IPE 301 - Measurement and Instrumentation and

Control
Lecture Sheet-3
Prepared by
Imran Ahmed
Assistant Professor, Department of IPE
MIST, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Gauges
1 Introduction
Gauges are inspection tools without a scale. Any scale is not built into the gauges. They
check the dimension of the manufactured parts and tell the status of the work piece whether
it is acceptable or not. They are used to determine whether the part is made within the
specified limit. There are many ways waste in which these gauges are classified.

1. (a) Based on the standard and limit.

(a) Standard gauges.

(b) Limit gauges or ”go” and ”no go” gauges.

2. Based upon the use /purpose.

(a) Working gauges.

(b) Inspection gauges.
(c) Reference or master gauges.

3. Depending on the elements to be checked.

(a) Gauges for checking holes.

(b) Gauges for checking shafts.
(c) Gauges for checking tapers.
(d) Gauges for checking threads.
(e) Gauges for checking forms.

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 4. Depending on the shape

(a) Plug- full form, segmental.

(b) Ring.
(c) Snap.
(d) Taper.
(e) Thread.
(f) Form, radius. Thickness.

5. According to their design.

(a) Single limit or double limit gauges.

(b) Single ended, double ended and progressive gauges.
(c) Fixed or adjustable gauges.
(d) Replaceable/reversible gauges.
(e) Indicating.
(f) Air-operated.

6. According to the type of work surface.

(a) Plain ( unthreaded, flat or curved) work surface

(b) Threaded work surface
(c) Spline gauges
(d) Key way gauges

Different types of materials are used to manufacture gauge. In selection of gauge materials
following criteria.

1. Considerations of selection of material

2. Wear resistance

3. Stability to preserve form and size

4. Corrosion resistance

5. Machinability to get required accuracy

6. Thermal stability

Following materials are considered for gauge manufacture.

1. High carbon steel

2. Mild steel

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 3. Case hardened steel

4. Oil hardened steel

5. Cast iron

6. Glass and ceramic

7. Invar

Sometimes plating is applied on gauge surfaces. Following coatings are used.

1. Chrome plating.

2. Carbide, norbide, sapphier tips: Carbide plating increases life of gauge by 5 times and
carbide tips increases life of gauge by 5 to 10 times.

3. TiN plating.

Following procedures are carried out to manufacture gauge.

1. Selection of materials.

2. Machining to size.Heat treatment of steel.

• Increase hardened to 58 − 60 Rc.

• Tempering to get stability.
• Subzero treatment (−80◦ ) for long term stability.
• Case hardening by carburising (case depth to 0.7 mm).

3. Finishing operations.

(a) Finish grinding.

(b) Lapping.
(c) Plating.
(d) Calibrating.
(e) Marking of specifications.
(f) Inspection and packing.

1.1 Standard Gauge

It is mating part that is used as a gauge. For example sometimes a hole dimension is used
a gauge because we accept the dimension of shaft based on the hole dimension. So mating
part is used itself as gauge. But this concept is only theoretical concept and it is not used
in practice.

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 Figure 1.1: Standard gauge.

1.2 Limit Gauges

Limit gauges ensures whether the component lies within the permissible limits but they
do not determine the actual size or dimension. They are used to check whether the part is
along with their form and the relative positions of the surface of part to the limit. The gauge
requires to check the dimension of a component corresponding to two sizes: maximum and
minimum limit. There are two types of limit gauge: one is ”Go gauge” and another one is
”No go gauge” or ”Not go gauge”. Instead of measuring actual dimensions, the conformance
of product with tolerance specifications can be checked by a ”GO” and ”NO GO” or ”NOT
GO” gauges. These gauges represent the limit sizes of the work piece, as per the specified
product tolerances (Figure 1.2 shows a limit gauge for measurement of hole). Go gauge side
is small in diameter and larger in length. On the other hand No Go gauge side is larger in
diameter but smaller in length. As name suggests, a ”Go gauge” intends to go inside the
part feature and ”No go gauge” intends not to go inside the part work piece. These gauges
are available considering the maximum metal condition and minimum metal condition of the
workpiece. SInce go gauge side enter work piece hence the length of go gauge side is larger
in length. Now during verification, three conditions may rise and among them one condition
is acceptable.
Conditions Go Gauge No go gauge Part Acceptance
1 Goes inside and fits Goes inside and fits Part rejected
2 Goes inside and fits Does not go inside Part accepted
Now the diameter of go gauge side of the limit gauge of figure 1.2 is 12 mm and no go gauge
side is 12.021 mm. Now with the help of this limit gauge, we can inspect the hole whose
dimension in between 12 ± 0.021 mm. Now let consider we get a hole whose diameter is
12.010 mm. Then go gauge side will go inside the hole but no go gauge side will not go
inside the hole. Then hole is accepted. Again let consider we get a hole whose diameter is
12.022 mm. Then go gauge side will go inside the hole and no go gauge side will also go
inside the hole. Then hole is rejected.
Therefore we can conclude that-

