What are the pros and cons of working with gage pins?

haueyman · Jan 19, 2007

We manufacture heads and blocks for a company and it is rough machining. We are going to be running parts that will not be able to be tested through our in line air gage.

So we are looking into alternative ways of checking the parts besides laying them out on our CMM. One way is using gage pins.

We will machine the parts back to the cast locators. But once we have machined the parts we will need to check them on a random sampling. I am looking for some input on how can I acheive our goal, making good parts?

Does any one have any suggestions, been there done that sort of thing? :frust:

Thanks

ScottK · Jan 19, 2007

We work with Gauge Pins all the time.
I'm still relatively new here but here are my impessions

Positives: fast, more foolproof than a hand caliper for a quick check

Negatives: easy to lose if you use them on the floor, expensive to calibrate if you own a whole set - apparently we just buy a new set every two years, ours are only .001" increments so "measuring" with them will only give us that resolution

Question to anyone else reading this thread:

How do you do a gauge R&R with pins? Would that be considered an attribute gauge R&R or can you, indeed, measure with them?

haueyman · Jan 19, 2007

Discordian;Positives: fast said:
See the problem is I really have never used gage pins. Our shop is completly automated which in this situation is going to be useless. And maybe gage pins is not the right application. I need to check a few surfaces back to a dowel hole. Would a gauge pin be best in this application?

ScottK · Jan 19, 2007

haueyman said:
Discordian;Positives: fast said:

See the problem is I really have never used gage pins. Our shop is completly automated which in this situation is going to be useless. And maybe gage pins is not the right application. I need to check a few surfaces back to a dowel hole. Would a gauge pin be best in this application?

Click to expand...

I guess I'm not exactly understanding the application.
can you attach a quickie sketch?

Hershal · Jan 19, 2007

If you elect to use pin gages, remember.....they bend, break, and will expand as you hold them.....they should be calibrated by an accredited lab that reports the uncertainty so you know what the error for each pin is.....

But they are fast....

Hershal

Benjamin28 · Jan 19, 2007

As for the gage r&r on gage pins question....here is a link to some discussion on this topic and also some good info on the use of pins.

http://elsmar.com/Forums/archive/index.php/t-8253.html

It really is astounding how much information is available in these forums

haueyman · Jan 19, 2007

I have attached a drawing that may help.

See what you think.

Thanks

Jim Wynne · Jan 22, 2007

haueyman said:
We manufacture heads and blocks for a company and it is rough machining. We are going to be running parts that will not be able to be tested through our in line air gage. So we are looking into alternative ways of checking the parts besides laying them out on our CMM. One way is using gage pins.

We will machine the parts back to the cast locators. But once we have machined the parts we will need to check them on a random sampling. I am looking for some input on how can I acheive our goal, making good parts?

Does any one have any suggestions, been there done that sort of thing?

Thanks

Whether or not pins will work depends on what you need to know. If it's simply an issue of clearance (something with an OD of size x must fit through a hole of size y, e.g.) pins will work fine. If you need to know anything about the geometric characteristics of the holes--roundness, cynlindricity, e.g.--pins won't help. Also, if you need relatively precise information regarding size and shape, you'll be better off with a bore gage.

haueyman · Jan 22, 2007

We have a bore gage for the hole which is not the problem. I need to measure some surface back to that hole. And I want to make sure I am 1. spending my time and money wisely 2. having the parts measured correctly.

Jim Wynne · Jan 22, 2007

haueyman said:
We have a bore gage for the hole which is not the problem. I need to measure some surface back to that hole. And I want to make sure I am 1. spending my time and money wisely 2. having the parts measured correctly.

So you want to use the pin just to locate the center of the hole? In other words, you want to stick a pin in the hole and then measure from the pin to some other feature (or vice-versa)? Like with a height gage?

What are the pros and cons of working with gage pins?

haueyman

ScottK

Not out of the crisis

haueyman

ScottK

Not out of the crisis

Hershal

Metrologist-Auditor

Benjamin28

haueyman

Attachments

Jim Wynne

haueyman

Jim Wynne

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