This section provides an overview for dial indicators as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 23 dial indicator manufacturers and their company rankings.
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A dial indicator is a measuring instrument for measuring the length and runout of a workpiece. Some products have the same shape and function and are named dial gauges.
It is placed on a foundation and measures the workpiece to determine the dimensional difference from an exemplar (such as a block length gauge). The scale to be measured can be in hundredths of a millimeter or thousandths of a millimeter. If the temperature is not controlled, the measurement method, the condition of the foundation and workpiece, etc., are not controlled, the measurement will not be made with the desired accuracy, and a significant error may occur.
Applications include:
First, set the base to be fixed on top of the base, and place dial indicators or gauges on the tip of the base.
Next, place an exemplar of the specified dimension on the base, adjust it to within the range that can be measured by touching it to the tip, and set the indicator needle to 0 (zero).
Remove the dimensional exemplar and place the workpiece to be measured between the base and the measuring element. The indication of the needle at that time is the dimensional difference between the model and the workpiece, so the dimensions of the relevant part of the workpiece can be measured.
There are two types of dial indicators: the spindle type, in which a rod-shaped measuring element moves up and down in the longitudinal direction to indicate the dimensional difference, and the method using this principle, in which a rod-shaped measuring element moves back and forth in the inclined direction to indicate the dimensional difference.
The spindle type is the most common for measuring simple shapes. The measuring element moves up and down, so it is relatively easy to adjust and fix it so that it is perpendicular to the base.
The lever type is often used to measure narrow areas where the measuring element cannot fit in the spindle type. Care must be taken in its use. The measuring element has a structure that tilts around its base. The measuring element must be installed at an angle close to a right angle to the direction in which the workpiece dimensions increase or decrease at the measurement position.
In both cases, the measuring element moves up and down or back and forth, causing the hand to swing like a clock. The difference from the model can be seen by setting the specified dimension to 0 (zero) on the model and reading the needle display while the workpiece is set to be measured. Particular attention should be paid to the display's resolution (how many millimeters are in one scale) and the number of weeks the needle is in the air, which must be visually confirmed while measuring.
By working with a defined measurement method and temperature control, even one-thousandth of a millimeter can be measured with high accuracy.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Based in Bayville, NY, SAE Manufacturing Specialties Corp. is an ISO-certified supplier and manufacturer of industrial equipment, chemicals, components, ordinance, electronics, and systems for industries ranging from aerospace to high tech to law enforcement. Examples of product offerings include raw materials, chemicals, and lubricants for industrial purposes to finished products such as security helmets for law enforcement, and military ordnances. SAE also provides research and development as well as technical support for other companies in similar industries.
Pyromation began operations in 1962 and operates out of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Pyromation is a manufacturer of RTD temperature sensors, thermocouples, and thermowells. Pyromation serves the aerospace, aggregate, chemical, energy and power, food and beverage, heat treating, HVAC, incineration, medical, metal processing, mining, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, plastics, rubber, and waste/water industries. Pyromation’s product lines include thermocouples, RTDs, thermowells, transmitters, connection heads, wire, and accessories. Pyromation also offers application assistance, calibration, training, and custom design services.
Oil-Rite Corporation was founded in 1933 and is based in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Oil-Rite is a designer and manufacturer of lubrication equipment used in industries as diverse as automotive, machining, and baking, as well as hydroelectric dams. Oil-Rite’s featured products include constant level lubricators, level gages, feed valves, and oil systems. Additional products include grease and oil dispensers, various valves, and sights. Oil-Rite also offers support including usage, lubrication levels, maintenance, and product selection for specific needs.
LAPMASTER WOLTERS’s roots go back as far as 1804 with the founding of Peter Wolters. Lapmaster was founded in Chicago in 1948 as a manufacture of lapping and polishing machines for the mechanical seal market, Lapmaster has grown to a worldwide solution provider for more than 20 industries like precision optics and advanced materials. Lapmaster serves many industries including automotive, semiconductor, electro optics, and medical devices. Lapmaster also sells many consumables including abrasive powders, lapping compounds diamond lubricants, and composite plates. Products include lapping, polishing, bore honing, buffing, grinding, and special purpose machines.