1. If the ”GO gauge” side goes inside the hole then the hole is greater than the minimum
permissible size.

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 Figure 1.2: Limit gauge for hole verification.

2. If the ”No GO gauge” side does not go inside the hole then the hole is less than
maximum permissible size.

2 Taylor’s Principle of Gauging

Taylor’s principle is a very important principle to design the limit gauge. The principle is
based on the ”Go gauge” and ”No Go gauge”. Taylor proposed following two principles.
1. ”Go gauge” will check all the dimensions of the work piece in the maximum metal
condition (M M C) ( which indicates the presence of the greatest amount of material
permitted at a prescribed surface). It should check the size of the component also the
geometrical shape such as flatness, roundness etc.
2. ”No Go gauge” will check only one dimension of the work piece at a time for the
minimum metal conditions (LMC) ( which indicates the presence of the least amount
of material permitted at a prescribed surface).
In case of hole, the maximum metal condition is obtained when the hole is machined to the
lower limit of the size and minimum metal condition results when the hole is made to the
high limit of the hole in case of shaft the limits taken would be inverse of hole.

Gauge maker’s tolerance: Gauge, like any other work pieces, needs manufacturing toler-
ance. So the theoretical gauge size as determined from maximum metal condition (M M C)
and minimum metal conditions (LM C) of the work piece, needs some modifications to allow
reasonable imperfection in the workmanship of the gauge maker. This tolerance on gauge is
called gauge maker’s tolerance.

2.1 Gauging Devices

1. Plug Gauge: Plug gauges are used to measure the holes or bores to determine whether
they are within specified tolerance limit. One side is slightly larger than the upper limit

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 of the hole or bore so it can not go inside (No go gauge) and another side is slightly
smaller than the lower limit of hole or bore so it can go inside and fit.

Figure 2.1: Plug gauge.

2. Ring Gauge: Ring gauges are used to measure the shafts to determine whether they
are within specified tolerance limit. These gauges are typically cylindrical in shape and
are fabricated from a stable material (usually tool steel) with a highly precise (very
high-tolerance) bore in their center that functions as the gauge for the outer diameter
of the parts. The ”Go gauge” side bore is machined slightly larger than the upper limit
of the size of shaft and ”No go gauge” side bore is machined slightly smaller than lower
limit of the size of shaft. The primary function of ring gauges is to establish on a go/no-
go basis whether the part being gauged falls within the dimensional tolerance that was
specified for it. The use of ring gauges enables inspections and quality decisions about
machined parts to be made very quickly without the need to resort to the use of
micrometers, calipers, thickness gauges, or other measurement instruments that could
take longer to yield a result.

Figure 2.2: Ring gauge.

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 Figure 2.3: Snap gauge.

3 Gauge Tolerance
Like hole and shaft, gauge will also have the tolerance. We have already known that gauges
have to be manufactured to their required dimensions corresponding to their maximum metal
conditions. Gauges, like any other component, cannot be manufactured to their exact size
or dimensions. In order to accommodate these dimensional variations, which arise due to
the limitations of the manufacturing process, skill of the operator, etc., some tolerance must
be allowed in the manufacture of gauges. Thus, the tolerance that is allowed in the man-
ufacture of gauges is termed gauge maker’s tolerance or simply gauge tolerance. Logically,
gauge tolerance should be kept as minimum as possible; however, this increases the gauge
manufacturing cost. There is no universally accepted policy for deciding the amount of tol-
erance to be provided on gauges. But the normal practice is to take gauge tolerance as 10%
of work tolerance (tolerance limit of hole or tolerance limit shaft).

