Lab Session: 1

To calibrate the given measuring Instrument using slip gauges.

Problem statement:
Slip gauges are the universally accepted standard of length in industries. These are the
simplest possible means of measuring linear dimensions very accurately. They are used for
checking the accuracy of measuring instruments. So, in this experiment slip gauges are used to
calibrate Vernier Calliper and Micrometre.
Objective:
Main objective of this experiment is to calibrate given measuring instruments by using slip
gauges.
Apparatus:
The apparatus required for this experiment is
 Vernier calipers
 Screw gauge
 Slip gauges

Theory:
Calibration is a comparison between a known measurement (the standard) and the
measurement using your instrument. Typically, the accuracy of the standard should be ten times
the accuracy of the measuring device being tested. However, accuracy ratio of 3:1 is acceptable
by most standards organizations.

Objectives:

Calibration of your measuring instruments has two objectives.

 It checks the accuracy of the instrument

 It determines the traceability of the measurement.

In practice, calibration also includes repair of the device if it is out of calibration. A report is
provided by the calibration expert, which shows the error in measurements with the measuring
device before and after the calibration.

Why Calibration is Important?

The accuracy of all measuring devices degrades over time. This is typically caused by normal
wear and tear. However, changes in accuracy can also be caused by electric or mechanical
shock or a hazardous manufacturing environment (oils, metal chips etc.). Depending on the
type of the instrument and the environment in which it is being used, it may degrade very
quickly or over a long period of time. The bottom line is that, calibration improves the accuracy
of the measuring device. Accurate measuring devices improve product quality.

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Slip Gauges:

Slip gauges were first developed by Johnson and sometimes also called as ‘Johnson Gauge
Blocks’. These are rectangular blocks of steel having a cross-section of about 32 mm x 9 mm.
They are Precise Measuring instruments. These Slip Gauges are universally accepted end
Standard of length.

Figure 1.1: Different Slip Gauges

Gauge blocks, sometimes called slip gauges, are pieces of wear-resistant material of
rectangular cross-section used as references for performing length measurements. Each gauge
block has a pair of parallel faces separated by a desired distance, known to a high degree of
accuracy. Gauge blocks are used to calibrate engineering equipment, (e.g. micrometers and
Vernier calipers). Higher grade gauge blocks can also be used to calibrate other gauge blocks
of the same or lower grade.

Figure 1.2: Nomenclature of Slip Gauges

Construction of Slip Gauge:

 Slip gauges are rectangular in shape made up of high-grade steels with very close
tolerances.

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  The Working faces of any slip gauge will be made truly flat and parallel.
 The slip gauges will undergo Hardening to resist wear and tear.

Figure 1.3: Shape of a Slip Gauge

 They will be further heated and cooled down successively to remove the
hardening stresses induced during the hardening Process.

 The Slip Gauges can be made up of Tungsten Carbide because of it is extremely

capable of hard and wear resistance.

 The size of the slip gauges is permanently marked on any of the measuring faces of
individual slip gauge.

Grades of slip gauges:

1. Grade 0.5 (formerly AAA) 3. Grade 2 (A+)
Reference gages, for very high Precision grade, for toolrooms and
precision work inspection
2. Grade 1 (AA) 4. Grade 3 (A and B)
Laboratory grade, for calibration of Working grade, use in production
instruments and other gages

Material:

Gauge blocks are most commonly made from steel, tungsten carbide or ceramic. In some cases,
chromium carbide gauges are used.

Refurbishment of Gauge Blocks:

Each grade of gauge block is manufactured to specific tolerances and uncertainties established
by the standards. Each grade has a specific tolerance/limit for:

 Central length (deviation from nominal)

 Flatness
 Variation in length or parallelism

Lapping is a special process used on the measuring faces of gauge blocks which creates a
smooth surface within the appropriate tolerances. During lapping, a gauge block is rubbed or
polished by another surface (called a lap or grinding tool) and an abrasive. Occasionally, if a

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gauge block is damaged, it can be re-lapped. During re-lapping, the gauge block is polished to
remove a small layer of its surface while ensuring the gauge block remains within specification
of ISO 3650. This is a specialised process that only qualified manufacturers or shops can
perform.

Determining Which Gauge Blocks to Use?

Occasionally, your required measurement will not correlate directly to the length of a single
gauge block. For example, if the size you need is 12.075 mm, there is not a single gauge block
with exactly that nominal size. This means a combination of gauge blocks of the same materials
will need to be used. There is a method to ensure you use the minimum number of gauge blocks,
by selecting the correct ones from the box.

Figure 1.4: Gauge Block Box

The key is to work from right to left of your desired length. For example, a measurement of
12.075 mm, you should first choose the 1.005 mm gauge block from your set, because there is
a 5 at the far right (in the thousands of a millimeter position) in your desired measurement.
From there, subtract that amount from your total measurement, which means you have 11.07
mm remaining.

There is a 7 in the far right (or hundredths of a millimetre position) in what remains for our
measurement, so we will select the 1.07 mm gauge block. With a simple subtraction, we
know we now have 10 mm remaining.

We therefore select the 10 mm gauge block. Now we have the total of our desired measurement,
which means it takes three-gauge blocks to create our desired length of 12.075mm

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 Figure 1.5: Selected Gauges

Wringing of Gauge Blocks:

Once you’ve selected the gauge blocks you need, you need to combine them to achieve your
desired width. You can stick gauge blocks stick to each other through a process called wringing,
which is possible because of the phenomenon of molecular attraction between the two lapped
surfaces and a thin film of molecules trapped between the surfaces (which is known as the
wringing film). This wringing film is typically only a few nanometers thick, so it makes a
negligible contribution to the overall size of the wrung gauge blocks. Through the process of
wringing, gauge blocks can be combined to obtain a desired length. There are a few ways gauge
blocks can be wrung together. Keep in mind that regardless of the method, the gauge blocks
must be clean and gloves should be worn.