J.W. Winco was originally founded as Ganter in 1894 in Germany. Winco specializes in parts manufacturing. Parts offerings the operating parts segment including handles, adjusting, and positioning parts; clamping parts segment featuring tensioning, clamping, switching, and levers; and finally the machine parts segment with indexing, locking, mounting, connecting elements, guides, spindles, rollers, magnets, casters, and wheels. Winco’s complete catalog contains over 75,000 standard parts. Winco is also ISO 9001 certified. Winco offers free CAD downloads and technical documentation for many arts.
Carolina Scales is located in West Columbia, South Carolina. Carolina Scales is a distributor of equipment for and service provider for scale calibration and certification. Carolina Scales is ISO/IEC 17025 accredited. Carolina Scales product division includes truck/portable vehicle scales, weight indicators, load cells/weigh modules/junction boxes, floor scales, bench scales, counting scales, check weighers, balances, used scales, crane scales/hanging scales, remote displays/scoreboards, lift truck scales, printers, scanners, medical & health scales, retail scales, belt scales/conveyor scales, railroad, and agricultural scales. Services include scale testing and calibration and equipment rentals.
Amtek Tool and Supply, Inc. based in Madison Heights, MI. Amtetk is an online super market for tools, supplies, and other hardware for individual, professional, and corporate customers. Product types include milling, threading, and turning devices, tooling systems, saws, broaching and deburring bits, cutting tool blanks and spares, abrasives, power tools, hand tools, safety equipment, measuring devices, lubrication, sanitation supplies, storage, pneumatics, shipping supplies, transmissions, and various other hardware and shipping supplies. Amtek’s online storefront offers precise filters to help find exact products to meet customer needs.
AppMet, Inc was founded in 1993 in North Charleston, South Carolina. AppMet is a calibration and testing company offering dimensional, physical & mechanical, and electronic & electrical calibration services in climate-controlled laboratories as well as on-site calibrations when possible. AppMet is ISO/IEC 17025 as well as Full Service ISO-99001 certified. Electronic calibrations are made with all types of electrical and electronic test equipment from analog multimeters to RF spectrum analyzers. Physical and mechanical calibrations and tests are performed with equipment ranging from analytical balances to vacuum gages. Dimensional calibrations are performed with equipment ranging from 1-2-3 blocks to angle plates to thickness gages.
Compressed Air Systems was founded in Tampa, Florida in 1963. Compressed Air Systems supports customers in a wide array of industries including food & beverage, medical applications, industrial, electronics, fleet maintenance, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, plastics processing, CNC machine shops, and woodworking. Compressed Air Systems sells air compressors, railcar gate openers and various related products. Compressed Air Systems also offers services including audit, leak compressed air leak elimination, compressed air rentals, and turnkey packages for industrial equipment systems.
Accusize Industrial Tools was born in Toronto, Canada in 2008. Accusize is a distributor of measuring tools, cutting tools, and machine tools for metalworking companies. A portion of offerings that Accusize offers includes collet blocks, expanding arbors, air tools, power tools, die maker tools, annular cutters, bore gages, boring bars, boring heads, BT40 tooling, CAT40 tooling, calibration, layout, & machine setting tools, calipers & attachments, carbide inserts, end mills, force gauges, and metrology and material testing equipment.
MSI-Viking Gage, LLC was founded over 50 years ago and is headquartered in Duncan, South Carolina. MSI-Viking provides manufacturing support to the automotive, aerospace, metals, plastics, medical, energy, food & beverage, and machining industries. MSI-Viking product offerings include 3D scanning systems, 3D additive manufacturing, air gages, bore & hole gages, calipers, CMMs, computed tomography, data collection, depth gages, fixture systems, indicators, laboratory equipment, vision systems, and thread gages among others. Services include calibration, metrology, repair, embedded services, training, and metrology pre-op services.
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