Gauge tolerance = 10% × work tolerance

We know that the work tolerance is the difference between the upper (maximum)
limit and lower (minimum) limit of a dimension. Now the question is whether the
gauge tolerance will be toward the work tolerance or away from the work tolerance.

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 away
from
tolerance
NO GO gauge (H)

tolerance limit or work

upper limit

tolerance for hole

for hole (H)
toward
work
x tolerance

Lower limit
for hole (L)
GO gauge (L)

away
from away
tolerance from
tolerance

GO gauge (H)
tolerance limit or work

upper limit
tolerance for shaft

for shaft (H)

toward
work
y tolerance

Lower limit
for shaft (L)
NO GO gauge (L)

away
from
tolerance

Figure 3.1: Work tolerance and Gauge tolerance.

Now to answer this question, we have three types of gauges. They are

1. Workshop Gauge: Gauge for workshop department. Philosophy of workshop de-

partment is to produce 100% accurate product. No defective products will be accepted
even in very small margin. For this philosophy in case of workshop gauge, tolerance
is toward work gauge for both ”GO gauge” and ”NO GO gauge”. As a result, in case
of hole, if the actual minimum limit is less than prescribed minimum limit then ”GO
gauge” will not go inside the hole and part will not be accepted. Similarly if the actual
maximum limit is larger than prescribed maximum limit then ”NO GO gauge” will go
inside the hole and part will not be accepted 3.2.

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 Work shop
gauge NO GO gauge (H)
tolerance

tolerance limit or work

upper limit = 10% X

tolerance for hole

for hole (H)

Lower limit
for hole (L) tolerance
= 10% X
GO gauge (L)

GO gauge (H)
tolerance
tolerance limit or work

upper limit = 10% y

tolerance for shaft

for shaft (H)

Lower limit
for shaft (L) tolerance
= 10% y
NO GO gauge (L)

Figure 3.2: Different types of Gauge tolerance.

2. Inspection Gauge: Now let consider, we produced a hole whose upper limit is below
the prescribed limit but within work tolerance limit and the ”NO GO gauge” side of the
plug gauge is also within tolerance limit as shown in figure 3.3, then ”NO GO gauge”
side will go inside the hole and part will be rejected. According to ”NO GO gauge”
the diameter of hole is over size but it is not rather the hole dimensions are within
tolerance limit. Similarly, if we produce a hole whose lower limit is above than the
prescribed lower limit of hole but within work tolerance limit and the ”GO gauge” side
of the plug gauge is also within tolerance limit as shown in figure 3.3. Now the ”GO
gauge” side will not go inside the hole and part will be rejected. According to ”GO
gauge” the diameter of hole is under size but it is not rather the hole dimensions are
within tolerance limit. This error occurs due to the gauge tolerance. So by adapting
workshop gauge tolerance, some of the accepted parts will be rejected. Now to solve
this problem, there is another type of gauge which belongs to inspection department
and that is called Inspection Gauge. According to inspection department we can not
reject any good or accepted part since already lots of efforts are employed to produce
that part. So, if the dimension of any part is within tolerance limit we should not
reject it. Therefore tolerance should be away from the work tolerance.

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 NO GO gauge (H)

tolerance limit or work

upper limit

tolerance for hole

NO GO gauge side
for hole (H)

Lower limit
for hole (L)

Plug gauge
tolerance limit or work
tolerance for hole

GO gauge side

Plug gauge GO gauge (H)

Figure 3.3: Problem with workshop gauge.

Therefore, in case of inspection gauge, the tolerance is away from work tolerance.
Inspection
gauge

tolerance
= 10% X NO GO gauge (H)
tolerance limit or work

upper limit
tolerance for hole

for hole (H)

Lower limit
for hole (L)

tolerance GO gauge (L)

= 10% X

tolerance
= 10% y GO gauge (H)
tolerance limit or work

upper limit
tolerance for shaft

for shaft (H)

Lower limit
for shaft (L)

tolerance NO GO gauge (L)

= 10% y

Figure 3.4: Inspection Gauge tolerance.

