METROLOGY

KNOWN
AS
MEASUREMENT

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 MEASURING INSTRUMENTS

Measuring instruments can be divided into several

different groups:
Direct/indirect measurement: such as rulers,
venires and micrometers.
Angle measurement: such as a vernier protractor
and angle gauges.
Gauging: uses many different kinds of gauges to
check or compare if a component is the correct size.

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DIRECT/INDERECT MEASURMENT

Ruler: has an accuracy of about 0.5mm

depending on the person using it.
Vernier calliper: has an accuracy of
0.02mm and needs a bit of skill to read
its scale correctly. The vernier calliper is
very versatile as it can be used to
measure outside, inside and depths of a
component.
Micrometer: has an accuracy of
0.01mm and requires a good sense of
feel to use it correctly. Three types
external, internal and depth micrometer
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VERNIER CALLIPER
& MIRCOMETER

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 ANGLE MEASURMENT

Vernier protractor: very accurate and

can measure to within 5 minutes of a
degree.

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 SINE BAR

Sine bar: used to measure angles and tapers using

trigonometry using the Sine rule and slip gauges, comes in
100mm, 200mm, 250mm and 300mm lengths between the
centre of the rollers, the two rollers are exactly the same
diameter and are true cylinders.
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 SET OF GAUGE BLOCKS
Slip gauges: come in box sets made up of different size rectangular
blocks that are made to an accuracy of 0.0005mm, measuring faces
are so flat and smooth that they can be wrung together.

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PRECISION CYLINDERS & BALLS
Precision cylinders: used to accurately
measure dovetails and external tapers. The
diameters of precision cylinders are extremely
accurate over there whole length.
Precision balls: used to measure the angles
of small internal tapers. Precision balls are
almost prefect spheres.
Both precision cylinders and balls are made
from high quality steel.

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 SET OF ANGLE GUAGES
Angle gauges:
are made to an accuracy of - /+ 2 seconds of a degree, different angle
gauges can be wrung together to make a wide variety of angles.

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VERNIER HEIGHT GUAGE

Vernier Height Gauge:

Provides an accurate method of marking out metals and plastics.
Relatively easy to use once reading a vernier scale is mastered.
Can be used with vee blocks on round materials.
Can have a digital readout for increased accuracy.

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 DIAL GAUGE
Dial gauge: used to check if a surface is flat, parallel or concentric.

Dial gauge & magnetic stand

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 TELESCOPIC GAUGE
Telescopic gauge: used to measure
the inside diameters of bores, it fits
inside the bore and is locked in this
position, it is then placed between the
jaws of a micrometer to get a reading.

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 GAP & PLUG GAUGE
Gap Gauge: (Go No Go Gauge) used to measure the diameter of
shafts, also known as go no go gauges. The shaft being checked
should pass through the go gauge and not pass through the no go.

Plug gauge: works on the same principle regarding the go no go but

is used to check the diameter of a hole.

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 FEELER & DRILL GAUGE
Feeler gauge (Gap Gauge): A set of steel blades having a range of
thickness values. This is used to gauge small distances e.g. spark
plug gaps, or for flatness tests. They can be stacked together to
gauge different values.

Drill gauge: Used for checking drill sizes.

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 GAUGES
Screw pitch gauge: used to check the
pitch of a screw by placing the blade
that fits the best on the screw thread
being checked.

Screw cutting gauge: used when

grinding screw cutting tools to ensure
that the tools angle are correct for the
type of thread being cut.e.g. ISO-Metre
60.

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 LIMITS AND FITS
There are two system of limit and fits used:
Hole basis system: is the more popular of
the two systems, because all holes are made
to a fixed standard size by using reamers for
example. The shaft is then manufactured to fit
the hole.
Shaft basis system: this the opposite to the
hole basis system in that, the shaft is made to
a fixed size and the hole size is varied to suit

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 TOLERANCE
Tolerance: is the amount that a dimension
can deviate from its nominal size,
A component has a nominal size of 50.00mm
and has an upper limit of 50.01mm and a
lower limit of 49.98mm, to find the
component tolerance subtract 50.01mm from
49.98mm giving a tolerance of 0.03mm.
To find the components upper deviation
subtract the upper limit from the nominal
size, 50.01mm 50.00mm = upper deviation
+0.01mm
Lower deviation 50.00mm 49.98mm =
lower deviation 0.02mm
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 TYPES OF FITS
There are three types of fits used in
manufacturing:

Interference fit: no space between the

components, the shaft is always made bigger
than the hole, force is required to assemble
the components.
Transition fit: covers a wide range of fits
that can be either clearance or interference,
the shaft can be larger or smaller than the
hole it fits into.
Clearance fit: space between the two
components, the shaft is always made smaller
than the hole.
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TYPE OF FITS

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 Possible questions on measurement (metrology)

i.Name and state the function of one of the gauges shown below.
ii.Describe the purpose of a sine bar;
iii.Identify two reasons why precise measurements could be
inaccurately taken.
iv.Describe the purpose of a plug gauge;
v.Outline two advantages of using a height gauge;
vi.Distinguish between direct and comparative measurements.
vii.Distinguish between a clearance fit and an interference fit.

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