PowerPoint to accompany

Technology of Machine Tools

6th Edition

Krar • Gill • Smid

Squares and
Surface Plates
Unit 8

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Objectives

• The machinist’s combination square

• Three types of solid and adjustable squares
• Two types of surface plates
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Square
• Used for layout, inspection and setup
• Manufactured to various degrees of
accuracy
– Range from semiprecision to precision squares
• Precision squares are hardened and
accurately ground
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Machinist's Combination
Square
• Used for quick check of 90 and 45 degree
angles and measure of length
• Part of combination set that includes square
head, center head, bevel protractor and
graduated grooved rule
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 8-6

Precision Square
• Used chiefly for inspection and setup
purposes
• Hardened and accurately ground
• Must be handled carefully to preserve
accuracy
• Great variety manufactured but all variations
of either solid square or adjustable square
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Beveled-Edge Square
• Better quality standard squares used in
inspection
• Beveled edge allows blade to make line
contact with work
– More accurate check
• Work is square (90 degrees) if both sides
touch surface of work
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Toolmaker's Surface
Plate Square
• Provides convenient method of checking
work for squareness on surface plate
• One-piece construction
• Little chance of any inaccuracy developing
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Cylindrical Square
• Master squares which other squares checked
• Consists of thick-walled alloy steel cylinder
– Hardened, ground and lapped
– Outside diameter nearly true cylinder
– Ends ground and lapped square with axis
– Ends recessed and notched to decrease inaccuracy
from dust
• Setting carefully on clean surface plate and
rotate to force dust and dirt into end notches
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Cylindrical Square

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 8-11

Adjustable Squares
• Not as accurate as good solid square
• Used where impossible to use fixed square
• Diemaker's square
– Used to check clearance angle on dies
– Blade adjusted to angle of workpiece by blade-
adjusting screw, then angle checked with
protractor
– Direct-reading type indicates angle of blade
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Adjustable Micrometer Square

• Used to check part for squareness accurately

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 8-13

Straightedges
• Used to check surfaces for flatness and act
as guide for scribing long, straight lines in
layout work
• Rectangular bars of hardened and accurately
ground steel
• Edges flat and parallel
• Plain or beveled edges
• Generally made of cast iron with ribs
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Surface Plates
• Rigid block of granite or cast iron
• Flat surface used as reference plane for layout
• Generally have three-point suspension to
prevent rocking when mounted on uneven
surface
• Two types
– Cast-iron plates
– Granite surface plates
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Surface Plates
• Cast-iron plates
– Well ribbed and high strength
– Good wear-resistance qualities
– After machined, surface scraped by hand to flat
• Operation long and cost high
• Granite surface plates
– Manufactured from gray, pink, or black granite
– Several degrees of accuracy
– Extremely flat finishes produced by lapping
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Advantages of Granite Plates

• Not appreciably affected by temperature
change
• Will not burr, therefore, accuracy not
impaired
• Nonmagnetic
• Rustproof
• Abrasives will not embed themselves as
easily in the surface
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Care of Surface Plates

• Keep surface plates clean at all times
• Clean occasionally with solvent to remove film
• Protect with wooden cover when not in use
• Use parallels whenever possible to prevent
damage to plates by rough parts or castings
• Remove burrs from workpiece before placing it
on plate
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Care of Surface Plates

• Slide heavy parts onto the plate rather than
place them directly on the plate
• Remove all burrs from cast-iron plates by
honing
• When not in regular use, cover cast-iron
plates with thin film of oil to prevent rusting
• Center punching or prick punching layout
lines should not be done on a surface plate