Types of Micrometer Calipers

Depth Micrometer Caliper

• A depth micrometer caliper measures steps and slots, or recesses, grooves and holes. Equipped with interchangeable rods, using it requires a smooth and flat resting surface to allow firm placement and accurate measurement. It has three gradations that read the distance covered by an extension rod: gradations on the sleeve, spindle and thimble. Adding these three values together will give the total depth of the area being measured.

Inside Micrometer Caliper

• The inside micrometer caliper measures internal dimensions of elements as such as cylinders, bushing wear, bearings and pump casing wearing rings. It has three components: the head, the spacing collar and interchangeable spindles or extension rods of varying lengths. It can have a supplementary knotted head for dimensions that are not easily accessible for measuring. Reading it entails adding two parameters: the exact gradations shown on the micrometer head (similarly, as read from an outside mike) plus the rod length.

Outside Micrometer Caliper

• This type includes the screw thread micrometer gauge. It has three components: the anvil; the shaft or sleeve; and the thimble or indicator. It measures exterior diameters or distances. To get accurate measurements, it combines the graduated readings on the sleeve scale and the thimble scale readings. It has a friction thimble or ratchet stop to allow repeated taking of measurements. Its sleeve has 10 equal divisions, while its thimble has 25. The three parameters read in this type are actual sleeve gradation, distance between the sleeve gradation and the thimble, and the thimble gradation aligned with the sleeve reading.

Digital and Electronic Micrometer Calipers

• Outside, depth and inside micrometer gauges have digital and electronic versions. These devices have digital or liquid crystal displays that automatically display the results of the measurement, eliminating the need for manual readings and estimations. These still require manual adjustments, but the values of the readings need not be computed nor estimated anymore. Unlike their analog counterparts, these types allow ease of use and almost effortless parameter quantifications.