Figure 1.6: Wringing Process

Method-I:
Hold the faces of two-gauge blocks firmly together in a cross shape. Slide the top gauge block
up and down along the surface of the bottom gauge block until it no longer moves easily. Then,
rotate the top gauge block until it is in line with the bottom gauge block. This method works
well for larger gauge blocks.

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 Figure 1.7: Wringing of Two Large gauges

Method-II:
Hold the faces of two-gauge blocks firmly together in a cross shape. Rotate the top gauge
block from side to side as if you are turning a dial back and forth. When the gauge block no
longer rotates easily, rotate the gauge blocks until they line up.

Figure 1.8: Wringing of a large and small gauge

Method-III:
Slide the top gauge block straight onto the second gauge block lengthwise onto the bottom
gauge block. Slide together firmly, then line up all edges. This method works best with
thinner gauge blocks.

Figure 1.9: Wringing of thin gauges

Wringing fluid is a mixture of liquid paraffin diluted 1:10 in a solvent. To use wringing fluid,
add a small amount to the gauge block so that the wringing fluid is spread evenly on the
measuring face (and wipe any excess away with a tissue). Try again to wring the gauge blocks
together. If they still don’t wring, check the gauge blocks under a microscope for any damage
that might be interfering with the wringing process.
Do not leave the gauge blocks wrung together for more than 24 hours. If you leave gauge
blocks wrung together for long periods, they can become very difficult to separate. If you find

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that you are having difficulty separating your gauge blocks, try gently twisting to loosen the
wring or adding some solvent (e.g. ethanol) to the joins.

Optical flats:
Optical flats can be described as an optical grade glass, which is polished and made extremely
flat on both surfaces. They are used for determining the flatness of various optical surfaces.
Optical flats determine the flatness of surfaces by interference.

Figure 1.10: Optical Flat

Optical flats are usually disc shaped with parallel, or nearly parallel, surfaces, one of which is
given an optical finish. Materials used for optical flats need to have a very small coefficient of
thermal expansion.

Applications:
The main applications of optical flats are listed below:
 Calibration of flatness of various optical surfaces
 Inspection of gauge blocks (give patterns if there is no burr)
 Testing of filters, mirrors, and prisms
 Spectrophotometry

Storing gauge blocks:

While using gauge blocks, it is recommended to place them in a plastic container that has been
lined with anti-corrosion paper. After use, and when the gauge blocks have been cleaned and
inspected for burrs, scratches and corrosion, the gauge blocks should be returned to a treated
hardwood storage container to keep them in optimal condition and protected from damage or
corrosion. It is important that gauge blocks be returned to the correct slots in the hardwood
storage box, and each set should have its own box. Storage boxes or containers should not be
contaminated with grease or dirt.
Dust and debris:
Gauge blocks should be stored in a box to protect them from dust or damage. Lining the storage
box with anti-rust paper is a best practice. You may also coat the gauge blocks with a thin layer
of protectant (usually petroleum jelly or a commercial brand protectant).

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Temperature and humidity:
Gauge blocks change length as their temperature changes, and the amount of length change
depends on the material they are constructed from. 12 The coefficient of thermal expansion, of
a material is its fractional change in length per degree kelvin (or Celsius) of temperature
change. It is a set value which can be found inside the gauge block set’s case.
It is recommended that the gauge blocks are kept in a climate-controlled room of 20 °C with
humidity of about 45 % relative humidity (RH). Corrosion can occur if the temperature and
humidity increase too much.

Floor cleanliness:
The main room where gauge blocks are stored should have a lightly adhesive floor mat, at the
doorway to help remove contaminants from shoes. Sweep the floor at least once a week to keep
dust levels minimal.

Procedure:
1. We have different readings of gauge blocks. To produce an assembly of required
dimensions, begin with smallest increment of size and subtract this from required
dimensions.
2. Eliminate next smallest number in the same way and we will get our required set of
gauge blocks.
3. We clean gauge blocks with the help of liquid (use Vaseline gel if needed) and check
the surface with optical flat to ensure the clean surface(if there is no burr, surface
will have clear patterns)
4. Then we start wringing the gauge blocks to assemble our required set of dimensions.
5. After wringing, measure it by Vernier calliper and screw gauge to check whether
we get accurate reading or not.
6. Compare values of measuring instruments with gauge block values and calculate
error between both readings and plot graphs.

Observation and calculations:

Micrometre least count(0.01mm):

Least count=( 𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑤 𝑔𝑎𝑢𝑔𝑒) ⁄ (𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑜. 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒)

Vernier calliper least count(0.05mm):

𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 = (𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒) ⁄ (𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒)

Error:
𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 − 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍
%𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓 =
𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍

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 Sr. No Gauge Vernier calliper Error Gauge Micrometre Error
block reading block reading
reading reading

1. 10.55 10.33 2.08% 5.05 5.04 0.19%

2. 20.75 20.35 1.92% 10.31 10.31 0
3. 30.25 30.15 0.33% 15.43 15.43 0
4. 40.15 40.125 0.06% 20.81 20.805 0.02%
5. 50.35 50.20 0.29% 24.34 24.34 0

FAQ’s:
Why calibration is important?

Calibration of measuring is important because it improves the accuracy of measuring devices

and thus improving the product quality eventually.

What are the factors that affect calibration?

There are several factors that may affect calibration

 Surrounding environment
 Vibrations
 Human error

References:
 https://www.npl.co.uk/special-pages/guides/gpg149_gauge
 http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/metrology/slip-gauges-need-accuracy-and-
uses/95276
 https://www.azooptics.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=544

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