Chapter 2:

Metrology & Instrumentation

10.1 Introduction
◼ Science of measurement
❑ Act of measuring or being measured
◼ Factors that determine the performance of a
manufactured product, other than mechanical
and physical properties, include :
❑ Dimensions - linear or angular sizes of a
component specified on the part drawing
❑ Tolerances - allowable variations from the
specified part dimensions that are permitted in
manufacturing
Manufacturing Principles

◼ Products are manufactured to standard sizes

and shapes
◼ Interchangeable parts became common in
the early 1900’s
◼ Design engineer may have to design or alter
specifications to ease manufacturing,
assembly, and inspection or lower costs
Attributes vs. Variables

◼ Inspection of a product can be done in two

main ways
❑ Attributes (Gaging)
◼ Uses gages
◼ Reported as YES/NO, GO/NO GO
❑ Variables (Measurements)
◼ Uses calibrated instruments
◼ Reported in actual dimensions
10.2 Standards of Measurement

❑ US customary system (USCS)

❑ International System of Units (SI for Systeme Internatioanle

d’Unites)
Length Standards in Industry

◼ Gage blocks
❑ Provide industry with linear
standards of high accuracy
❑ Small, rectangular, square,
or round in cross section
❑ Made with steel or carbide
❑ Two flat and parallel
surfaces
❑ calibrated with light-beam
interferometry
Figure 10-5 Wrung-together gage blocks in
❑ By combining blocks, any a special holder, used with a dial gage to
desired dimension can be form an accurate comparator. (Courtesy of
obtained DoALL Company.)
Gage Blocks

Figure 10-3 Standard set of rectangular gage blocks with 0.000050-in. accuracy; three
individual blocks are shown.
Standard Measuring Temperature

◼ Many metal instruments are used for

measuring
◼ Metals are affected dimensionally by
temperature
◼ Standard measuring temperature of 68°F
(20°C) for precision measuring
◼ Gage blocks, gages, and other precision-
measuring instruments are calibrated at this
temperature
Accuracy, precision and statistic

◼ To evaluate the precision of data, we

commonly use statistical tools such as the
average (or mean) and the standard
deviation.
◼ The smaller the standard deviation, s
produce precise measurement data.
Linear & Angle Measurement

Linear Measurement
◼ They are calipers and dividers without any
graduated scales
◼ Used to transfer the measured size to a direct-
reading instrument
Angle Measurement
1. Profile projector (optical comparator): magnify
part with optical device
2. Bevel protractor:
3. Sine bar: angle calculated from trigo-relationships
Linear & Angle Measurement

Bevel protractor
Profile projector
Linear & Angle Measurement:
Sine bar

Dial indicator: to ensure flat surfaceconverts a linear

displacement into a radial movement to measure over a
small range of movement for the plunger.
Measuring Geometric Features
Straightness
◼ Checked with a dial indicator

◼ Autocollimator accurately measure small

angular deviations on a flat surface
◼ Laser beams used to align individual
machine elements in the assembly of
machine components
Flatness

◼ Measured by mechanical means with a

surface plate and a dial indicator
◼ Interferometer uses an optical flat, when
surfaces are not flat the fringes are curved
Interferometer

ZYGO DynaFiz™ dynamic laser interferometer

Resolution: 1nm
Interference is what happens when two waves
carrying energy meet up and overlap (superposition)
Interferometer
◼ Contour lines that are very close together
indicate an extremely steep slope
◼ A perfect bulls-eye shape indicates a circular
mountain
◼ The open center circle inside the 5100 contour
line indicates that the top of the mountain is a
flat plateau.
Interferometer
◼ Divides a beam of light exiting a single source
(like a laser or LED) into two beams
◼ Recombines the beam to create an interference
pattern (or interference fringes)
Roundness
◼ A deviation from true roundness
◼ Methods of measuring roundness:
1. V-block
2. Circular tracing
Measuring Using Go and NO GO
Concept
◼ It is not always necessary to know exact
dimensions
◼ Attribute-type instruments are called gages
◼ Fixed-type gages
❑ Gage only one dimension and indicate whether it
is larger or smaller than some standard
❑ Plug gage, go/no go gage, step-type gage, snap
gage, ring gage
Measuring Using Go and NO GO
Concept
Figure 10-36 Go and no-go (on right) ring
gages for checking a shaft. (Courtesy of
Automation and Measurement Division,
Bendix Corporation.)
Figure Plain plug gage having the
Go member on the left end
(1.1250-in. diameter) and No-Go
member on the right end.
(Courtesy of Sheffield.)
Coordinate Measuring Machines
◼ Precise, three-
dimensional
measurements
◼ Measurements are
made in the x, y, and z
directions
◼ Computer routines can
give the best fit to the
feature Figure Coordinate measuring machine with inset
showing probe and a part being measured.
◼ High resolution ~
0.25micron
Coordinate Measuring Machines

Coordinate-measuring Machine for Car

Bodies
◼ A large coordinate-measuring machine with
two heads measuring various dimensions
on a car body