Struggling to teach a co-worker how to read dial calipers, any advice?

C

Cordon - 2007

#1
Hi all,

This is :eek: but I'm struggling to teach a co-worker how to read dial calipers. Last week I showed him how to read a tape measure and it seems to have stuck, but now this :frust:.

Help?
 
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RoxaneB

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
#2
How are you training him? By telling or showing? And some people are slow learners...some people need to do themselves. Take an object...measure it yourself and then have him measure it. Ensure his number matches yours. After a few attempts...let him measure something first, then you measure and (assuming you're using them properly ;) ) compare the two numbers.
 
C

Cordon - 2007

#3
RCBeyette said:
How are you training him? By telling or showing?
Both, but it doesn't seem to stick. I googled for some info on the tape measure and found alot of teaching aids but very little with "how to read dial calipers".

He gets confused on dimensions like 1.33" on a print and he will set the calipers at 1.303". I show him on the calipers where 1.33" is and he gets it correct so I ask him to set them at 4.88, he sets them at 4.808". Maybe its just short term memory :bonk: .
 

Al Rosen

Staff member
Super Moderator
#4
Cordon said:
Both, but it doesn't seem to stick. I googled for some info on the tape measure and found alot of teaching aids but very little with "how to read dial calipers".

He gets confused on dimensions like 1.33" on a print and he will set the calipers at 1.303". I show him on the calipers where 1.33" is and he gets it correct so I ask him to set them at 4.88, he sets them at 4.808". Maybe its just short term memory :bonk: .
He may need to learn some basic math skills if he can't get the hang of a dial caliper. Alternative is to give him a digital caliper.
 

Jim Wynne

Staff member
Admin
#6
Cordon said:
Both, but it doesn't seem to stick. I googled for some info on the tape measure and found alot of teaching aids but very little with "how to read dial calipers".

He gets confused on dimensions like 1.33" on a print and he will set the calipers at 1.303". I show him on the calipers where 1.33" is and he gets it correct so I ask him to set them at 4.88, he sets them at 4.808". Maybe its just short term memory :bonk: .
I advise you to resist the temptation to use a digital caliper--I'm sure the thought has occurred to you--until it's a last resort. Some things to consider:
  • The person could have a learning disability that makes it difficult to distinguish between 4.88 and 4.808.
  • It's possible that the person just doesn't fully understand decimal fractions, and you need to teach that first.
  • Always use three decimal places. Instead of 4.88, call it 4.880. Verbally call .010 "ten thousandths" instead of "one one-hundredth." .100 is "a hundred thousandths," not "one tenth."
 
Last edited:
J
#7
Agree

Jim Wynne said:
I advise you to resist the temptation to use a digital caliper--I'm sure the thought has occurred to you--until it's a last resort. Some things to consider:
  • The person could have a learning disability that makes it difficult to distinguish between 4.88 and 4.808.
  • Its possible that the person just doesn't fully understand decimal fractions, and you need to teach that first.
  • Always use three decimal places. Instead of 4.88, call it 4.880. Verbally call .010 "ten thousandths" instead of "one one-hundredth." .100 is "a hundred thousandths," not "one tenth."
Very well put Jim. We constantly fight this here too. We have several people who just don't communicate clearly. When I was trained you always communicated in 3 place decimal terms. Just as you point out. I've had people come up and say some measurement should be "one-twentyfive". What the heck does that mean?? My assumption is thy mean .125 but it turns out they meant 1.25. :bonk: :bonk:

It sounds to me like this person needs some basic training in shop math and communications.

James
 

Jim Wynne

Staff member
Admin
#8
JRKH said:
Very well put Jim. We constantly fight this here too. We have several people who just don't communicate clearly. When I was trained you always communicated in 3 place decimal terms. Just as you point out. I've had people come up and say some measurement should be "one-twentyfive". What the heck does that mean?? My assumption is thy mean .125 but it turns out they meant 1.25. :bonk: :bonk:

It sounds to me like this person needs some basic training in shop math and communications.

James
And then we have the complication of "one tenth" and "one mil" meaning .0001, and some people thinking that "mil" is short for "million"...
 
C

Cordon - 2007

#10
Cordon said:
He gets confused on dimensions like 1.33" on a print and he will set the calipers at 1.303". I show him on the calipers where 1.33" is and he gets it correct so I ask him to set them at 4.88, he sets them at 4.808".
I should have mentioned that all our prints only go out 2 decimal places unless its a reference call out then it goes out 3 places. I tried to explain that to him, maybe I didn't do a very good job.

Last week teach him to read a tape measure, $25
This week teach him to read dial calipers, $200
Three weeks ago, promote him to a robot welding job, priceless

FYI, Just blowing off some steam with the priceless thing, but its true.
 
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