3. ISO Gauge: But if we consider inspection gauge still there is problem. For example,

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 if we produce a hole whose upper limit is above the prescribed upper limit and the
dimension of plug gauge is at upper tolerance limit then ”NO GO gauge” will not enter
inside the hole and hole will be accepted. Bu the actual situation is that the dimension
of hole is above tolerance limit, hence rejected part but according ”NO GO gauge” of
inspection gauge, the part is accepted.
Inspection
gauge

tolerance
= 10% X NO GO gauge (H)
tolerance limit or work

upper limit
tolerance for hole

for hole (H)

Lower limit
for hole (L)

plug gauge
tolerance limit or work

upper limit
tolerance for shaft

for shaft (H)

Lower limit
for shaft (L)

tolerance GO gauge
= 10% y

plug gauge

Figure 3.5: Problem with inspection Gauge.

Similarly, if we produce a hole whose lower limit is below the prescribed lower limit
and the dimension of plug gauge is at lower tolerance limit then ”GO gauge” will
enter inside the hole and hole will be accepted. Bu the actual situation is that the
dimension of hole is below tolerance limit, hence rejected part but according ”GO
gauge” of inspection gauge, the part is accepted. So the error still remains. In case of
workshop gauge, some of the good parts are rejected and in case of inspection gauge

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 some of defective parts are accepted. Then ISO gauge comes with solution. In ISO
gauge, ”GO gauge” is taken from workshop gauge and ”NO GO gauge” is taken from
inspection gauge.
ISO gauge
tolerance
= 10% X NO GO gauge (H)
tolerance limit or work

upper limit
tolerance for hole

for hole (H)

Lower limit
for hole (L) tolerance
= 10% X
GO gauge (L)

GO gauge (H)
tolerance
tolerance limit or work

upper limit = 10% y

tolerance for shaft

for shaft (H)

Lower limit
for shaft (L)

tolerance NO GO gauge (L)

= 10% y

Figure 3.6: ISO Gauge.

3.1 Wear Allowance

We have understood that the limit gauges comes in contact with the work piece since ”Go
gauge” side will go inside the work piece. So, there will be always wear occurring on the
gauging surfaces. Now in order to prolong the service life of gauges, wear allowance is added
in the direction opposite to wear. That means when we use this gauge due to continuous
usage of the gauge the diameter of the GO plug gauge will be reducing. On the other hand,
in case of ring gauge the bore surface will come in contact with work piece and wear will
occur. A wear allowance of 10% of gauge tolerance is widely accepted in industries.

In case of hole, ”GO gauge” goes inside the hole and fits, hence GO gauge is designed to
the lower limit of the hole and wear allowance is given opposite side of direction of lower
limit of hole. In case of shaft, ”GO gauge” side bore goes over the shaft diameter. In case
of inspection gauge, we don’t apply wear tolerance since tolerance is already far away.

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 Inspection
ISO gauge
gauge
Work shop
gauge NO GO gauge (H)
tolerance

tolerance limit or work

upper limit = 10% X

tolerance for hole

for hole (H)

tolerance
Lower limit
= 10% X
for hole (L)

GO gauge (L)

wear allowance wear allowance

GO gauge (H)
tolerance limit or work

upper limit tolerance

tolerance for shaft

for shaft (H) = 10% y

Lower limit
for shaft (L) tolerance
= 10% y
NO GO gauge (L)

Figure 3.7: ISO Gauge.

Problem: Design general type GO and NOGO gauge for a shaft hole assembly with a
25H7f 8 fit. Assume a wear allowance of 10% of gauge tolerance. Also determine the type
of fit and allowance.

Solution: Now the basic size of the shaft is 25 mm and it falls in the diameter step of 18
to 30 mm . Now for IT grade IT 7, tolerance factor is 16i. Now 25 is in-between 18 and 30;
hence

Dmax = 30 mm
Dmin = 18 mm

Now let calculate for hole: √

D= 30 × 18 = 23.24 mm
Then √
3
i = 0.45 23.24 + 0.001 × 23.24 = 1.307 µm
Then total IT grade

IT 7 = 16 × 1.307 = 20.92 µm = 0.021 mm

Since hole is designated by H; hence fundamental deviation of hole is zero. Then

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 Lower limit = Basic size + Fundamental deviation
LT = 25 + 0 = 25 mm

And

Upper limit = Basic size + Fundamental deviation + Tolerance

U L = 25 + 0 + 0.021 = 25.021 mm

Now let calculate for shaft: √

D= 30 × 18 = 23.24 mm
Then √
3
i = 0.45 23.24 + 0.001 × 23.24 = 1.307 µm
Then total IT grade

