Quality control in metal fabrication relies on a variety of instruments and devices to ensure parts meet their design specifications. Here are some commonly used quality control devices in metal fabrication:
- Calipers: Precision tools used to measure the distance between two opposite sides of a part, available in digital or dial forms.
- Micrometers: Used for taking precise measurements of small dimensions, typically to the nearest thousandth of an inch or hundredth of a millimeter.
- Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM): A device that measures the geometrical characteristics of an object using a probe. CMMs can be manually controlled or computer-controlled for complex measurements.
- Height Gauge: A measuring device used for determining object height, as well as for marking items to be worked on.
- Thickness Gauges: Instruments for measuring thickness, often used for materials such as metal sheets, coatings, and foils.
- Hardness Testers: Devices that determine the hardness of materials, often performed on metals to assess resistance to deformation. Common methods include Rockwell, Brinell, and Vickers hardness tests.
- Go/No-Go Gauges: Fixed limit gauges designed to assess whether parts fit into specific dimensional tolerances, without giving specific measurements.
- Surface Roughness Testers: Devices that measure the texture of a surface, providing a quantitative assessment of the surface’s roughness.
- Optical Comparator: An instrument that projects a magnified image of a part onto a screen for measurement and visual inspection against prescribed limits.
- Ultrasonic Thickness Gauge: Uses ultrasonic waves to measure the thickness of a material, often used where only one side of the workpiece is accessible.
- Protractors and Angle Gauges: Instruments used to measure angles with precision.
- Welding Gauges: A set of tools specifically designed to check various aspects of welding work, such as weld size, bevel angle, and undercut.
- Profile Projectors: Also known as shadowgraphs, these are devices that magnify the silhouette of a part onto a projection screen for visual and measurement comparisons.
- Radiographic and Ultrasonic Testing Equipment: Non-destructive testing (NDT) devices used to examine the interior of welds and metal parts for defects such as cracks or voids.
- Dye Penetrant Inspection Kits: NDT tools that use a visible or fluorescent dye to reveal surface-breaking defects in non-porous materials.
- Magnetic Particle Inspection Equipment: NDT device that uses magnetic fields to detect surface and slightly subsurface discontinuities in ferromagnetic materials.
- Laser Scanners: High-accuracy tools used for 3D scanning of parts to capture their geometries in digital form for inspection.
Maintaining these devices in calibrated and good working condition is essential to ensure accurate measurements and maintain the integrity of quality control processes in metal fabrication.
