Unique ID Required for Thread Gage Replacements?

[SpinDr99]

I'm in my first machine shop where they use a lot of thread plug and thread ring gages. As they will now and then, a gage goes out of calibration. It may be either the "Go" or "No-Go" member of a thread plug gage, or one of the thread ring gages. To keep them as a set before I came to the company, both were given the same I.D. number. My predicament is when one fails calibration. I cringe at the thought of re-issuing the same I.D. number to the replacement, and this is especially a predicament when we're talking about a thread plug gage which share a handle.

I've thought about simple discarding the "failed" thread ring gage member and keeping the I.D. the same, but this goes against all everything I believe is the correct thing to do. Does anyone have some input as to what they do in their shop and how to get around any questions from a CB auditor? I THINK I can cover myself by making a statement in our Calibration procedure that the "failed" thread ring gage member will be removed from the property (thrown out).

 

[BoardGuy]

[FONT=&quot]For ring gages each member of the set should have its own ID number for control purposes. Plug gages on the other hand are usually handled as being a single unit with just one ID number. Most plug gages I worked with had sterilized individual members (go/no go) in the handle. If this is the case with your plug gages just record that on Plug Gage ID # XYZ, No Go Member S/S 123 was replaced by Member S/S 456.

[FONT=&quot]If each plug g[FONT=&quot]age member is in its own handle, then just retire the complete gage (handle & [FONT=&quot]plug) and issue [FONT=&quot]the replacement [/FONT]with a new number.[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]

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[SpinDr99]

Thanks for your input. Unfortunately, I inherited a mess as my company just got their ISO certification last year and the plugs share a handle, and the rings (Go and No-Go) were set up with the same number. On top of that, the previous administrator of the gages was re-using ID numbers, and I can't extend calibration intervals as management wants because histories weren't retained.

But getting back to replacing failed rings or plug members (which share the same handle), I'm all ears. Thanks!!!