IT 8 = 25 × 1.307 = 32.67 µm = 0.032675 mm

This tolerance for shaft can also be found from IT grade chart. Now let find out the funda-
mental deviation of shaft from chart. It is −20 µm. or −0.020 mm. Then

Upper limit = Basic size − Fundamental deviation

U T = 25 − 0.020 = 24.98 mm

And

Lower limit = Basic size − Fundamental deviation − Tolerance

LT = 25 − 0.020 − 0.032675 = 24.947 mm

Design of Plug Gauge:

Design for ”GO gauge”:

”GO gauge tolerance” = 10% × hole tolerance

1
= × 0.021 mm
10
= 0.0021 mm

Similarly

Wear tolerance = 10% × gauge tolerance

1
= × 0.0021 mm
10
= 0.00021 mm

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Now
upper limit for ”GO gauge” = basic size of shaft
+ gauge tolerance + wear tolerance
= (25 + 0.0021 + 0.00021) mm
= 25.00231 mm

lower limit for ”GO gauge” = basic size of shaft

+ wear tolerance
= (25 + 0.00021) mm
= 25.00021 mm
Design for ”NOGO gauge”:

upper limit for ”NOGO gauge” = basic size of shaft

+ work tolerance + gauge tolerance
= (25 + 0.021 + 0.0021) mm
= 25.0231 mm

lower limit for ”NOGO gauge” = basic size of shaft

+ work tolerance
= (25 + 0.021) mm
= 25.021 mm
Design of Ring Gauge:
Design for ”GO gauge”:
”GO gauge tolerance” = 10% × shaft tolerance
1
= × 0.032675 mm
10
= 0.0032675 mm
Similarly
Wear tolerance = 10% × gauge tolerance
1
= × 0.0032675 mm
10
= 0.00032675 mm
Now
upper limit for ”GO ring gauge” = basic size of shaft
− fundamental deviation − wear tolerance
= (25 − 0.02 − 0.0.00032675) mm
= 24.979 mm

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 lower limit for ”GO ring gauge” = upper limit
− gauge tolerance
= (24.979 − 0.0032675) mm
= 24.9757 mm
Design for ”NOGO ring gauge”:
upper limit for ”NOGO ring gauge” = basic size of shaft
− fundamental deviation − work tolerance
= (25 − 0.02 − 0.0.032675) mm
= 24.947 mm

lower limit for ”NOGO ring gauge” = upper limit

− gauge tolerance
= (24.947 − 0.0032675) mm
= 24.944 mm
Problem: Tolerance limit of hole and shaft are given as 0.021 mm and 0.032675 mm. De-
termine the gauge tolerance and wear tolerance.

Solution: Design for ”GO gauge” of hole:

”GO gauge tolerance” = 10% × hole tolerance
1
= × 0.021 mm
10
= 0.0021 mm
Similarly
Wear tolerance = 10% × gauge tolerance
1
= × 0.0021 mm
10
= 0.00021 mm
Design for ”NOGO gauge” of hole:
”NOGO gauge tolerance” = 10% × hole tolerance
1
= × 0.021 mm
10
= 0.0021 mm
Design for ”GO gauge” of shaft:
”GO gauge tolerance” = 10% × shaft tolerance
1
= × 0.032675 mm
10
= 0.0032675 mm

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 ISO gauge

0.0021mm
25.021 mm
NO GO gauge (H)

tolerance limit or work

upper limit

tolerance for hole

for hole (H)

0.021 mm
Lower limit 0.0021mm
for hole (L)
0.00021mm
25.00 mm GO gauge (L)

Basic size of shaft=25 mm

fundamental
0.02 mm
deviation
GO gauge (H)
0.00032675 mm
tolerance limit or work

upper limit
tolerance for shaft

for shaft (H) 0.0032675 mm

0.0326751mm

Lower limit
for shaft (L)

NO GO gauge (L)
0.0032675 mm

Figure 3.8: Design of ”GO gauge ” and ”NOGO gauge” :ISO Gauge.

Similarly

Wear tolerance = 10% × gauge tolerance

1
= × 0.0032675 mm
10
= 0.00032675 mm

Design for ”NOGO gauge” of shaft:

”NOGO gauge tolerance” = 10% × shaft tolerance

1
= × 0.032675 mm
10
= 0.0032675 mm

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