When explaining surface finish measurement, it can be helpful to start with the classic metaphor of a desert, as often described by gage maker Taylor Hobson. Imagine grains of sand as roughness, the ripples of sand as waviness, and then the undulating dunes as the surface profile.

It has been said that one of the greatest attributes of humankind is the want and need to bring order to and better understand the universe and our place in it. To do this, we have qualified, quantified, and categorized just about everything around us and analyzed and ranked the relationships among just about all things. 

GM recognized 132 of its best suppliers from 17 countries.

If you want to get technical, this topic is better dealt with by others since it is a quality matter rather than dimensional metrology where I hide out. But, disputes go on every day over measurements and sometimes resolving them can be quite challenging—when possible. 

For manufacturers in the 21st century, ensuring the products they produce are of the right quality is paramount. 

Today’s software systems are advancing faster than any other time in history. Each is going in different directions. The competition is not necessarily with the software company that creates and sells a specific software such as a calibration or quality management solution—the real differences are the platforms behind the scenes. 

For the most productive and efficient bore gage measuring solutions, it is beneficial to take some time to examine technology options. Choosing the right gage for your application will ultimately save tens of thousands of dollars and lead to increased accuracy. To begin the selection process, it is useful to review how you collect and record measurement data.

The trade show is focused exclusively on metrology equipment and systems used for assuring and improving manufacturing quality.

Establishing calibration intervals for gages and instruments is a tricky business, particularly if you’re starting from scratch. Calibration data, knowledge of metrology and experience come into play in this game so before we begin, let’s look at the goal we hope to achieve.

Dominant technologies to watch at IMTS 2018 include an increasing digital thread, robotics and automation, quality assurance and additive manufacturing.