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This section provides an overview for linear gauges as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 10 linear gauge manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked linear gauge companies as of February, 2025: 1.DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH, 2.Mitutoyo Corporation, 3.Ono Sokki Technology Inc..
Table of Contents
A linear gauge is a measurement device that determines the displacement of an object. It utilizes optical methods to measure displacement, involving a moving slit attached to the object, two fixed slits, and a machine that converts the slit waveform into a pulse wave. The displacement is interpreted from the number of wave pulses, with accuracy dependent on slit spacing.
Linear gauges are primarily used in machine tool control across various industries, including automotive, home appliances, machinery parts, logistics, and research. Selecting the right gauge involves considering its accuracy, environmental suitability, and mountability.
In machine tools, such as lathe equipment and milling machines, linear gauges measure shaft rotation speeds and the travel of cutters and drills.
They are used to measure displacement under a constant load, such as in testing the strength of automobile bodies or doors.
Linear gauges function by detecting changes in light patterns caused by the movement of the object.
Displacement is calculated based on the light passing through the moving slit and its variation in relation to the fixed slits.
The gauge calculates the direction of movement by observing the phase shifts in the light pattern between the moving and fixed slits, outputting two square wave signals with a 90° phase difference.
A linear gauge comprises a detection part with a light source and slits and a counting section that transforms light waveforms into pulse waves.
The detection part includes a light source, two fixed slits, and a moving slit attached to the measured object. The fixed slits are offset to discern the movement direction of the moving slit. The output signal is either 4um or 40um per pitch, depending on the resolution type.
The counting section, consisting of a light-receiving element and a counter, multiplies the signal to achieve a measurement resolution of a quarter pitch.
Indication accuracy refers to the measurement error of the linear gauge, calculated over the entire length of the moving slit's travel.
Accuracy is affected by temperature. The linear expansion coefficient of the glass scale used in the detection section is considered to calculate indication accuracy at different temperatures.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Ono Sokki Technology Inc. Established in 1973 and based in Addison, Illinois, USA, is a manufacturer and supplier of digital measuring instruments. The company's product range includes Hand Held Tachometers, Panel Mount Tachometers, Engine Tachometers, RPM Detectors, and Tachometer Accessories. These products are used for engine RPM and torque measurement, and performance testing using sophisticated control systems. They mainly serve industries such as automotive and medicine. The company's services include research and development, engine and transmission testing, waveform testing, and noise and vibration reduction.
HEIDENHAIN, founded in 1889 and headquartered in Traunreut, Germany, is a manufacturer of precision measurement and control equipment. Specializing in industries requiring precise solutions, the company offers rotary and linear encoders, digital readouts, touch probes, and motion controllers. These products serve sectors like manufacturing, electronics, and aerospace, ensuring enhanced precision and efficiency. The company holds ISO 9001 certification and is an EMAS-certified company, thereby meeting the demanding, globally recognized environmental certification standards of the European Union.
Mitutoyo was founded in 1934 and headquartered in Kawasaki City, Japan. The company is a manufacturer and seller of precision measuring instruments including software, optics, machinery, and electronics. The company is ISO/IEC 17025 accredited for calibration services for measuring instruments. The company’s product lines include Micrometers, Calipers, Calibration Equipment, Vision Measuring Systems, and many others. The company’s coordinate measuring machines and roundness/cylindricity measuring machines are sol in over 60 countries worldwide.
CITIZEN FINEDEVICE CO., LTD. is a Japanese manufacturer headquartered in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi. It was established in 1959 through the merger of three Japanese companies: Citizen Miyota Co., Ltd., Citizen Finetech Co., Ltd., and Citizen Seimitsu Co., Ltd. The company specializes in precise metal parts for automobiles and other products, including quartz oscillators and ceramic components. Production processes are supported by various technologies, such as precise metal part machining, thin-film technology, and sealing technology, catering to different applications. Since 2019, CITIZEN FINEDEVICE, along with its holding company CITIZEN Group, has actively implemented Responsible Minerals Procurement Policy and Environmental Policy.
SANTEST (STC) is a manufacturer of sensors, transducers, and other mechatronic products based in Osaka, Japan. Founded in 1953, the company's products are used in various industrial applications such as robotics, injection molding, hydraulic systems, and machine tooling. The company's product lineup includes pressure and magnetostrictive transducers for assessing process variables, servo valves for controlling flow rates or pressure ranges using electronic signals, and ultrasonic sensors for precise measurement using ultrasonic waves. STC also provides its clients with after-sales services such as calibration, maintenance, and repair.
Marposs S.p.A. is headquartered in Bentivoglio, Italy. The company serves industries such asa aerospace, semiconductors, machine tooling, and biomedical as a manufacturer and as a service provider. The company’s products vary by industry but include tools for gauging, profiling, and monitoring, as well as data management systems and machines for testing and automation. The company’s services include after sales service, customer training, original spare parts, retrofit and upgrade of existing machinery, and project management consulting services.
Ono Sokki Co. Ltd., founded in 1954 and based in Yokohama, Japan, is a manufacturer, distributor, and supplier of electronic measuring instruments and control systems. Its products include sound level meters, vibration meters, and FFT analyzers, utilized in research and development, quality control, and by production line engineers, particularly in the automotive industry. The company was the first to be designated by the government as a producer of sound level meters in Japan and also obtained ISO 14001 certification in 1997.
Magnescale Co., Ltd., established in 1969 as Sony Magnescale Co., Ltd. and headquartered in Tokyo, is a manufacturer specializing in encoder scales used extensively in the Computer Numeric Control (CNC) machine tool industries. The company offers a range of products, including the Magnescale lineup of magnetic scales for rotational and linear position measurement. Additionally, they develop the Laserscale lineup, utilizing hologram technology and semiconductor lasers as light sources to achieve measurement resolutions at the picometer scale. These scales exhibit position and angle control, as well as environmental resistance to severe conditions such as temperature changes and air pressure fluctuations.
Unipulus is a manufacturer of sensors and measuring instruments that was established in 1977 in Tokyo, Japan. The company specializes in precision equipment for measuring a wide range of factors such as durability, tension, and rotational force. Its products include force gauges that test material quality, load cells that measure compression, and torque meters. The company also offers customization, repair, and calibration services for customers needing additional support. Some of its notable clients include Komatsu, Olympus, and Kyoto University.
Ranking as of February 2025
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH |
20.0%
|
| 2 | Mitutoyo Corporation |
16.0%
|
| 3 | Ono Sokki Technology Inc. |
12.0%
|
| 4 | Magnescale |
12.0%
|
| 5 | CITIZEN FINEDEVICE CO.,LTD. |
12.0%
|
| 6 | Marposs |
8.0%
|
| 7 | SANTEST CO., LTD |
8.0%
|
| 8 | Ono Sokki |
4.0%
|
| 9 | Coretech Co., Ltd. |
4.0%
|
| 10 | Unipulus |
4.0%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the linear gauge page as of February 2025. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan
|
6 | 66.7% |
|
United States of America
|
1 | 11.1% |
|
Germany
|
1 | 11.1% |
|
Italy
|
1 | 11.1% |
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