If the instrument is not precise it will give different results for the same
dimension when measured again and again

OR
• Precision has no meaning for only one measurement, but exists only when number of measurements are
carried out for the same quantity under identical conditions.

• For any set of measurements, the individual results obtained may vary slightly from the mean value. Lesser the
variations in the measurements, more is the precision.

Sensitivity
It is the ability of a measuring instrument to detect small variations in a quantity being measured. Higher the
ability of such detection of an instrument, more sensitive it is

Readability
It is the ability of a measuring instrument or device to have its indications converted to a meaningful number
• Methods used to increase readability of measuring instruments.

(i) Micrometers can be made more readable, if they are provided with vernier scale.

(ii) Measuring instruments can be made more readable, if magnifying devices are used.

MAGNIFICATION
• Magnification is the process of increasing the magnitude of output many times to make it more readable.

• It is made possible by using principles of mechanical, optical, electrical,electronics or pneumatics etc

Repeatability :-
It is the ability of measuring system to reproduce the same results for the measurement of same quantity when
the measurements are carried out

•by the same observer,

•with the same instrument,

•under the same conditions

•and in short intervals of time..

Reproducibility:
It is the closeness of readings obtained during multiple number of measurements of same quantity, when
individual measurements are carried out by different observers, by different methods, using different instruments
under different environmental conditions

Source of errors

A) Controllable or Systematic Errors:

These errors are controllable in both, their magnitude as well as direction .If proper attempts are made to analyze
these errors, they can be identified, reduced and controlled.

1) Calibration errors:
These types of errors are caused due to variation in the calibrated scale from its nominal value.
2) Ambient or environmental errors:
• Variations in the atmospheric conditions from the internationally agreed standards (such as 20°C temperature
and 1.01325 bar pressure) may introduce errors in the measured sizes of component

3) Stylus pressure (contact pressure) :

Changes in the stylus pressure produces variations in both the deformation of work piece surface and deflection
of work piece. This will cause an error in the measurement

4)Avoidable errors/Observational errors:

• These errors mainly occur due to misalignment of the work-piece centers. The error due to misalignment is
caused, when the centre line of work-piece is not perpendicular to the lines of graduations or divisions engraved
on scale.

5) Random errors/Unavoidable errors:

• This type of errors are accidental in nature, and they occur randomly at any time.

• Specific causes of their occurrence cannot be determined by any method. Therefore they cannot be predicted
or avoided.

OR

Random errors occurs randomly and are accidental in nature

Calibration
• Calibration is defined as, “the process of framing of scale of measuring instrument by applying some
standards”.

• Calibration is said to be a pre-measurement process, carried out at the time of manufacturing the measuring
instrument.

Need of calibration
Consistent use of instruments affects their accuracy. If we need to maintain the accuracy, the measuring
instruments must be checked and followed recalibrated