Shaft production has historically been, and still is, one of the most common processes in machine tool shops. Shafts are an elementary component of a majority of mechanical systems we use in our everyday lives and as the requirements of higher quality and precision of those shafts have become more restrictive, so have the requirements for inspection of the shaft’s features. Not so long ago, shafts were most often inspected using a variety of hand gages such as profile templates, calipers, micrometers or snap gages. Today, specialized shaft measurement systems better suited for modern shaft production processes are available.
In order to determine which type of gage is best for shaft inspection, various aspects of shaft production and features need to be considered, including: