Pneumatic comparators

 Pneumatic comparators use air as a means of

measurement. The basic principle involved is that
changes in a calibrated flow respond to changes in the part
feature. This is achieved using several methods and is
referred to as pneumatic gauging, air gauging, or
pneumatic metrology.
 It is possible to gauge length, diameter, squareness,
parallelism, taper, concentricity, etc., using a simple set-
upFor instance, if one is inspecting the bore of an engine
cylinder, it is also possible to assess its size, taper, camber,
and straightness in the same setting.
Advantages
 Absence of metal-to metal contact, higher amplification, and
low cost. Absence of metal-to-metal contact between the
gauge and the component being inspected greatly increases
the accuracy of measurement.
 The gauge also has greater longevity because of a total
absence of wearable parts.
 Amplification may be increased without much reduction in
range, unlike mechanical or electronic instruments.
 Pneumatic comparators are best suited for inspecting
multiple dimensions of a part in a single setting ranging from
0.5 to 1000 mm
Pneumatic Gauges:
 Based on the type of air gauge circuit, pneumatic
gauges can be classified as free flow gauges and
back pressure gauges.
 Free Flow Air Gauge

 This uses a simple pneumatic circuit. Compressed air

with a pressure in the range 1.5–2 bar is passed
through a tapered glass column that contains a small
metal float.
 The air then passes through a rubber or plastic hose

and exits to the atmosphere through the orifice in the

gauging head.
 Since the gauging head is inserted inside the work

part that is being inspected, there is a small clearance

between the gauging head and the work part.
 This restricts the flow of air, thereby changing the

position of the float inside the tapered glass column.

 The set-up is illustrated in Figure ,Compressed air

from the factory line is filtered and reduced to the

required pressure.
 A shut-off valve is provided to ensure shut-off of air

supply when not in use.

Flow Characteristic Curve
Figure illustrates the relationship
between the clearance and the flow rate.
It is clear from the graph that the flow
rate increases with the increase in the
clearance. The curve has a linear portion,
which is used for the purpose of
measurement.
This linearity in the gauging range
permits dimensional variation to be
accurately measured up to 1 μm.
A calibrated scale enables the reading
to be directly read from the scale. Flow–Clearance curve
Amplification of up to 100,000:1 has
been built into these gauges

this type of pneumatic gauge is relatively free from operator

error.
 Air gaps in air gauging

A typical gauge head has two orifices diametrically opposite each other
If the spindle of the gauge head is moved to one side, the air flow is
decreased; however, the air flow through the diametrically opposite orifice
increases by an equal amount.
Working Principle
 . The float takes up a position in the tapered tube such that the air velocity
through the ‘annulus’ created by the float and the tube is constant.
 The air then escapes through the gauging orifice. In order to use the gauge
as a comparator, the user uses a master gauge of known dimension and
geometric form, and sets the float to a reference value by adjusting the air
flow rate.
 In other words, the air gauge is set to a datum rate of air flow through the
system. Now, the master gauge is taken out and the gauge head is inserted
into the work part being inspected.
 Any variation in the dimension of the work part will produce a variation in
the rate of flow through the system. This is reflected in the change in
height of the float in the glass column, and the difference in dimension can
be directly read on the graduated scale.
 Back pressure Gauge: Working Principle
This system uses a two-orifice arrangement,
While the orifice O1 is called the control
orifice, the orifice O2 is referred to as the
measuring orifice.
The measuring head gets compressed air
supply at a constant pressure P, which is
called the source pressure.
It passes through the control orifice into an
intermediate chamber. Air exits the measuring
head through the measuring orifice.
While the size of the control orifice remains
constant, the effective size of the measuring
orifice varies because of the gap d between the
measuring orifice and the work surface.
Depending on the gap d, the back pressure Pb
changes, thereby providing a means for
measuring dimension d.
Characteristic Curve Of A Back Pressure Gauge

Assuming that the areas of

control orifice and
measuring orifice are A1
and A2 respectively, the
relationship between the
ratio of back pressure to
source pressure and the
ratio of the areas of control
orifice to measuring orifice
is almost linear for Pb/P
values from 0.5 to 0.8.
This range is selected for
the design of the back
pressure gauge.
Construction: A Back Pressure Gauge

Compressed air is filtered and passed through a pressure regulator.

The regulator reduces the pressure to about 2 bar. The air at this
reduced pressure passes through the control orifice and escapes to the
atmosphere through the orifice of the measuring head.
Construction:
 Depending on the clearance between the measuring head
and the work part surface, back pressure is created in the
circuit, which, as already pointed out, has a direct
relationship with the effective area of the measuring orifice.
 Various transducers are available to display the linear gap
between the measuring head and the work part.
 In this set up back pressure is let into a bourdon tube, which
undergoes deflection depending on the magnitude of air
pressure. This deflection of the bourdon tube is amplified by
a lever and gear arrangement, and indicated on a dial
Construction:
 Magnification of up to 7500:1 can be achievedby
employing the bourdon tube principle. Readings up to
0.01 mm is common in most of the gauges.
 The back pressure gauge is essentially a comparator,
and the initial setting is done by means of reference
gauges. It is important for both the reference gauge
and the workpiece being inspected to have the same
geometric form. Therefore, slip gauges are used for
flat workpieces and ring gauges are preferred for
cylindrical workpieces.
Construction:
 The master gauge is used and the instrument is set to a
reference value by varying the input pressure of air as
well as by means of variable bleed to the atmosphere.
 This can be done by operating the pressure regulator.
Air pressure is adjusted so that the instrument is set to
some datum value on the scale.
 Now, the reference gauge is taken out and the
workpiece is introduced with the measuring gauge.
The deviation in dimension can be directly read on the
scale.
 Solex Pneumatic Gauge

