Solid Mechanics Lab

Study of small instruments

Instruments are:

 Vernier caliper
 Micrometer screw gauge
 Dial gauge
 Betty’s extensometer
 Deflection gauge
 Spring divider
 Inside caliper
 Outside caliper

Related Theory

• Vernier caliper

A caliper is a device used to measure the distance between two opposing sides of an object.

It has two scales:

 Main scale
 Vernier scale

Its least count is 0.05 mm.

It is used to measure both external and internal diameter of the object and length of the object.

Depth can also be measured by using Vernier caliper.

• Micrometer screw gauge

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It has two scales:

 Linear scale
 Circular scale

Its least count is 0.01 mm.

It can measure external diameter and length of the object.

Its maximum opening size is 25 mm.

• Betty’s extensometer

It has two scales:

 Large scale
 Small scale

Large scale is graduated from 0 to 25 and small scale from 0 to 100.

It is used to measure extension in steel bars.

’’ ’’
It can measure extension from to 1 DIA.

Its least count is 1/20,000 “.

• Dial gauge

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It is used to measure small lengths and diameter of different objects.

Its scale has graduation from 0 to 1”.

Its least count is 0.0025”.

• Deflection gauge

It has two scales:

 Large scale (apparently small)

 Small scale (apparently large)

It can measure deflection up to 1”.

Its least count is 0.001”.

1 div on large scale means one complete revolution on small scale.

It is used to measure deflection during bend test on wooden beam

Its bottom part can behave like a magnet which is used to fix it firmly.

• Spring divider

It has no scale.

It is used for the measuring extension in lengths.

Open it up to the required limit and then place it on the ruler to read the reading.

• Inside caliper

It has no scale.

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It is used to measure inside diameter of any object.

• Outside caliper

It has no scale.

It is used to measure the outside diameter of large objects.

Reading Measurement

Vernier Caliper

Place the cylinder between jaws and fix the jaws of Vernier caliper. Read the division of main
scale just opposite to or on the left side of zero of Vernier. This is in mm and now counts the
number of Vernier divisions coinciding with a main scale division. Multiply it with least count.
Add this fractional reading to main scale reading to get observed length of the cylinder. The
reading here is 15.8 mm.

Screw Gauge

Place the metallic strip between the screw ends and fix it. Note the reading of the linear scale
visible beyond the screw cap. Note the no of circular scale division which coincides with
reference line. Multiply it with least count and add it to main scale reading to get the diameter of
the strip. In figure 12 the last graduation visible to the left of the thimble is 7.5 mm; therefore the
reading is 7.5 mm plus the thimble reading of 0.22 mm, giving 7.72 mm.

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Deflection gauge

Read the large scale reading which is in smaller size and multiply it with 100 because 1div = 100
in large scale and then add the small scale reading. Multiply the whole reading with least count
to get deflection in inches.

Batty’s Extensometer

Read the reading from large scale and then add small scale reading in it and then multiply the
whole reading with least count to get extension in inches.

Dial Gauge

Dial gauge is also measured by the same method.

Inside Caliper, Outside Caliper and Spring Divider

Open the instrument up to the required length and then place it on the scale to measure
dimension from the scale.

Comments

In this job, we study different small instruments, their purpose, their scales and least count.

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