I N s P E C T I O N

4. Cylindricity typically applies to rigid

Methods of Inspection for Geometric cylindrical shapes when the straight-
ness and roundness characteristics
dimensions and Tolerances need to be simultaneously controlled.
straightness 1. Vee block and jack screws or clay; establish two zero points and indi-
cate over top. 5. Profile-of-a-line controls the allow-
2. stack set blocks in two equal stacks to establish two zero points; able variation of one specific non-
indicate underneath.
3. Optical comparator. straight line element. Conceptually,
4. straight edge and feeler gauge. the profile of a line and the straight-
5. For a check at MMC, virtual or worst-case condition, use a pass- ness tolerances are the same; one con-
through gauge.
6. differential indicator check of opposing feature elements by rolling on a trols curved lines while the other con-
surface plate. trols straight lines.
7. Precision spindle and indicator column with polar graphing paper.
6. Profile-of-a-surface controls the
Flatness 1. Jack screws, clay or a wobble plate to establish three zero points and
an indicator.
allowable variation of a curved,
2. stack set blocks in three equal stacks and measure part underneath. warped or otherwise irregular surface.
3. A plate with one or more holes ground parallel on both sides and an If the profile of a line is conceptually
indicator depth gauge.
4. Optical flats.
similar to straightness, then the pro-
file-of-a-surface specification is simi-
Circularity (Roundness) 1. Measure and record multiple values at one circle; subtract the smallest
from the largest and divide by two. lar to flatness.
2. Vee block nest (angle varies with number of lobes); rotate part and
indicate movement from above. 7. Angularity treats an axis or sur-
3. Vee anvil micrometers and multiple checks.
4. Bench centers, a chuck or a precision spindle used with an indicator. face as being at some specified angle,
Cylindricity 1. Bench centers used with an indicator on a precision slide. other than 90 degrees, from a datum
2. A chuck or precision spindle used with an indicator on a precision plane or axis. The angularity tolerance
slide. is specified as basic when the angle
3. see Total Runout.
between two features of a part must be
Profile of Line 1. Optical comparator.
2. CMM indication from datums. controlled.
3. datum and rail setup (special) used with depth indicator.
Profile of a surface 1. Jack screws or clay and an indicator to find best fit (no datums). 8. Perpendicularity, or squareness, is
2. setup on datums and indicate with CMM. the treatment of an axis or surface as
3. special indicator gauge.
being exactly 90 degrees from a datum
Angularity 1. sine bar or plate and an indicator.
2. Compound sine plate and an indicator.
plane or axis, and is used when the
3. special indicator gauge. squareness of the two part features
Perpendicularity 1. Precision square and a feeler gauge. must be controlled.
2. A cylindrical square.
3. surface plate and indicator mounted on a stand.
4. Right angle and clamp with plate; back up indicator for two datums.
9. Parallelism is used when a line, axis
5. Vertical digital measuring system. or surface feature is intended to be
6. CMM held, within specified limits, equidis-
7. Functional gauge for feature at MMC.
tant from a two- or three-point datum.
8. special indicator gauge.
It is specified when the relative dis-
Parallelism 1. surface plate and standard height indicator.
2. hole to hole: pin, indicator, surface plate, vee block with clamp. tance between two part features must
3. special indicator gauge for odd part configuration and multiple datums. be more tightly controlled than can be
4. Functional gauge at MMC. accomplished with conventional X-y
Position 1. For RFs (regardless of feature size): pins, surface plate, inspection coordinate dimensioning techniques.
knee and indicator.
2. CMM and conversion data to be used with conventional X-y coordi-
nate and size information. 10. Position (formerly called "True
3. special functional gauge with removable pins. Position"), lays the foundational con-
Concentricity 1. differential measurement method (see straightness #6). cepts upon which Gd&T is built. It
2. Precision spindle method with indicator.
3. use and, in turn, checking of this characteristic is to be avoided. defines the amount an axis can vary
symmetry 1. Indicator surface plate, gauge blocks, pins, etc.
from true, or theoretically exact, posi-
2. CMM and datum setup. tion. Before the conceptualization of
3. special indicator gauge. true-position tolerancing, the location
Circular Runout 1. Vee block indicator. of any feature (the center of a hole, for
2. Bench centers with indicator.
3. special indicator gauge with precision spindle.
example) would have been defined
Total Runout 1. Vee block and indicator mounted on precision parallel.
only using the conventional X-y coor-
2. Bench centers with indicator mounted on a precision parallel. dinate system and would have resulted
3. special indicator gauge with precision spindle and slide. in a square tolerance zone. Presently,
the position tolerance is only used to

60 FABRIC ATING & M E TA LW O R K I N G • M a rc h 2 0 0 7 • w w w. f a n d m m a g. co m