In any product manufacturing unit, it is important to have good quality control processes and measures. The quality control measures will vary from one manufacturing unit to the other. Even within the same manufacturing unit, there are likely to be a number of quality control tools and inspection tools. One of the most common and one of the most basic quality control tool that we find in most of the manufacturing units is thread gauges.
What are these thread gauges and where are they used? Thread gauge is a simple inspection tool and they are used to measure the accuracy of the threaded components. The tolerance level of the threaded components are measured using this simple inspection tool.
A thread gauge is normally made of hardened steel and they are calibrated to match the components that need to be inspected. They are available in standard sizes and it is also possible to manufacture custom thread gauges. There are different types of thread gauges such as UNEF thread gages, UNC thread gages, metric thread gages and so on. This varies depending on the nature of the threads to be inspected.
As the thread gauges are calibrated, they serve as a standard for the manufactured components so that the accuracy of the threads in the components are inspected. This is a mechanical and a manual device. There are no electronic parts to the thread gauges. They are however subjected to regular wear and tear. To ensure the integrity of the inspection tool, they need to be recalibrated from time to time. Moreover, they are also required to be replaced from time to time depending on the rate of wear and tear.
Finding a reliable supplier of thread gauges is very important because you will be in need of regular supply of these thread gauges as a product manufacturing company. It is best to source all your thread gauges from a single manufacturer instead of sourcing them from multiple suppliers from time to time. When source your thread gauges from the same manufacturer you will be able to get uniform inspection results as opposed to thread gauges sourced from multiple suppliers. You need to take into account the overall quality and the durability of the thread gauges supplied when screening your suppliers.
Based on the number of components to be checked in your factory, the replacement schedule has to be decided. Based on this frequency, the sourcing schedule should also be decided. Having adequate stock of thread gauges is very crucial or else the entire operations could be stalled, as your inspection team will not be able to inspect the thread gauges and pass them for the next process. When you have good quality thread gauges they will last longer. This simple inspection tool forms an integral part of any manufacturing unit and without the use of thread gauges it is not possible to manufacture products of good quality. It is important to have the highest level of accuracy in all the threaded components.