This air gauge has been developed and marketed by Solex Air Gauges
Ltd, USA, and is one of the most popular pneumatic comparators in the
industry
Compressed air is drawn from the factory air supply line, filtered, and
regulated to 2 bar
 Solex Pneumatic Gauge

Extra air, by virtue of a slightly higher supply air pressure, will leak out of


the water tank in the form of air bubbles and escape into the atmosphere.
This ensures that the air moving towards the control orifice will be at a
desired constant pressure.
The air at a reduced pressure then passes through the control orifice and


escapes from the measuring orifice in the measuring head.

Based on the clearance between the work part and the measuring orifice, a


back pressure is created, which results in the head of water being displaced
in the manometer tube.
The Solex comparator has a high degree of resolution, and variation in


dimension up to a micrometre can be determined easily. Amplification of up

to 50,000 is obtainable in this gauge.
Applications of Pneumatic Comparators
Applications of multiple-orifice gauging heads
 P is the source pressure while p is the back
pressure or pressure between the control and
measuring orifice.
 The relation between the p and P depends on the
relative sizes of the two orifices Oc and Om.
 p=P when Om is blocked and p= 0 when Om is
increased indefinitely.
 Let C is orifice area of Oc and M is of Om
Characteristic Curve
 WE are interested in the linear form of the curve.
 Between the values of 0.6 to 0.8 the curve
approximates to linear curve. The equation of
which may be written as ,

Value of A= 1.1 for series of characteristics curves.

Slope b however is not constant ,
b=0.6 when P= 0.13 kg/cm2
b= 0.4 when P= 5 kg/cm2
Area of the escape orifice:

 When the clearance between surface and nozzle

face is zero, no air escapes from the nozzle and
area of the escape orifice is zero.
 When the clearance between surface and nozzle
face is large, no air escapes from the nozzle and
area of the escape orifice is
 Between these two extreme values when clearance
is small and gauging is applied area of the escape
orifice is , πDL.
Range of the linear measurement:

 As we know that, 0.6<p/P<0.8, the characyteristic

curve is linear within 1%.
 Mn= Minimum value of M for p/P of 0.8 and Mx=
Maximum Value of M for p/P of 0.6
 Then if we take the ratio,
 Again we know that M=
Lx-Ln=
Pneumatic Sensitivity:

 Differentiating the above equation w r t M

 Again, for p/P of 0.7 ..M has average value Ma

 becomes, so that
Overall sensitivity:

 The overall magnification of the apparatus is the

ratio of the linear movement of the pointer or index
of the pressure measuring instrument to the change
in the dimension which produces it.
 It actuall depends on
1. Pneumatic sensitivity
2. The way in which area M change changes as L
chnges
3. The sensitivity of the pressure measuring
instrument
Overall sensitivity:

 Overall sensitivity =

M=

Now if λ be the length of the scale of pressure measuring device corresponding

to the pressure change from 0 to P
Overall sensitivity:

=
Numerical
 The operation of the pneumatic comparator is represented by
equation,
 for 0.6>>0.8
 Where , P= supply pressure p= pressure between measuring and
control orifices
 b= constant =0.5 for P=2 kg/cm2
 M=πDL
 L= separation between nozzle surface and the surface to be
gauged
 D= measurement orifice diameter
 d= control orifice diameter= d2
 The control orifice is 0.5 mm diameter and
measuring orifice is 1 mm diameter hole.
 Calculate : a) The range of linear measurement b)
measuring head , pneumatic gauge and overall
sensitivities.
 The back pressure gauge has a deflection of 20
mm for 100 kg/cm2 pressure change.
 Air supply pressure is constant at 2 kg/cm2

corrosponding to maximum separation ,

where Lx is the maximum separation.

After solving for d=0.5 , D= 1 mm , we will get, Lx= 0.062 mm

corrosponding to minimum separation ,

where Ln is the minimum separation.

 After solving for d=0.5, D= 1 mm , we will get,
Ln= 0.037 mm.
 Therefore , Linear Range = Lx-Ln = 0.062-

0.037=0.025 mm
b) Measuring Head sensitivity =
=πD =3.142 x 1 mm=3.14 mm

Pnuematic
sensitivity=

Ma=πDLa=π . 0.05 mm2

c) gauge sensitivity

d) Overall sensitivity

= 20 x 509 x 3.14=32000