Comparison of Traditional and Emerging Technology for the Calibration of Thread Plug Gage Pitch Diameter

Comparison of Traditional and Emerging Technology for the Calibration of Thread Plug Gage Pitch Diameter. Threaded fasteners are critical elements of modern manufactured products. As such the evaluation of dimensional attributes of threads and threaded fasteners is a subject of much interest for metrologists, engineers and others concerned with quality, safety and performance. One of the most important calibrations associated with gaging for threads and threaded fasteners is the pitch diameter calibration of thread plug gages. PJLA is in the planning stage of an inter-laboratory comparison of thread plug gage pitch diameter calibration intended to provide proficiency testing opportunities to a number of our accredited laboratories. As the plans were being developed we decided to use this opportunity to investigate the performance of emerging non-contact technologies for the same calibration. The common artifact will be calibrated using the non-contact calibration method and the results obtained from the inter-laboratory comparison. Since the inter-laboratory comparison is in the preliminary stage the initial comparison will include only one laboratory using the three wire method. Additional data will be included in the comparison as it becomes available. The artifact will be a ¾-10 UNC-2B Thread Plug Gage produced by Leader Corporation of Shelby Township, MI. The gage was provided with an initial calibration from the manufacturer which will be retained and used as a control if necessary.