Before self-temperature-compensating
gages became readily available, it was common practice to use a compensating
gage to offset the extraneous errors generated by another
gage (the measuring
gage).
As summer gets under way each year, Nick and Joan
Gage pack their bags and leave Central Massachusetts for their home in Greece.
Gage Manager monitors when calibrations are due, and also offers a scheduling feature, allowing companies to set specific calibration frequencies for each individual
gage.
GR&R was used to determine if a
gage was statistically capable of meeting the requirements imposed upon it.
The two most effective techniques for improving understanding of generated numbers are
gage repeatability and reliability (
gage R&R), which evaluates the variation in testing equipment and operator performance, and team-oriented problem solving.
The
gages cost almost $200, but extra
gages are worth it if they keep $13K machine guns in action and make them safe for Soldiers to fire.
Two anvil
gages, although more difficult to use, are ideal for checking the intended shape of a bore, while the more common three point bore gaging is easier to use, is self centering and is the perfect option for an all-around, accurate shopfloor bore
gage.
So-called "tempering"--the use of air conditioning to reduce the extremes of temperature fluctuations, while not completely controlling the temperature at the ISO standard 20 C (68 F)--can also lead to misplaced confidence in
gages. Tempering tends to keep shopfloor temperatures within [+ or -]10 F (5.5 C) of some arbitrary value, not the ISO.
The best course of action is to send a few
gages in at a time for calibration, holding some back at the unit until TMDE returns the other
gages.
Since the range of threads Superbolt manufactures spans to 30", using ring and plug
gages required
gages for each thread size and type.
Variable
gages are also indicated for three additional types of applications: where you can expect to optimize tool life and uptime by gaging the part and making corresponding machine adjustments; where scrap rates and loss of productivity are high; and where process variation is expected to be relatively high - measured by a CpK or CP of 1.33 or less.
Many manufacturers never question the practice of using dedicated, functional
gages for production work.
