Hill Cox

Many company owners or managers are frequently asked by staff to consider bringing gage and instrument calibration in-house.

Settling measurement disputes should be an easy matter since they are all about numbers, but unfortunately it doesn’t work out that way.

The title of this column may lead many to believe this rant is all about politicians but it is not.

Following the path of a cheap and cheerful ‘how to do it’ format of the last two columns, I continue with something easy – or is it?

In my last column I listed some basic equipment requirements for the calibration of thread plug gages so I thought it would be helpful to give mating gages the same treatment. 

Thread plug gages are fascinating products when you consider the technical details that go into their manufacture and the precision they embody. To some, they look like fancy bolts and are treated accordingly. 

This situation pops up quite regularly when a relatively simple feature such as the diameter of a hole in a machined part doesn’t appear to be right when the part is at the assembly stage of manufacture. Like similar disputes, the finger pointing begins and compromises are made but the problem doesn’t go away.